Grandmothers Engage Legal Teams Following Major Crime Declaration in Gus Lamont Case
The grandmothers of four-year-old Gus Lamont, who vanished from a remote South Australian sheep station in September 2025, have hired lawyers following a significant development in the investigation. South Australia Police (SAPOL) has officially declared the child's disappearance a major crime, shifting the focus of their inquiry dramatically.
From Search Mission to Criminal Investigation
Gus Lamont was last seen playing outside the homestead at Oak Park Station, approximately 300 kilometres inland from Adelaide, on September 27th, 2025. The initial presumption was that the adventurous but shy four-year-old had simply wandered off from the family property, prompting an extensive search operation that covered nearly 100 square kilometres by ground and over 700 square kilometres by air.
After approximately one week, the rescue mission transitioned to a recovery operation as hopes of finding Gus alive diminished. Police had consistently stated during this period that the family was cooperating with investigators, though they acknowledged they could not rule out any possibilities regarding the child's fate.
Police Identify Suspect Within Family Circle
The investigation took a decisive turn when Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke, officer in charge of major crime, announced that police now believe Gus never actually left the family's 60,000-hectare sheep station. Authorities have identified what they describe as "a number of inconsistencies and discrepancies" in information provided by family members during the investigation.
"As a result of these inconsistencies, and investigations into them, a person who resides at Oak Park station has withdrawn their support for the police and is no longer cooperating with us," Fielke stated. "The person who has withdrawn their cooperation is now considered a suspect in the disappearance of Gus."
This development prompted police to declare the case a major crime on Thursday, with investigators seizing a vehicle, a motorbike, and electronic devices in mid-January as part of their renewed efforts.
Legal Representation for Grandmothers
In response to the police announcement, lawyers have confirmed they are now acting for both of Gus Lamont's grandmothers. Andrew Ey of Mangan Ey and Associates is representing Josie Murray, while Casey Isaacs of Caldicott + Isaacs Lawyers is acting for Shannon Murray.
The legal teams released a joint statement on Friday expressing their clients' devastation at the police declaration. "We are absolutely devastated by the media release of SAPOL Major Crime," the statement read. "The family has cooperated fully with the investigation and want nothing more than to find Gus and reunite him with his mum and dad."
The grandmothers have indicated they will not be conducting interviews or making further comments beyond this statement as the investigation continues.
Initial Search Efforts and Family Anguish
When Gus first disappeared, authorities launched an immediate and comprehensive search operation. The child was last seen wearing a grey sun hat, a blue Minion T-shirt, light grey long pants, and boots. According to family accounts, he was playing on a mound of dirt outside the homestead at approximately 5:00 PM, only to be discovered missing thirty minutes later when his grandmother went outside to call him in.
The search rapidly expanded to include helicopters with infrared cameras, drones, divers checking dams and tanks, trail bikes, ATVs, search dogs, a tactical unit, Australian Defence Force personnel, mounted police, police cadets, emergency services, community and family volunteers, and even an Aboriginal tracker. Despite these extensive efforts, only a single small footprint was discovered, which yielded no further investigative leads.
On September 30th, Gus's family released a heartfelt statement expressing their devastation and gratitude to search participants. "We are devastated by the disappearance of our beloved Gus on Saturday afternoon," the statement read. "This has come as a shock to our family and friends, and we are struggling to comprehend what has happened. Gus's absence is felt in all of us, and we miss him more than words can express."
Police continue to urge anyone with information about Gus Lamont's disappearance to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 as they remain determined to find the missing child and return him to his parents.
