Truly despicable conspiracy theory about mysterious disappearance of Gus is slammed – after four-year-old vanished in South Australia
The family of a four-year-old missing in the Outback are being targeted by cruel trolls spreading conspiracy theories with a friend demanding they stop.
August ‘Gus’ Lamont was last seen playing in a mound of dirt near his grandparents’ homestead on a sheep station 40km south of Yunta last Saturday, September 27.
Fleur Tiver, 66, said the tight-knit community in eastern South Australia still hopes Gus is hiding on the property.
Her ancestors have lived on a station alongside the Lamonts since the late 1800s.
News of Gus’s disappearance prompted Ms Tiver to leave her home in the Adelaide Hills and return to the rural area to assist in the search.
In spite of the family’s best efforts to stay hopeful, police gave up on the search on Friday.
That heartache has only been multiplied by an onslaught of vile conspiracy theorists falsely claiming Gus’ loved ones are responsible for foul play.
‘The family would not have harmed this child even if the world was about to come to an end, which it really has now for them,’ Ms Tiver told the Adelaide Advertiser.
August ‘Gus’ Lamont (pictured) was last seen at his grandparents’ homestead on September 27
Police called off the widespread search for the four-year-old on Friday (pictured, searchers at the scene)
Police don’t believe Gus was taken by a third party due to the remote nature of the property (marked on the map above)
‘There is no way they’ve harmed this child. I think it’s unfortunate people are speculating, because things like this pain the family, but I do understand that when there are so many unanswered questions, people will naturally try to fill in the gaps, even if their theories are implausible and impractical.’
Ms Tiver said she knew the Lamont family ‘well’ and described them as ‘kind’, ‘gentle’, ‘reliable’, ‘trustworthy’, and ‘truthful’.
‘They embody everything about humans that can be good,’ she said.
Police began searching the 60,000ha property shortly after Gus disappeared at about 5pm on September 27.
When he disappeared, the little boy was wearing a grey broad-brimmed hat, a blue long-sleeved shirt with a Minion picture from the movie Despicable Me on the front, light grey pants, and boots.
On Thursday, Yorke Mid North Superintendent Mark Syrus admitted the odds of survival were fading fast without food, water or shelter.
‘A four-year-old doesn’t disappear into thin air; he has to be somewhere,’ Supt Syrus said.
‘Hopefully he’s hanging in there alive, but we are now in recovery phase, and the fact he’s been gone over 100 hours and six days, that’s a long time to be out in the elements.
‘We always believe Gus is a tough little country lad. He may be curled up under a bush somewhere, and we’re determined to find him.’
Family friend Fleur Tiver said Gus’ loved ones have been heartbroken by theories they harmed him (pictured, search party at the scene)
Yorke Mid North Superintendent Mark Syrus (pictured) hoped Gus could still be found alive
Police threw everything at the search for Gus, including specialist divers to check water tanks and dams, infrared cameras, dogs, ATVs, and drones.
But all that effort came to an end on Friday when searchers packed up their gear and left the property.
Now the only sign that remains of the tragedy is a few forgotten knots of police tape tied on the station’s gates.
‘We’ve all been hoping for a miracle, but that miracle has not eventuated,’ Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott said on on Friday.
‘At 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.
‘Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to locate him, and, unfortunately, we are now having to scale back this search for Gus.’
Police do not believe a third party took Gus due to the remote nature of the homestead, which sits more than 25km from the highway.
Ms Tiver hopes Gus has ‘got into a little creek down under a bush and has just hidden there’.
A family friend hopes Gus has ‘got into a little creek down under a bush and has just hidden there’ (pictured, the homestead)
Family friend Bill Harbison (pictured) said Gus’ family is ‘holding onto hope that he will be found and returned safely’
Family friend Bill Harbison read a statement on behalf of Gus’s family on Tuesday.
‘This has come as a shock to our family and friends, and we are struggling to comprehend what has happened,’ it read.
‘Gus’ absence is felt in all of us and we miss him more than words can express.
‘Our hearts are aching, and we are holding onto hope that he will be found and returned to us safely.
‘At this time, we kindly ask for privacy as we focus all our energy on supporting the search and working closely with the police.’
