BREAKING UPDATE: The mystery of 4-year-old Gus has just taken a shocking turn that no one saw coming š³š
After days of confusion in the Australian outback, police revealed a new, chilling theory ā one that could completely overturn everything investigators thought they knew. Sources say a wild discovery has now cast doubt on earlier clues and raised fresh questions about what really happened to the little boy who vanished without a trace.
The truth may be far darker ā and closer ā than anyone imaginedā¦ šÆļøš
Mystery deepens over missing Gus, 4, who vanished in Aus outback as cops reveal shock twist & chilling theory emerges
The wild claim could turn the whole search operation on its head – and discredit previous evidence
THE mystery surrounding four-year-old boy Gus Lamontās disappearance has deepened as one searcher has made an alarming new claim.
Ex-SES memberĀ JasonĀ OāConnell and his partner Jen spent days scouring the South Australian outback, butĀ found no trace of the youngster.
August āGusā Lamont disappeared on September 27 in the Australian outbacks
The pairĀ searched day and night for the little boy, thinking he may have been on the move in the evening ābecause of the heat of fliesā when itās light.
Posting online, he explained they used powerful lights toĀ carefully examine every spotĀ in the barren area.
They also listened for foxes and birds of prey, in case āhe was in a bad way or if he passed awayā and the animals might be swarming.
But after searching the area for over 90 hours, Jason now believes the little boy is not on the homestead at all.
The searcher told local papers: āHeās not on that property. If he was in a bad way or if he passed away, weād listen for foxes ā¦ look for birds of prey.
āNo birds of prey means heās not there.ā
The shock claim comes as searchers believed they had found one of Gusās footprints in the sand ā a key piece of hope in their desperate mission to locate him.
Devastatingly, cops have now revealed they are no longer treating the imprint as a ātangible piece of evidenceā.
South Australian Police Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott said he had spoken to the boyās family to warn them Gus might not have survived.
āSenior police spoke to Gusā family and prepared them for the fact that Gus may not have survived due to the passage of time, his age and the nature of the terrain he is missing in,ā he said.
āWhile those involved in the search have been hoping for a miracle, over the past 48 hours, the search has shifted to a recovery operation.
āWe are confident that we have done all we can to locate Gus within the search area.
āAt this point, no trace of Gus has been located. No tangible pieces of evidence, such as footprints, a hat or clothing, have been located to identify any direction of travel to assist searchers.ā
Last sighting
Gus vanishedĀ on September 27 while playing outside his grandparentsā remote homestead about 24 miles south of Yunta, north-east of Adelaide.
His grandmother last saw him at 5pm on a dirt mound, but by 5.30pm he was gone.
The only clue searchers uncovered was a single child-sized footprint about 500 metres from the homestead.
No clothing, hat, or any other sign of the boy were found.
At its peak, more than 100 people were on the ground each day.
Local Jason OāConnell believes Gus isnāt on the homestead
Australian cops said the four-year-old left behind a single footprint
Police scaled back the search for missing four-year-old Gus
But professional survival experts warned that a four-year-old in Gusās thin clothing faced almost impossible odds after so many nights in near-freezing temperatures.
He was wearing a grey broad-brimmed hat, a blue Minions shirt, light grey pants and boots.
Commissioner Parrott at the time said: āIn the last 48 hours, despite the professional advice it being unlikely that Gus would have survived, we have maintained and in fact increased the effort to try and locate him and bring him back to his family.
āIn the last 48 hours, despite the professional advice it being unlikely that Gus would have survived, we have maintained and in fact increased the effort to try and locate him and bring him back to his family,ā
ADF crews were stood down last week as police vehicles began to pull back from the isolated property.
Family clinging to hope
Family friend Bill Harbison released a statement on behalf of Gusās devastated relatives.
āThis has come as a shock to our family and friends, and we are struggling to comprehend what has happened,ā he said.
āGusās absence is felt in all of us and we miss him more than words can express.
āOur hearts are aching, and we are holding onto hope that he will be found and returned to us safely.ā
Locals have voiced fears the little boy could have stumbled into one of the regionās many unmarked mine shafts or wells.
Some of these century-old relics from gold and livestock days are almost invisible in the rugged country.
Police stressed they believe Gus simply wandered off and was not taken, describing the case as āvery tragicā but with no evidence of foul play.
Yorke Mid North Superintendent Mark Syrus said it was āunusualā for Gus to roam so far but āwho knows what goes through a four-year-oldās mind?ā
The case is now officially a missing personsĀ investigationĀ ā but police vowed not to stop searching for answers.
āWe will continue to pursue ongoing lines of inquiry, and we will not rest until we can try and find the answer to why Gus has gone missing, and hopefully, for the family, return him to them,ā Commissioner Parrott said.
Police scoured thousands of miles in the Australian outback with no luck
Dozens were deployed to help in the search operationCredit: SA Police
Gus was wearing a blue minions top when he went missing
