- Do you know more? Email tips@dailymail.com.au
The search for missing four-year-old Gus Lamont, who vanished from his family’s home five weeks ago, could soon resume, police say.
South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens confirmed on Wednesday that officers could return to the remote property at Oak Park, in the state’s mid-north, for a fourth search effort.
Gus was last seen at his grandparents’ homestead on September 27.
‘We’ve been acting on the advice of survivability experts, doctors, medical staff, in relation to how far Gus might travel and how long and how long he would be able to survive without any support or assistance,’ Mr Stevens said.
‘That was a factor that dictated how far we would search and how long.
‘We are continuing to go back because we are still committed to recovering Gus for the family, so everybody has some sense of closure in relation to what’s occurred up in Yunta.’
He did not provide a timeframe, but said search teams would return to the property ‘based on further analysis of data’.
Pictured: Missing boy, Gus Lamont
Pictured: The homestead where Gus Lamont went missing in September
SA Police drained 3.2 million litres of water from a dam near the property last week, but found no trace of the boy.
The dam is about 600metres from the homestead and roughly 4.5metres deep.
Commissioner Stevens said there had been two reviews into the search efforts.
‘Peer-reviews by experts who have taken an objective view of whether or not things could have gone differently,’ he said.
‘Those reviews have identified opportunities to enhance what we’ve done but there’s been no criticism of the search effort.’
Despite three previous major search operations involving SAPOL, Air Pol, the ADF and SES, the four-year-old has not been found.
Monday marked five weeks since he vanished.
Investigators drained a dam near Gus’ grandparents place near Yunta (pictured)
Pictured: Military at the scene three weeks after Gus was last seen
The only trace of Gus has been a footprint in the red dirt, believed to match the boots he was wearing when he disappeared about 5.30pm.
His grandmother Shannon discovered Gus was gone when she went to call him inside for dinner about 5.30pm. The family reported him missing three hours later.
Shannon was inside the homestead looking after Gus’ one-year-old brother Ronnie at the time.
Police said there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding Gus’ disappearance and that they believe the boy had wandered off. Daily Mail does not suggest otherwise.
Pictured: Gus’ parents Jessica Murray and Josh Lamont
It has been reported that Gus’ mum Jessica was with Josie looking for lost sheep about 10km from the homestead when Gus disappeared.
A close friend of Shannon’s suggested Gus could have simply wandered off to look for his mother.
‘It is very easy to get lost on a station that size,’ said the friend.
‘Shannon grew up out there and she almost got lost a few years ago.
‘Her and [another grandparent] Josie were out on motorbikes sorting out the sheep one afternoon and they got separated for a while. She had to turn off her bike to listen out for Josie’s to find her way back.
‘He’s a happy little boy, happy to do his own thing. But when you address him, he gets shy and hides,’ they said.
