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

[_sleuthdog_]

Alot of sympathy being expressed for Gus' mum on the thread ATM. Likewise, I can't fathom how the latest developments (suspect )must have added to her grief and sense of terrible, terrible loss. I hope she is supported IRL. Both her and JL.

I do wonder though, how she would feel if she or someone close to her were to read this thread right now, only to be confronted with moo pretty much baseless speculation, unconnected to the known facts regarding Gus' disappearance, concerning CSA. Jmo

There are social media sites and other forums which permit much more speculation and unverified information to be posted . Websleuths is at least moderated and insists on fact based reports.

IMO If you knew any of the family and were reading various theories here about who could be involved it would be a mental juggling act.

 

[_sleuthdog_]

I wonder if removing Josie from the property for a few hours could have been to have Shannon alone and cornered (if she’s the suspect) or to have her alone and feeling safe to speak to the police (if Josie is the suspect)?

That was my initial thought as well - having one grandparent a couple hours away (in Jamestown wasnt it?) leaves quite a lot of time for LE to work with the other grandparent at Oak Park

 

[Ruminations]

I swear I'm not trying to be argumentative, and I know this comment may go for being OT. I just can't help strongly questioning the assumption here a child would certainly be a goner given the remoteness.

How to survive a snake bite — from someone who should know

Christina and her husband have been bitten by snakes five times between them — and they're snake-handling professionals. Here's their inside knowledge about how to survive being bitten by a venomous snake.

www.abc.net.au

"The important thing to know is how to manage the bite — a common trend I've noticed about snakebite deaths in Australia is failure to manage the bite correctly.".

It seems to me, that managing a highly venomous bite correctly is the start of immediate attention.

According to the very qualified professional cited, if the correct first aid is applied immediately and then consistently, an average adult has up to 10 hours to get to hospital for anti venom. Much more detail at link.

Idk, maybe halve that for an average child. With Royal Flying Doctor, an envenomated child could make it, if first aid is applied appropriately. Jmo

A snake bite victim does not remove his own body from his place of death.


MOO

 

[linge]

That was my initial thought as well - having one grandparent a couple hours away (in Jamestown wasnt it?) leaves quite a lot of time for LE to work with the other grandparent at Oak Park

The articles I've read just say the court date in May will be in Petersborough, but don't specify where they detained then released JM. If the police station where they handled it was in that general area though, the drive alone would buy them around 3 to 4 hours alone with SM, plus whatever time was spent there doing paperwork, being questioned, etc. That's a good window of time to make an attempt. That's also the kind of play they could make if one grandparent was still being cooperative and one still wasn't this far out from the major crime declaration. MOO.

 

[musicaljoke]

Yes, JM was named in later reporting on it as having been arrested, just not initially.

The arrest was for firearms violations, was it not? That could be something as simple as improper storage of a gun or ammunition. This arrest is said by police to be unrelated to the disappearance of Gus.

There has been no arrest in the disappearance of Gus.

Firearms charges laid amid search for Gus, police say unrelated to disappearance

Detectives investigating the case of missing boy Gus Lamont have made an arrest during their renewed search for evidence – but say it does not relate to his disappearance.

www.abc.net.au

 

[_sleuthdog_]

The articles I've read just say the court date in May will be in Petersborough, but don't specify where they detained then released JM. If the police station where they handled it was in that general area though, the drive alone would buy them around 3 to 4 hours alone with SM, plus whatever time was spent there doing paperwork, being questioned, etc. That's a good window of time to make an attempt. That's also the kind of play they could make if one grandparent was still being cooperative and one still wasn't this far out from the major crime declaration. MOO.

My apologies - just went back to the news report and it was Petersborough Police Station. Still a decent time away from Oak Park.

 

[Ruminations]

It might be safer for Shannon to stay than to go. What do they say about the danger zone when spouses leave?

I do not wish to imply that I know or suspect that Josie is a DV abuser- I don't, as a matter of fact think so. Even with the update about the arrest.

My suspicion is LE thinks they all know more than they have shared, and Josie is the most likely to talk, whether they are the most guilty or the least guilty.

But I "love" this comment because it is empirically true, and often so casually dismissed, that leaving is THE most dangerous thing to do in a violent relationship. Not saying that leaving is bad, of course. It can be the beginning of a beautiful, safe life.

But the escape from abuse is not a simple "slip out the back, Jack." Especially when there are children or is an infant involved.

MOO

 

[linge]

The arrest was for firearms violations, was it not? That could be something as simple as improper storage of a gun or ammunition. This arrest is said by police to be unrelated to the disappearance of Gus.

There has been no arrest in the disappearance of Gus.

Firearms charges laid amid search for Gus, police say unrelated to disappearance

Detectives investigating the case of missing boy Gus Lamont have made an arrest during their renewed search for evidence – but say it does not relate to his disappearance.

www.abc.net.au

Correct. And considering JM drove there and back instead of being driven implies a minor violation, IMO. But given everything surrounding the case of Gus's disappearance, it could easily be an unrelated offense being used strategically for investigating that case, deciding to press charges and insist it be handled at the police station instead of issuing a warning, citation, whatever, over something small. Smaller than something like a brandishing charge, which they very publicly declined to pursue months ago against the same person. Again, MOO, but I think it would be very unlikely that they weren't considering the bigger picture huge case surrounding this family when they decided how to handle this small violation by a family member, and how that would be likely to impact any working relationship SAPOL might have with the Murrays going forward.

 

[sunspun]

But if there was alleged abuse/neglect,
wouldn't Mum notice it?
There would be signs, no?
And yet
she left both kids under the care of grandmother.
She visited them, helped with farm work and trusted them enough to bring kids there.
Mum is not a suspect.
There is nothing reported that baby R. suffered harm/abuse/neglect.
So why would Gus?

IDK.

JMO

Has ANYONE outside of the family ever even seen Ronnie?

 

[musicaljoke]

Correct. And considering JM drove there and back instead of being driven implies a minor violation, IMO. But given everything surrounding the case of Gus's disappearance, it could easily be an unrelated offense being used strategically for investigating that case, deciding to press charges and insist it be handled at the police station instead of issuing a warning, citation, whatever, over something small. Smaller than something like a brandishing charge, which they very publicly declined to pursue months ago against the same person. Again, MOO, but I think it would be very unlikely that they weren't considering the bigger picture huge case surrounding this family when they decided how to handle this small violation by a family member, and how that would be likely to impact any working relationship SAPOL might have with the Murrays going forward.

Yes, and in addition, sometimes police use an arrest for a minor violation in order to get the suspect into prison where they won't be a risk to the public or disappear. But that doesn't seem to be the purpose here.

It's possible that the arrest was exactly what it looks like and truly not related to the missing child. My only reservation about that is that I believe the police would likely turn a blind eye to minor violations when a family is in such deep sorrow.

On the other hand, if a person is about to be charged with murder, then an arrest for a minor violation and released, is just a whole lot of extra paperwork that will amount to nothing.

 

[musicaljoke]

Has ANYONE outside of the family ever even seen Ronnie?

There have been no reports that R is missing.

 

[BreakingNews]

Yes, I'm aware. It's one of the main reasons I read and post on WS, not elsewhere.

So where do you get the possibility of sexual abuse from. That discussion has been closed down on the socials. Please let's not bring it up here.

 

[BreakingNews]

That was my initial thought as well - having one grandparent a couple hours away (in Jamestown wasnt it?) leaves quite a lot of time for LE to work with the other grandparent at Oak Park

And that is exactly what we saw on the Late News last night. Shannon with LE around sheds.

 

[nao]

Moo.. no matter what's going on. There is still sheep n fence lines to care for. Josie n Shannon must be so physically n mentally tired....moo

 

[Athena Holmes]

Yes, and in addition, sometimes police use an arrest for a minor violation in order to get the suspect into prison where they won't be a risk to the public or disappear. But that doesn't seem to be the purpose here.

It's possible that the arrest was exactly what it looks like and truly not related to the missing child. My only reservation about that is that I believe the police would likely turn a blind eye to minor violations when a family is in such deep sorrow.

On the other hand, if a person is about to be charged with murder, then an arrest for a minor violation and released, is just a whole lot of extra paperwork that will amount to nothing.

Might this have been an orchestrated opportunity to search the property in the absence of the suspect?

 

[jepop]

So where do you get the possibility of sexual abuse from. That discussion has been closed down on the socials. Please let's not bring it up here.

I think you better reread my post. I did not bring it up. I feel exactly as you do. Perhaps read a couple of posts above mine.

 

[alicrocodile]

Might this have been an orchestrated opportunity to search the property in the absence of the suspect?

edit because rumours but thats what i think

 

[GlobeFireCandle]

If there has been some lax behaviour around guns and storage and safety then isn’t it possible that Gus could have picked one up and accidentally shot himself, this would explain a cover up as the family wouldn’t want their guns removed and face charges (whatever the charge would be I’m not sure).

 

[alicrocodile]

If there has been some lax behaviour around guns and storage and safety then isn’t it possible that Gus could have picked one up and accidentally shot himself, this would explain a cover up as the family wouldn’t want their guns removed and face charges (whatever the charge would be I’m not sure).

yeah thats one of the accidental but covered up theories i have too. I dont think anyone around here would look to kindly at a kid getting access to a gun, even the country people I know are much more wary and honestly sometimes very judgemental about guns than I think non-Aussies would realise. If he had access to a gun I personally think even just putting aside the legal ramifications the family would be torn apart much more so than if he just went missing.

 

[PolyDot]

If there has been some lax behaviour around guns and storage and safety then isn’t it possible that Gus could have picked one up and accidentally shot himself, this would explain a cover up as the family wouldn’t want their guns removed and face charges (whatever the charge would be I’m not sure).

I just can’t see someone covering that up.
MOO - what is the motive for covering up ? Why do people cover up a crime ? Not wanting to be charged with crimimal
Offence , Protecting loved ones , not losing custody , what else ?