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

[Dotta]

Really,
It is so important to provide a kid with tracking device.
There are soooo many ones to choose from.
GPS, Bluetooth.
Bracelets, watches, clips for clothing, and insoles.

Protect the children!!!

This is 21st Century!
Take advantage of Technology!
Keep children safe!

Tracking Bracelet for Kids: A Reliable Way to Ensure Their Safety | Subscription Free 4G GPS Tracking

A tracking bracelet for kids is a wearable device that can help parents keep track of their children's whereabouts. These bracelets use GPS technology to pinpoint the location of the child and provide real-time updates to the parent's smartphone or computer. The device can be programmed to send...

www.motowatchdog.com

 

[Hexe]

Selective Mutism (SM) for example, often stems from anxiety associated with speech. So a child with SM who is lost may actually not be inclined to verbalize.

They may instead freeze in response to the stress of being lost or fear of having to communicate with strangers, etc.

As a person with selective mutism I can tell you it's not how it works. Despite how it's called we do not choose to not speak. We are temporarily unable to do so, no matter how much we want to make a sound. And yes, the stress can trigger it.

 

[Dotta]

As a person with selective mutism I can tell you it's not how it works. Despite how it's called we do not choose to not speak. We are temporarily unable to do so, no matter how much we want to make a sound. And yes, the stress can trigger it.

Wow!
I don't suffer from this
BUT it happened to me once during a VERY important exam.
Something terrible happened to my poor throat due to stress
and I was literally fighting to utter squeaky sounds.
The examining Team seemed to become as stressed as me.
But I passed the exam.
Ufff!!!

 

[RedHaus]

As a person with selective mutism I can tell you it's not how it works. Despite how it's called we do not choose to not speak. We are temporarily unable to do so, no matter how much we want to make a sound. And yes, the stress can trigger it.

Of course, having been a child with SM, it is not a choice at all. I must have used the incorrect words to describe how SM would affect a young child's ability to yell out in the event they are lost.

 

[Sarahlou]

I think one of the most likely reasons now as to why he didn't respond is he wasn't actually there. JMO.
Unless he'd fallen down a mine shaft and met a sudden death. But those places have been checked haven't they?

 

[Dotta]

I think one of the most likely reasons now as to why he didn't respond is he wasn't actually there. JMO.
Unless he'd fallen down a mine shaft and met a sudden death. But those places have been checked haven't they?

Or the poor boy is being stuck somewhere near the house or the house itself.
There are so many outbuildings there!
So many traps for a small child

JMO

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I believe many children wouldn't respond to a relative calling their name. It has nothing to do.with being neurotypical or not. If any child detected any stress, anger, or fear in the person calling out, they might just not respond. I also suspect he could have wandered far enough away in a half hour (or longer) that he wouldn't have even heard someone calling. JMO.

 

[Serononin]

Really,
It is so important to provide a kid with tracking device.
There are soooo many ones to choose from.
GPS, Bluetooth.
Bracelets, watches, clips for clothing, and insoles.

Protect the children!!!

View attachment 629554

This is 21st Century!
Take advantage of Technology!
Keep children safe!

Tracking Bracelet for Kids: A Reliable Way to Ensure Their Safety | Subscription Free 4G GPS Tracking

A tracking bracelet for kids is a wearable device that can help parents keep track of their children's whereabouts. These bracelets use GPS technology to pinpoint the location of the child and provide real-time updates to the parent's smartphone or computer. The device can be programmed to send...

www.motowatchdog.com

I've never come across the ones designed for kids before, but my former neighbours had a device like this for their indoor/outdoor cat, and it was quite remarkable. They could see her location in real-time, set up a virtual 'fence' in the app so they'd be notified if she went to/out of a specific area (I think they used this to make sure she wasn't breaking into the school across the street ), and if they knew she was nearby but couldn't actually see her, they could 'call' her with the app and the device would play a little tune so they could find her

 

[Lebowski]

I believe many children wouldn't respond to a relative calling their name. It has nothing to do.with being neurotypical or not. If any child detected any stress, anger, or fear in the person calling out, they might just not respond. I also suspect he could have wandered far enough away in a half hour (or longer) that he wouldn't have even heard someone calling. JMO.

also, little kids have a tendency to hide when they think they're in trouble. sad to think that might have played a role here. no specific reason to think so, though.

 

[BreakingNews]

also, little kids have a tendency to hide when they think they're in trouble. sad to think that might have played a role here. no specific reason to think so, though.

My neighbours 3 yo went missing, we both called and called. We even went 200 metres to the beach looking for him. Then I found him hiding in my back yard. He said he didn't answer because he thought he would be in trouble. And of course, he was.

 

[Lebowski]

one time, when i was 3 or 4, i spent most of my friend's birthday party hiding in the bathroom of the arcade. i had pushed the bar on the emergency exit and made the alarm go off, and i thought the police were going to shoot me (my older brother had once told me police do that when you do bad things). just as bad, i thought i'd be in trouble with my friend's parents.

after a long time hiding in a stall and imagining dodging police bullets, i eventually got up the courage to go back out. my friend's parents were just confused and asked where i'd been. then another kid pushed the emergency exit bar, and an annoyed employee went over and used the special key to turn it off again. the police never came and shot anyone.

 

[PezCandy]

Does anyone know if the actual property was searched by police & not just by the family? I'm not talking about the land or surrounding. I'm talking about the out buildings, house, sheds, etc? The actual structures.
A Small child could be easy to miss in so many out buildings/structures, kids can find the tiniest nook or cranny to hide in that could definitely be overlooked by even someone who's lived on the property for however many years.

 

[BreakingNews]

Does anyone know if the actual property was searched by police & not just by the family? I'm not talking about the land or surrounding. I'm talking about the out buildings, house, sheds, etc? The actual structures.
A Small child could be easy to miss in so many out buildings/structures, kids can find the tiniest nook or cranny to hide in that could definitely be overlooked by even someone who's lived on the property for however many years.

I have asked the same question. I'm sure police have searched those buildings, however I have never heard that the police actually did.

 

[PezCandy]

I have asked the same question. I'm sure police have searched those buildings, however I have never heard that the police actually did.

I tried looking thru articles earlier on here & online to see if I could find a confirmation if the police did but all I seen was that the family did. Out of formality, here in the US, the police will conduct their own home/buildings search as well, they definitely do not go by the word of the homeowners/family because like I said something/someone can be easily missed & they want to cover all bases. Children are so small, they can hide in the tiniest of places. Police also have a good "think outside the box" frame of mind whereas someone else could think "they wouldn't hide in there", ya never really know. But it would be nice to know if they actually searched. I think back to that gentleman who had passed away on his own families property (suicide) & he wasn't found for years, that poor family was searching for him for a long time & the whole time he was in a hard to reach area somewhere near the limestone of their house.

 

[musicaljoke]

Does anyone know if the actual property was searched by police & not just by the family? I'm not talking about the land or surrounding. I'm talking about the out buildings, house, sheds, etc? The actual structures.
A Small child could be easy to miss in so many out buildings/structures, kids can find the tiniest nook or cranny to hide in that could definitely be overlooked by even someone who's lived on the property for however many years.

Of course it was searched by police. They returned a few times, including draining a couple of ponds. They most recently, to our knowledge, searched the mine shafts.

Update - Gus Lamont search on 25 November

Police will tomorrow (25 November 2025) return to Oak Park Station to continue the search for four-year-old Gus Lamont who was last seen on 27 September 2025.

www.police.sa.gov.au

 

[kurtneverdied]

I'm pretty sure police would of gotten access by just asking the family to look in every building and every crevace. Likely have detailed drawings and pictures of everything from homestead house to sheds and ticked off every conceivable place.
Also of course is the smell issue but the Daniel O'Keefe case highlights this isn't always the case.

I have just googled and searched everything and and there is no mention of shoe prints in the mound of dirt/sand from Gus anywhere. Literally no tracks around where he was supposedly playing.

It sure sounds like he wasn't there. I presume the initial search by police/SES etc had to just get on with it and they can analyse the lack of prints later.

I assume doubt's of the story told to police started almost straight away. I think police still thought they better still throughy search as if he wandered just to rule it out and if if course any doubt they had was wrong.

Another couple of searches and time passes.
These searches also allow for extra time to spend on the property, analysing any of interest. Getting a better reading of the general attitudes from family members. Perhaps generally asking a few questions in a different way to how they were asked weeks before for any change in a story.
We have seen them desperate to stay on side with the family by backing Josie's gun story. Probably even suggesting the snake excuse.
Now police would be well and truly going full sale with foul play in mind.
They have ticked off every where Gus could be in the property, this now gives them the likelihood of gaining a court order for obtain digital records and surveillance options.
Let's hope there is some digital information that can crack this case open.

Personal observations I don't really understand is why is Jason so hostile towards media and staying in a house owned by Josie and Shannon.
Where is Gus's mum now? Will she return to the homestead in the future. What really is the family dynamics? Jason search for a day/night and did he just leave or asked to leave?
Did Jason find out his partner and son wouldn't be moving in with them afterall and make a desperate plan to take him. Could Gus be alive and at a residence somewhere with another party helping? I'm not one for suggesting scenarios that aren't plausible or realistic either. In the whole craziness of this case it doesn't seem that "out there" to me.
AIMO

 

[musicaljoke]

I'm pretty sure police would of gotten access by just asking the family to look in every building and every crevace. Likely have detailed drawings and pictures of everything from homestead house to sheds and ticked off every conceivable place.
Also of course is the smell issue but the Daniel O'Keefe case highlights this isn't always the case.

I have just googled and searched everything and and there is no mention of shoe prints in the mound of dirt/sand from Gus anywhere. Literally no tracks around where he was supposedly playing.

It sure sounds like he wasn't there. I presume the initial search by police/SES etc had to just get on with it and they can analyse the lack of prints later.

I assume doubt's of the story told to police started almost straight away. I think police still thought they better still throughy search as if he wandered just to rule it out and if if course any doubt they had was wrong.

Another couple of searches and time passes.
These searches also allow for extra time to spend on the property, analysing any of interest. Getting a better reading of the general attitudes from family members. Perhaps generally asking a few questions in a different way to how they were asked weeks before for any change in a story.
We have seen them desperate to stay on side with the family by backing Josie's gun story. Probably even suggesting the snake excuse.
Now police would be well and truly going full sale with foul play in mind.
They have ticked off every where Gus could be in the property, this now gives them the likelihood of gaining a court order for obtain digital records and surveillance options.
Let's hope there is some digital information that can crack this case open.

Personal observations I don't really understand is why is Jason so hostile towards media and staying in a house owned by Josie and Shannon.
Where is Gus's mum now? Will she return to the homestead in the future. What really is the family dynamics? Jason search for a day/night and did he just leave or asked to leave?
Did Jason find out his partner and son wouldn't be moving in with them afterall and make a desperate plan to take him. Could Gus be alive and at a residence somewhere with another party helping? I'm not one for suggesting scenarios that aren't plausible or realistic either. In the whole craziness of this case it doesn't seem that "out there" to me.
AIMO

Please don't assume just because there is no mention of shoe prints in the sand pile that it means that there were no shoe prints in the sand pile.

You can only draw that conclusion if the report stated that there were no footprints in the sand pile.

The absence of [documentation of] evidence is not evidence of absence.

 

[kurtneverdied]

Please don't assume just because there is no mention of shoe prints in the sand pile that it means that there were no shoe prints in the sand pile.

You can only draw that conclusion if the report stated that there were no footprints in the sand pile.

The absence of [documentation of] evidence is not evidence of absence.

I have only said that there is no mention of prints found anywhere within the homestead. The police or anyone have never mentioned prints in it around the dirt pile yet they have no problem mentioning the the single print 500m away. Is there any reason for the police to be secretive about prints in the sand? I think it's very likely that prints haven't been mentioned because there wasn't any and police would have put up with a media field day mentioning this which would also have made the public more suspect of everything. They are trying very hard to stay on the families good books.

 

[Bats]

I have only said that there is no mention of prints found anywhere within the homestead. The police or anyone have never mentioned prints in it around the dirt pile yet they have no problem mentioning the the single print 500m away. Is there any reason for the police to be secretive about prints in the sand? I think it's very likely that prints haven't been mentioned because there wasn't any and police would have put up with a media field day mentioning this which would also have made the public more suspect of everything. They are trying very hard to stay on the families good books.

Dirt, sand, whatever it is, may not allow footprints. It would depend on the consistency of the dirt, the sole of the shoe, the moisture content etc...
There may or may not have been footprints left in the pile of dirt. The police have not said anything, either way. It is just one of the thousands of pieces of the puzzle that they have not mentioned.
JMO

 

[SouthAussie]

I have only said that there is no mention of prints found anywhere within the homestead. The police or anyone have never mentioned prints in it around the dirt pile yet they have no problem mentioning the the single print 500m away.

For all we know, there could have been Gus' footprints everywhere around the homestead. And all kinds of other footprints, pawprints, and hoofprints around the homestead also. They just couldn't tell in which direction Gus went that late afternoon. And that may be because there were too many footprints, not none. imo


"Unfortunately, at no point has there been any significant evidence that has enabled us to really focus in a direction for our search."

Why the search for a missing 4yo in SA's outback was so challenging

A week of large-scale land and air searches have found no clues leading to the whereabouts of four-year-old Gus in outback South Australia.

www.abc.net.au