Police have launched a fresh search for evidence in the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont at his grandparents’ remote station where he vanished.
South Australia Police returned to Oak Park Station, a 60,000ha South Australian property about 40km south of Yunta, on Monday, as they continued to hunt for answers.
It’s understood the current operation is focused on gathering evidence, unlike earlier searches which were aimed at finding Gus, after his disappearance was declared a major crime earlier this month.
Police will remain in the area for at least the next two days.
‘An update on the search activities will be provided as they progress,’ SA Police said in a statement provided to the media.
Earlier this month, South Australia Police said they believed the four-year-old was dead, declared his disappearance on September 27 as a major crime, and revealed they had identified a suspect within his family.
Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said detectives suspected that a family member living at Oak Park Station was involved in Gus’s disappearance.
However, they stressed that Gus’s mother and father, Jessica Murray and Joshua Lamont, were not suspects.
No arrests have been made or charges laid in relation to Gus’ disappearance.
Josie and Shannon Murray hired separate lawyers after police said a family member ‘who resides at Oak Park Station’ is now considered a suspect
Gus’ grandparents Shannon and Josie Murray have both retained high-profile Adelaide defence lawyers after police said they had stopped helping with inquiries.
They said they were ‘devastated’ by the police announcement and insisted they were still cooperating with the investigation.
It is not suggested the couple have committed a crime.
Josie and Shannon made their first official joint statement through their lawyers to slam police, and said they want ‘nothing more than to find Gus and return him to his mum and dad’.
They insisted they had ‘cooperated fully with the investigation’.
More to come.