Australia AUSTRALIA - 4YO AUGUST (GUS) Missing from rural family home in Outback, Yunta, South Australia, 27th Sept 2025

[tedtink]

DBM

 

[tedtink]

I hadn’t seen this anywhere yet

Australia Post in thread 'AUSTRALIA - 4YO AUGUST (GUS) Missing from rural family home in Outback, Yunta, South Australia, 27th Sept 2025'

Thursday at 6:39 PM

Royce Player used to be neighbours with the family and is also an experienced tracker who knows the area well.
"I would've thought they might've found him by now, you never know, this could be something someone's missed somewhere," he said.
"Under a bit of bush, a bloody hole in the ground, or an old motorcar … could be anywhere."
He said it could be easy to "miss a little four-year-old" if the searchers were spaced out even "20 metres apart".
Mr Player, like many of the volunteers assisting in the extensive search efforts, said he dropped everything to come and help with the search for a...

• tedtink

• 
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[Dotta]

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" 'Jen and I were the only ones searching nights,
apart from Monday night the father joined us,
and we would head home when main search crews arrived through the day,'
he wrote on social media.

He explained he and his partner took the nights
in case he moved then 'because of the heat or flies' and that they shone strong lights over the flat, barren landscape
and they also listened for foxes and kept a lookout for 'birds of prey' circling overhead.

'Nothing.
I personally am very doubtful he is on the property'.

Dozens of police, SES, army personnel and volunteers scoured the outback property.

On Saturday,
Leave A Light on Inc called on South Australians
to leave their front door porch lights on
so Gus could 'find his way home'.

Investigations are ongoing."

 

[whitelilac]

^ That bit of scrub seen in the second picture above reminds me of the Mitrice Richardson case in Malibu here.
She was found 11 months after her disappearance, in an area of chaparral common in the area. More rugged than the area in the outback where little Gus lived, but still, lots of scrub where a child could be well hidden.

"On January 9, 2010, four months after she was reported missing, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department conducted one of the largest-scale searches in the history of the department. Over 300 volunteers trained in search and rescue operations participated in the 18-square-mile (47 km2) search in the area of Malibu Canyon. The search included both air and ground searches of creeks, trails, and ridges. Richardson was not found during this search.<a href="Death of Mitrice Richardson - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a>

 

[su5ie]

Thread 'Remains Found in Area After LE/SAR Searches'

Jul 15, 2021

@bombardier compiled an excellent starter list of MP cases that ended with the person's remains found in/near a location that had already been searched (some multiple times) by LE/SAR. Other WS members added a few cases to the list as well. I and others thought it would be useful to start a thread in order to track these types of cases as case study analyses could prove useful in future cases. Please feel free to add summaries of similar cases of which you are aware. MOO

Great post and thanks again, @bombardier!
#

TX - TX - Jason Landry, 21, enroute from TSU to home, car...

• YaYa_521
• Replies: 75
• Forum: General Information & Discussion

• 

It is very difficult to find a body, much more so than you would think.

MOO is he may be hidden in or around the house in some object only a 4 yr. old would think to climb into.

Thank you so much for posting this , I've just added it to the jack and lilly thread . Just thought it was a nice reminder to oneself when one begins to consider family involvement in a child's disappearance

 

[Karin1974]

I cannot count how many times I read about the searches which overlooked the missing people

They were later found by pure coincidence by passers-by,
not far from the places they were missing or seen last.
In the areas that had been previously searched.

JMO

IMO - Personally, I find it absolutely staggering that bodies so often turn up in previously searched areas. How does this happen? What exactly are the searchers doing for it to so often appear that human beings searching for a body in any kind of rural area, are woefully inadequate. Is there anything that can be changed to make searches more successful? Why are human bodies so difficult to find, even when not purposefully hidden? My questions are merely my own musing but feel free to answer any of them. MOO

 

[SouthAussie]

"A missing persons expert has cautioned people about sharing misinformation, as Facebook's AI search engine provides some users with incorrect information about a boy missing in South Australia's mid-north."

Expert cautions people using AI as search for missing boy in SA outback scaled back

 

[Rocket333]

If that is the case, wouldn't the thermal helicopters have picked him up on the first day?

Regardless, what incidents could even happen by a sand pit other than getting trapped inside?

If he’s buried or hidden, thermal detection could get tricky. It depends on whether a contrast shows. Shallow cover or bushes might still leak some heat, but if he’s underground or fully shielded, the signal may not show or surface. No contrast = no detection.

Re incidents, I have no idea. He’s apparently not out yonder or subject to foul play and there’s been no sound, scent, or visual, so it’s possible he’s concealed - perhaps partially buried or covered by something that’s blocked detection to date.

Any there any dogs living there?

 

[pipj]

If that is the case, wouldn't the thermal helicopters have picked him up on the first day?

Regardless, what incidents could even happen by a sand pit other than getting trapped inside?

Thermal imaging has its own restrictions when searching. It’s not quite as easy as it’s made out.
Often rocks, walls, buildings are in the way and heat signatures cannot always detect through them. Same with bodies of water; they can be difficult to read anything from and are likely to cool down anything warm that enters them pretty quickly.

Another problem is machinery that has been active can contain heat signatures for some time and thermal may not always distinguish if (for example) a child was huddled up against a tractor that had been in use.

Thermal also isn’t like looking at something through binoculars…you’re not looking at real things…you’re looking at blobs. Shaped blobs, yes but shapes are not always very defined and there would be lots of nocturnal animals around at the time too.

And as always, human error comes into it. All it would take is for someone to sneeze or look away for a few seconds and miss something I guess.

 

[Dotta]

IMO - Personally, I find it absolutely staggering that bodies so often turn up in previously searched areas. How does this happen? What exactly are the searchers doing for it to so often appear that human beings searching for a body in any kind of rural area, are woefully inadequate. Is there anything that can be changed to make searches more successful? Why are human bodies so difficult to find, even when not purposefully hidden? My questions are merely my own musing but feel free to answer any of them. MOO

Advice concerning searches:

"- Get a map of the area and separate it into grids.

- Appoint one person as the 'Map Holder'
and have them assign people to different areas of the grid.

- Break into smaller groups of 4 or 5 people if possible
and spread those groups in several places of the area.

- Go slowly
and look at your surroundings.

- Walk along the area side by side,
arm-length apart
try and maintain the same pace as your team."

IMO,
2 last points are very important.
Walking slowly side by side looking at surroundings carefully.

Ground searches - Missing Persons Guide

Police have limited resources and will only conduct ground searches if there is evidence to suggest that a missing person's disappearance is suspicious.

www.missingpersonsguide.com

 

[kiwi50]

He lived there.

Is there a link anywhere that says this?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Community comes together as search for missing 4yo Gus enters day 7

The search for missing four-year-old Gus has entered its seventh day, with no new signs of the boy.

www.abc.net.au

""We've got to remember that he [Gus] actually lives on the property and that might have been a footprint that he might have left there a couple of days ago, even before he went missing," said the officer in charge of the Yorke and Mid North region, Superintendent Mark Syrus"

 

[bearbear]

if family suspected that somebody known to him took him, could that explain the 3 hour reporting to police,
a head start for someone not verified as a caregiver but given leeway because of their family connection?

 

[musicaljoke]

Or he's been taken away from the house in a vehicle.

Could a kidnapper anrrive unseen and unheard? Would such a kidnapper stop to close all the gates on their way out?

if family suspected that somebody known to him took him, could that explain the 3 hour reporting to police,
a head start for someone not verified as a caregiver but given leeway because of their family connection?

If that were the case, I doubt the police would have been called.

It's not very likely, given that this was an area where neighbours would know one another's business. One doesn't get away with much in a rural community, Someone would have reported their suspicions.

 

[bearbear]

Could a kidnapper anrrive unseen and unheard? Would such a kidnapper stop to close all the gates on their way out?



If that were the case, I doubt the police would have been called.

It's not very likely, given that this was an area where neighbours would know one another's business. One doesn't get away with much in a rural community, Someone would have reported their suspicions.

but for example if a child was in official family care and it had to be reported?

 

[JLZ]

Agree, we live on a property and we are very self reliant. But this is what bothers me; when living on a rural, isolated property - you become more in tune and guarded with any out of the ordinary. You always have eyes and ears open up until bed time. I know where each of my dogs are 24x7 and where all the cattle and chickens are.
If the family have lived on the farm for years, they would be in tune with every part if it and fully aware of every slightly dangerous part of the property.
To the extent of knowing where every hole is, or every part of soft sand etc..it becomes instinctive…
With all that being said, they would have heard a car come near the property and they would have noticed their dogs becoming anxious when Gus was walking away.
There are wild animals which could have posed a threat - but there would have been something found.
Falling down a hole is probable too
Poor kid

I'm curious to know whether you've taken into account that the property has been described as 6,000 hectares, which is about 15,000 acres.

 

[packetgravy]

Advice concerning searches:

"- Get a map of the area and separate it into grids.

- Appoint one person as the 'Map Holder'
and have them assign people to different areas of the grid.

- Break into smaller groups of 4 or 5 people if possible
and spread those groups in several places of the area.

- Go slowly
and look at your surroundings.

- Walk along the area side by side,
arm-length apart
try and maintain the same pace as your team."

IMO,
2 last points are very important.
Walking slowly side by side looking at surroundings carefully.

Ground searches - Missing Persons Guide

Police have limited resources and will only conduct ground searches if there is evidence to suggest that a missing person's disappearance is suspicious.

www.missingpersonsguide.com

Unfortunately the probability of locating Gus at this stage is next to nil.

Following the missing persons report and initial urgency assessment, I have faith the police and SAR exhausted every resource possible in the search for Gus. They have followed procedure, releasing a public statements covering the order of events and info relevant to the case.

MOO Based on what was disclosed and the factors involved, this case was most likely assessed as an emergency (top priority) and search and rescue were mobilised immediately.

NOTE: % of category refers to the percentage of missing persons in that age group who are located within the distance provided. Example - 95% of children between ages 4-6 are found within 5.4kM from their last known position.

Based on the public information, I would hazard a guess that reflex tasking was the initial strategy implemented (following aircraft deployment.)

Starting at the sand pile.

https://www.amsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/natsar-manual-february-2025-final-v2.pdf

 

[HoneyBunOne]

Could a kidnapper anrrive unseen and unheard? Would such a kidnapper stop to close all the gates on their way out?



If that were the case, I doubt the police would have been called.

It's not very likely, given that this was an area where neighbours would know one another's business. One doesn't get away with much in a rural community, Someone would have reported their suspicions.

In the country, it's well known that you leave the gates how you found them. The thing is though, if some/all of the gates were not in view of the house (which would be highly likely given the size of the property), then with all the comings and goings of police, SES and volunteers it could be unclear if they were all left in the state they were originally. Now I'd imagine most of the people coming onto the property would follow the "leave it how you find it" rule, but if someone DID change the way they were left, it might not be evident or concerning to the home owners, as they may not necessarily think it was done as anything more than an accident.

 

[JLZ]

In the country, it's well known that you leave the gates how you found them. The thing is though, if some/all of the gates were not in view of the house (which would be highly likely given the size of the property), then with all the comings and goings of police, SES and volunteers it could be unclear if they were all left in the state they were originally. Now I'd imagine most of the people coming onto the property would follow the "leave it how you find it" rule, but if someone DID change the way they were left, it might not be evident or concerning to the home owners, as they may not necessarily think it was done as anything more than an accident.

I have an idea that at least some of the gates were on Oak Park Road, and that that's the road that has been described as "in theory, a public road"; while the "highway" is the Barrier Highway, some tens of kilometres off. Oak Park Road passes the homestead (at a distance of about 300 metres). I wonder if it leads anywhere in the other direction that a kidnapper could be going. It hasn't sounded like there are six gates in both directions? I don't know why it would be assumed that any possible kidnapper would be headed for the highway.

I'm taking most of this information from viewing Google Maps. I can't find the link about six gates, highway and "in theory, a public road".

 

[Total_C]

For anyone following the official sequence of events, the flight data shows that POL53 (SA Police helicopter) departed Adelaide Airport at 14:01:40 UTC on 27 September 2025, which converts to 11:31 pm local Adelaide time (ACST).

The same aircraft’s track appears to end near Jamestown at 14:49:40 UTC (around 12:19 am local), roughly 50 minutes later.

This would place the helicopter in the search area shortly after midnight, several hours after the child was first reported missing (~8:30 pm).

I’m interested in understanding:

• How long it typically takes to get a police helicopter launched once a missing-child report is received in regional SA.
• Whether this timing is consistent with normal procedure or if there are usually faster deployments.
• And whether this affects anyone’s view of the official timeline that’s been released.

All times are approximate and based on open ADS-B flight-tracking data.