Police say a suspect has been identified over the disappearance of a four-year-old boy who went missing in the South Australian outback.
Gus Lamont was last seen playing outside his home on a remote sheep station near Yunta, about 300km (186 miles) from Adelaide, on 27 September.
His grandmother left him alone for about half an hour before checking on him, only to find the boy missing, prompting one of the largest land and air searches in the state's history.
Police confirmed that a person who lives on the property has been identified as a suspect but clarified that the boy's parents were not under investigation.
In the days and weeks after the boy was reported missing, police conducted extensive searches, covering about 470 sq km, roughly twice the size of Edinburgh, around his home, the Oak Park station homestead.
In late October, police wound down efforts and appointed a 12-member taskforce to continue the investigation. This taskforce sifted through statements given by family members which identified a number of inconsistencies and discrepancies in the timeline around the boy's disappearance.
Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke stated, As a result of these inconsistencies, a person who resides at Oak Park station has withdrawn their support for the police and is no longer cooperating with us. He emphasized that Gus's parents are not suspects.
Police conducted a search of the property in January, seizing several items, including a vehicle, motorcycle, and electronic devices.
Initial theories considered range from the boy walking off, being abducted, or involvement from someone known to Gus in his disappearance and suspected death.
Given the remote location, police ruled out abduction and found no evidence that Gus had merely wandered off.
Fielke assured, We'll continue to thoroughly and meticulously investigate the disappearance of Gus until we get an outcome. He reinforced the commitment to locating Gus and returning him to his family.
