Last weekend marked six long months since Gus Lamont disappeared without a trace from his grandparents’ remote sheep station on the edge of outback South Australia – and his heartbroken parents are still desperate for answers.
“Let’s hope this is not a William Tyrrell type scenario where there’s at least some answers to give the family some comfort,” criminal psychologist Tim Watson-Munro tells Woman’s Day.
“Any case that involves the disappearance of a child is inevitably traumatising.”
Criminal psychologist Tim Watson-Munro believes the case is far from cold. (Image: Supplied)
THOROUGH SEARCH
Gus was last seen on the evening of September 27 playing in the yard of his grandparents homestead on Oak Park Station near Yunta before he vanished, and there’s been no sign of the “shy but adventurous” four-year-old after eight separate ground searches that scoured over 95 square kilometres of the remote farm, which Tim says is very thorough.
“I think South Australia Police’s investigations have been thorough and quite intensive really – they’ve covered a huge amount of land around the property, way beyond what science would suggest a four-year-old could walk and they have even brought in the armed services to assist them which has revealed nothing,” Tim tells.
“They may well have some idea about what happened to this child and who is responsible, but it may be the case that the police don’t have enough evidence. That’s yet to be determined, so I think the investigation will continue for quite some time.”
In early February, the case was declared a major crime by SA Police, who also announced that they believed the missing boy was likely killed accidentally or deliberately by a person known to him.
Gus’ parents Jess and Josh Lamont are not considered suspects in the investigation.
In March, SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens announced that some members of the family were no longer helping with the investigation. That same month, Gus’ grandparents Josie and Shannon Murray both hired their own defence lawyers – however no arrests have been made, and no charges have been laid, and the grandparents say they’ve been co-operating with the investigation.
“Shannon is still supporting Josie, co-operating through her solicitors and hoping to fund Gus, and hoping that some information comes to light soon,” Shannon’s lawyer Casey Isaacs said in a statement released on March 26.
Gus’ parents Jess and Josh are desperate to know what happened to their child. (Image: Supplied)
UNBEARABLE PAIN
While countless searches have returned no evidence of Gus, Tim believes the Gus Lamont case is far from cold.
“I don’t think the police have given up on this case,” he says.
“There is no evidence as to where Gus is, but I think it’s too early to write it off as a cold case that will never be solved… I remain optimistic that there will be some solution to it.”
On March 12, SA Police finished the latest search for Gus, hoping that heavy rainfall would unearth new evidence, but nothing was found and the search was cancelled – but they have not ruled out any further searches for Jess and Josh’s “beautiful boy”.
“Our lives have been shattered, and every moment without him is unbearable,” Jess and Josh wrote in a statement released shortly after the case became a major crime.
“We know someone out there may have information. If someone knows what happened, we are pleading with that person, or anyone who may have seen or heard anything, to please come forward.”
“All we want is to bring Gus home and understand what happened to our beautiful boy.”
