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Oak Park Station, South Australia – A renewed search is underway at a remote South Australian sheep station as police investigate the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont, a case now being treated as a major crime. Officers returned to Oak Park Station on Monday, February 16, 2026, to continue searching for evidence, five months after Gus was last seen.
Gus Lamont was reported missing on September 27, 2025, after he was last seen playing at the family homestead, located approximately 43 kilometers south of Yunta in the state’s Mid North, according to 9News. The investigation took a significant turn earlier this month when police revealed a person living at the property was considered a suspect in his disappearance and suspected death.
South Australia Police confirmed that detectives from Task Force Horizon will remain at Oak Park Station for at least two days, meticulously searching for clues. This latest effort comes just eleven days after police officially declared Gus’s disappearance a major crime, signaling a shift in the investigation’s focus, as reported by The Nightly.
Search Intensifies After Suspect Identified
Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke previously stated that the individual identified as a suspect had withdrawn cooperation with investigators after providing information containing “a number of inconsistencies and discrepancies.” Although police have confirmed Gus’s grandparents, mother and younger brother were present at the property when he went missing, his parents are not currently considered suspects.
The family, understandably devastated by the developments, released a statement through their lawyers earlier in February. They emphasized their full cooperation with the investigation and expressed their desperate hope for Gus’s safe return, stating, “We are absolutely devastated by the media release of SAPOL Major Crime. The family has cooperated fully with the investigation and want nothing more than to find Gus and reunite him with his mum and dad,” according to ABC News.
Initial search efforts focused on the possibility that Gus had wandered off and become lost in the vast outback landscape. However, the investigation evolved after police determined this scenario was unlikely. Investigators then explored the possibilities of abduction or the involvement of someone known to the child, ultimately leading to the current focus on a suspect residing at Oak Park Station.
Evidence Seized in Previous Searches
Police conducted extensive searches of the homestead on January 14 and 15, seizing a vehicle, a motorcycle, and various electronic devices for forensic analysis. Despite these efforts, and broader ground and aerial searches spanning approximately 500 square kilometers, no trace of Gus or any items belonging to him have been found, The Guardian reported.
“We don’t believe now that Gus is alive,” Detective Superintendent Fielke stated previously, reflecting the grim outlook of the investigation. The search for answers continues as Task Force Horizon meticulously examines the evidence collected and pursues all available leads.
The investigation into Gus Lamont’s disappearance remains active, and police have indicated they will provide updates as the search progresses. The community remains hopeful for any information that could lead to a resolution in this heartbreaking case.
What comes next for the investigation remains unclear, but police are committed to thoroughly examining all evidence and pursuing every possible avenue to determine what happened to Gus Lamont. We encourage anyone with information, no matter how small, to come forward and assist the investigation.
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