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

[BreakingNews]

Which tracker? The one who was there soon after the disappearance (Roland??) or the one who said something later on his FB page (Jason??). The first one intimated that the scene he examined might not reflect the story that had been reported (Gus in sandpit, etc), and the later one, who made an allusion to suspicious discussions or movement?

It was the official tracker that police used. He said something like, there being other stories he could talk about, but not now.

 

[Morequestionsthananswers]

Jason offered his services to police and after them looking into his experience he received a call back asking for his help.

 

[Orbweaver]

Jason searched alongside Josh Lamont.
Seems they were onto something.
Apparently Josh had words with Josie and left the property. Why did he leave. Was he told to get off the property?
I always thought it was odd that Josh didn’t continue searching for his son.
Jason knew Gus wasn’t on the property. He said so in an interview on A Current Affair.

This is so interesting, I hadn’t heard about JL searching along side a tracker. Definitely adds a new dimension to my pondering. When JL was told to leave the property, I wonder if he continued his search off property - perhaps the neighboring nature preserve?

I know we’ve gone over this before but that must have been an argument heated beyond anything I could ever imagine to result in barring a father from searching for his 4 year old son on the property he was last seen. Regardless of who is a suspect or person of interest - that is a heartless, vicious, brutal thing to do to a parent. I understand it coming from law enforcement officials to preserve evidence but from your own family? Truly heinous.

 

[Morequestionsthananswers]

It was the official tracker that police used. He said something like, there being other stories he could talk about, but not now.

Ronald Boland, the aboriginal tracker, from memory said something along the lines of police do what they do best, I do what I do best, one day I will tell the story.

 

[AmoryK]

It was the official tracker that police used. He said something like, there being other stories he could talk about, but not now.

That’s Ronald Boland then. He said one day he’d tell Gus’s story or something very similar.

 

[AmoryK]

Regardless of who is a suspect or person of interest - that is a heartless, vicious, brutal thing to do to a parent. I understand it coming from law enforcement officials to preserve evidence but from your own family? Truly heinous.

Agreed. I wonder what the motivation was? Dislike/hate of Josh? Guilt? Fear that Josh would find Gus or straight up accuse Josie or Shannon in front of police?

 

[Morequestionsthananswers]

That’s Ronald Boland then. He said one day he’d tell Gus’s story or something very similar.

Yes Ronald Boland was the police tracker.

 

[Morequestionsthananswers]

Does any one know for a fact how long Josh Lamont searched for his son and if he left Oak Park after an argument with the grandparent/s?

 

[Kemug]

Regardless of who is a suspect or person of interest - that is a heartless, vicious, brutal thing to do to a parent. I understand it coming from law enforcement officials to preserve evidence but from your own family? Truly heinous.

Agreed. I wonder what the motivation was? Dislike/hate of Josh? Guilt? Fear that Josh would find Gus or straight up accuse Josie or Shannon in front of police?

I really hope that strong feelings between adults would not somehow be detrimental to an innocent child's wellbeing.

 

[Morequestionsthananswers]

It is a fact that Josh searched alongside Jason O’Connell.
I read elsewhere ages ago that Josh had an argument with a grandparent/s and left the property after searching a night or two for Gus. I’ll try and find it.

Gus Lamont search crew member reveals tragic theory after four-year-old disappears from South Australia property
Volunteer who helped search for missing boy drops bombshell theory

 

[starlightstarbright]

I hope LE is now circling back to draw on the knowledge of these trackers to lead them in possible new directions now that the investigation has shifted these past few months.

 

[AmoryK]

I hope LE is now circling back to draw on the knowledge of these trackers to lead them in possible new directions now that the investigation has shifted these past few months.

What’s funny is the lack of footprints. One possible print of Gus’s was found but you’d think there’d be ample evidence in the sandpit and environs. You’d think there’d also be prints in and out of the house. I know prints are weather-dependent, but I find it very strange that nothing was found. I wonder if that and the family, searching for three hours before calling police, are connected. MOO Erase prints/evidence then create a cover of endless feet walking over that ground to obscure any original traces.

Could this be what Ronald Boland was referring to? JMO.

 

[CaitLion]

And from the most recent statement from the grandmother's attorneys, I'd say it was Josie that was no longer being cooperative. The attorney had not replied to the question whereas Shannon's attorney did give a typical PR reply.

This is exactly what I was thinking.

Also IMO if Josie didnt have anything to hide then you'd think the lawyer would have given a similar PR reply even if Josie wasnt cooperating with police. Since the only reason I can figure releasing a statement like that wouldnt be good PR is if it could have a negative effect on public perception in the future, as in if/when something theyre hiding comes to light

 

[Dotta]

"SA top cop 'absolutely certain' ​

police will return to home of missing toddler Gus Lamont ​

as he hopes for 'breakthrough'.​

SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said today
he is confident that Gus will one day be found.

'We are not going to step away from this investigation
until we have some outcome for the family.

I think we've demonstrated over time
that the resolve to bring these types of major investigations to a conclusion never stops.

He said the majority of the searches had taken place
'in and around the property'."

Top cop 'certain' police will return to Gus' home as he hopes for 'breakthrough'

www.9news.com.au

 

[Morequestionsthananswers]

What’s funny is the lack of footprints. One possible print of Gus’s was found but you’d think there’d be ample evidence in the sandpit and environs. You’d think there’d also be prints in and out of the house. I know prints are weather-dependent, but I find it very strange that nothing was found. I wonder if that and the family, searching for three hours before calling police, are connected. MOO Erase prints/evidence then create a cover of endless feet walking over that ground to obscure any original traces.

Could this be what Ronald Boland was referring to? JMO.

Surely there were footprints around the house just not a single set heading away.

 

[nao]

Moo...the landscape is hard pan with dust/sand movable over lay. If the ground was wet, it would hold prints. But when dry it is hard like a dirt road. Gus is light weight. His prints would show in the sand, but you just need the dogs kicking up dust or a breeze, and the fine sand layer will move. So I do not think lack of little foot prints proves much......moo

 

[gerardo20]

So I do not think lack of little foot prints proves much......moo

moo
We are all entiltled to our opinions and our sleuthing, but the expert trackers and trained police searchers have concluded that the lack of any evidence of Gus "wandering away" is enough to rule out that he just wandered away as a reasonable/likely explanation, and rather are now focussed on the involvement of a suspect.
Police experts have the option of saying "he may have wandered away, but any evidence has been lost, weathered away, etc." These experts have decided that is not a realistic option, and they are experts on the landscape and whether they should expect to still find signs of Gus walking away, given the terrain, sand, conditions, etc.
moo

 

[VerityGumshoe]

"SA top cop 'absolutely certain' ​

police will return to home of missing toddler Gus Lamont ​

as he hopes for 'breakthrough'.​

View attachment 656294

SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said today
he is confident that Gus will one day be found.

'We are not going to step away from this investigation
until we have some outcome for the family.

I think we've demonstrated over time
that the resolve to bring these types of major investigations to a conclusion never stops.

He said the majority of the searches had taken place
'in and around the property'."

View attachment 656292

Top cop 'certain' police will return to Gus' home as he hopes for 'breakthrough'

www.9news.com.au

That beautiful little face

 

[Ruminations]

moo
We are all entiltled to our opinions and our sleuthing, but the expert trackers and trained police searchers have concluded that the lack of any evidence of Gus "wandering away" is enough to rule out that he just wandered away as a reasonable/likely explanation, and rather are now focussed on the involvement of a suspect.
Police experts have the option of saying "he may have wandered away, but any evidence has been lost, weathered away, etc." These experts have decided that is not a realistic option, and they are experts on the landscape and whether they should expect to still find signs of Gus walking away, given the terrain, sand, conditions, etc.
moo

I think if the area was all wind blown to remove foot prints or all stamped over with searchers, there still should have been some trail of him- hairs, a hat, toys, pee-pee, something. And not just from the same day.

I am spouting off, because I don't know the terrain. But one spit-ball theory is that the trackers did not see evidence of the three adults searching around the area, either.

MOO

 

[jepop]

Surely there were footprints around the house just not a single set heading away.

Yes, I agree. Moo surely there were shoe prints and possibly foot prints around the house area (though the quality/state would depend on age, environmental factors, early family search activities etc). But yes, Gus was living there and I don't think there is anything in the public record to suggest there were none, and therefore the suspect likely 'cleaned' the scene/around the sand/dirt mound and house ( I can't recall which comments, but there seems to be some assumption floating around that the entire area near house including dirt mound was lacking any prints at all?).

According to statements attributed to police by the ABC specifically re shoe prints, from the first searches in Sept and Oct 2025 police were unable to determine a direction of travel.

The tracker (Boaland) was called in on Sept 30th 2025 when one clear, undisturbed (distinct) shoe print (of the correct size and track to suggest it was left by Gus) was discovered approx 500 metres from the homestead. According to police, this was the first possible indication of a direction of travel. Note that police did not say this was the first shoe print indication of Gus' presence at the homestead. It was in this general area( 500 m from house) and beyond IMO that neither police or Mr Boaland were able to find any other shoe prints (see links).

More generally, ABC reported on the difficulties police encountered determining a direction of travel. My reading is that this included from the homestead area and dirt mound.

However, afaik police have never stated they did not locate shoe prints ( of whatever quality ie full, partial/ disturbed, old/ newer) which could be connected to Gus, around the dirt mound or within the confines of the homestead grounds.

To repeat, what police said at the time was that no direction of travel could be determined. I think some people are confusing the notion of being unable to ascertain 'a direction of travel', with no evidence of Gus' presence via shoe prints, period, at Oak Park. Jmo

I don't believe police have ever stated the latter, especially in relation to what I speculate must have been partial/ disturbed or otherwise low quality shoe prints around the dirt mound and homestead buildings. Jmo it's an assumption or a stretched interpretation of police statements, to assume that the area around dirt mound and any areas close to the house yielded no shoe prints. That is not a fact. Yes, Police now believe Gus did not wander but that doesn't mean they didn't find evidence of Gus being present at dirt mound and near the house.

I assume police did find evidence of Gus' presence. My speculation is that police initially determined that their difficulties ascertaining a direction of travel were due to environmental factors ( the windy conditions and terrain are often mentioned) and disturbance owing to early family search efforts. Moo

However over time and when combined with the absence of a result from the extended foot searches and inconsistencies in the accounts given by the suspect, police eventually reached their current conclusion that foul play is indicated (though not proven). Jmo

*Report below cites police speaking the day prior to article date of Tues Sept 30th

'Our hearts are aching': Missing boy's family releases statement as search continues

The devastated family of a missing four-year-old boy has released a statement saying it is holding on to hope "he will be found and returned safely" as authorities and community members continue the search in mid-north South Australia.

www.abc.net.au

“It’s such a big area and probably the frustrating thing for us is we actually haven’t got a direction of travel, so we’ve got to cover off on a 360 degree area as opposed to a direction of travel that he might have been walking in when he was last seen."

(my emphasis, more at link).

* Article below dated Oct 1st, Re: shoe print found 500 metres from house/ homestead on afternoon of Tues Sept 30th.

Tracker deployed amid footprint find in search for missing 4yo

The search for a four-year-old boy who remains missing in South Australia's north days after he disappeared is shifting towards a "recovery" phase despite the discovery of a footprint, police have said.

www.abc.net.au

" Superintendent Syrus said... the footprint was the first indication of "which way Gus might have gone".

"As a result of that we've actually brought in a person with some specialist skills in tracking and who's got a very close connection to the land out here," he said.

"He came in here early afternoon, worked throughout the afternoon, just driving around the area looking at the country and he's back here, back out in the field, assisting police and emergency services in trying to find a direction [in] which Gus walked."

(my emphasis, more at link).