A baffling mystery continues to unfold on a remote property in rural South Australia.
Police and search and rescue experts have unsuccessfully been working to locate a missing four-year-old boy who has somehow seemingly disappeared from his family’s farm.
Augustus Lamont, who’s known as Gus, was last seen by his grandmother while playing on a mound of dirt at the family’s remote homestead 43km south of the township of Yunta on the afternoon of September 27.
His grandmother went to call Gus in at 5.30pm, about 30 minutes after she’d last seen him, and found he was gone.
After conducting a large-scale search for Gus involving trackers, drones and helicopters, police publicly announced earlier this week they were scaling the search back.
At least one criminologist has told Australian news media that in their opinion the signs in the case point to third-party involvement.
“According to a family member, he is a shy but adventurous child,” Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott says.
“While a good walker, he has never left the family property previously.
“Considerable police resources were committed to the initial search for Gus once we were alerted on Saturday evening.
“This included a Polair helicopter using infrared technology and initial ground searches around the homestead.
‘From early Sunday morning resources were increased considerably as the search intensified.
“This commitment has steadily increased since Sunday. The search for Gus has been one of the largest, most intensive and most protracted searches ever undertaken by South Australia Police (SAPOL).
“The determination of every individual involved to find Gus has never wavered.
“Like every member of the community who has been following this sad event, they too have been very much affected by what has happened.
“They are all mothers, fathers, or have young siblings and share the anguish and despair that Gus’s family have been going through since last Saturday night.
“On Tuesday night senior police spoke to Gus’s family and prepared them for the fact Gus may not have survived due to the passage of time, his age and the nature of the terrain he is missing in.
“This assessment was based on medical evidence from a doctor who is recognised by the Australian rescue authorities as an expert opinion on time frame for survival.
“While those involved in the search have been hoping for a miracle, over the past 48 hours the search has shifted to a recovery operation.
“At this point, no trace of Gus has been located. No tangible pieces of evidence, such as footprints, a hat or clothing, have been located to identify any direction of travel to assist searchers.
“We are confident we have done all we can to locate Gus within the search area.
“Despite our very best efforts to find Gus, we have determined the search will be scaled back from this afternoon.
“The investigation will now be managed by the Missing Persons Investigation Section.
“This is where all long-term cases such as this are managed and investigated and is standard practice.
“In addition to the search activity, there have been concurrent inquiries undertaken as a matter of course when a four-year-old child goes missing. These inquiries are continuing.
“We are investigating and looking to rule out every option at this stage.”
