The grandparents of Gus Lamont have said they were "absolutely devastated" to learn that South Australian police had declared the four-year-old's disappearance a major crime.
Their statement comes a day after police revealed they had identified a suspect who lived at Oak Park Station, about 250km north of Adelaide, where Gus was last seen on 27 September last year.
Gus' grandparents, Josie and Shannon Murray, said the family had "cooperated fully with the investigation and want nothing more than to find Gus and reunite him with his mum and dad".
They were "absolutely devastated" by the latest news from the South Australian Police's major crime unit, they said in a statement issued by legal representatives on Friday.
"Our clients will not be participating in any interviews nor commenting any further," the lawyers said.
On Thursday, police said Gus' parents were not suspects in his disappearance.
They revealed search warrants were executed at the remote property on 15 and 16 January and several items, including vehicles and electronic devices, were seized for forensic examination.
Police said they had investigated several theories, including that a person unknown to Gus had abducted the four-year-old. That line of inquiry was ruled out when police found no evidence of an abduction.
Investigators said the other theory was that "someone known to him was involved in his disappearance and suspected death", which was now the focus of the probe.
On Thursday, Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said a person who lived at Oak Park Station had stopped cooperating with the investigation after "a number of inconsistencies and discrepancies" were identified in the information they provided.
"We don't believe now that Gus is alive," Fielke said.
The detective said the search was the largest for a missing persons case in South Australian history. No arrests have been made.
Here are the key moments in Gus' disappearance:
Timeline of disappearance
27 September 2025 — At around 5pm, Gus is last seen by his grandmother playing on a mound of dirt at his family home at Oak Park Station. His family reports him missing that night. A police helicopter is deployed, but no trace of the four-year-old is found. At this point, police are not treating Gus' disappearance as suspicious.
28 September — The search is expanded with police deploying all-terrain vehicles, bikes, and a drone covering a 2.5km radius from the property. SES volunteers also assist.
29 September — Horse and water operations police join the search. Investigators describe Gus as a Caucasian boy with long blonde curly hair who was last seen wearing a grey sun hat, a cobalt blue long-sleeve T-shirt with a yellow Minion on the front, light grey pants and boots.
30 September — Gus' family release a statement saying they hope "he will be found and returned safely" as the search continues.
1 October — Police reveal the discovery of a footprint about 500 metres from the property a day earlier, which has a "similar boot pattern" to what Gus was wearing. A tracker is also called in.
2 October — An image of Gus is released to the public. Members of the Australian Defence Force join the search.
3 and 4 October — Drones with infrared capabilities are deployed. The footprint discovered on 30 September is ruled to have not been made by Gus.
13 to 16 October — Police launch an expanded ground search comprising hundreds of personnel. They cover 95 square kilometres, but no trace of Gus is found. Task Force Horizon is established, comprising 12 investigators.
31 October — Police drain a 4.5 metre deep dam, about 600 metres from the homestead. Nothing is found.
3 December — The South Australia Police commissioner tells ABC Radio detectives would continue to investigate until all avenues have been explored.
6 January 2026 — Police say Gus' family are cooperating with investigators.
14 and 15 January — Police execute a warrant at Oak Park Station, conducting a forensic search and seizing items. Details of the search are not made public until 5 February.
2 February — Investigators search several locations around the property for Gus' remains.
5 February — Police declare that their investigation is being treated as a major crime. They reveal that a person who lived at the property at the time of Gus' disappearance has been identified as a suspect.
6 February — Gus' grandparents issue a statement saying they are "absolutely devastated" by the police's designation of Gus' disappearance as a major crime. They say the family is continuing to cooperate with police.
— With additional reporting by the Australian Associated Press
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