Childhood friend of the Lamont family, Alex Thomas pleads for ‘online vitriol’ needs to stop around little Gus case
A childhood friend of the Lamont family has made an impassioned plea for people to stop speculating online about how little Gus disappeared.
A childhood friend of the Lamont family has made an impassioned plea for people to stop speculating online about how little Gus disappeared from a remote family homestead.
The former neighbour and friend, Alex Thomas, told The Advertiser she grew up at Parnaroo Station – located 75km from Yunta – where one of her closest neighbours was the Lamonts, who she knew “well”, particularly Gus’ mother.
Although Ms Thomas has conceded she hasn’t seen the Lamonts for some time since moving away.
However, since Gus disappeared from his grandparent’s remote homestead, Ms Thomas said the family had been victim to hateful “online vitriol” that needs to stop.
“I really want to gently inform people about the realities of rural life and ask them for their compassion and understanding,” she said.
“Because this family – this gentle and loving family – they’re not headlines, they are not a spectacle.
“They are real people who are hurting beyond belief.
Ms Thomas says the pain has been shared by the wider rural community, describing the feeling like “falling off a cliff in slow motion”
“It’s painful because of the trauma the situation is inflicting on one of our own – alongside those who know the family and the wider rural community,” she said.
“Anyone who’s ever lived on the land is feeling this pain because it could have been any one of our children.
“For those not from the area, the landscape seems quite harsh but for Gus – it’s this kid’s backyard.
“It might be a big backyard but he knows that place like the back of his little hands, not unlike his parents, and his parents’ parents; there’s a wisdom, a confidence and a know-how that comes with that generational upbringing.”
“Small boot print” found near dam
Authorities have returned to the grounds of Oak Park Station where little Gus Lamont disappeared after another “small boot print” was found near a dam – but they have since ruled the clue was not connected to the missing child.
Deputy Police Commissioner Linda Williams has revealed police deployed specialist STAR Group officers, the Polair helicopter and a tracker to one of homestead’s remote dams, located 5.5km west of the main residence on Monday.
“We are continuing to search the property for potential evidence that could be connected to Gus,” Ms Williams said.
“To that end, on Monday the 6th of October, a significant search was conducted around 5.5km west of the homestead after a small boot print was located.
“The print was found to be subsequently not related to Gus.”
SA Police has also conducted a significant aerial search of the property using a special drone with infra-red capabilities – but results won’t be available for some weeks yet.
Once the results are back, police might revisit the homestead.
It comes after police revealed they found a “very similar boot pattern to what Gus was wearing when he went missing” last week on Tuesday.
It was found about 500 metres north of the homestead. Police have since downplayed its significance, suggesting it may have been left a week earlier.
A tracker was called in but there were no further traces of children’s footprints in the area.
In the meantime, Ms Williams said they are continuing to pursue other lines of questioning.
“The investigation is now being managed by the Missing Persons section, which is part of Major Crime investigation branch,” she said. “That’s where all long-term cases such as these are managed and investigated, it is standard practice.
“In addition to the search activity there have been concurrent inquires undertaken … and we are actively looking to rule out every investigation opportunity at this stage.”
Police said the Lamont family “have continued to co-operate with police and have consented to every request” they have made.
Gus Lamont, 4, was last seen at his family’s remote homestead, approximately 40km south of Yunta, around 5pm on September 27, playing on a mound of dirt by his grandmother.
At 5.30pm she has gone outside to call him in, only to find him missing.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said “thoughts and prayers across the state” continue to be with Gus and his family.
“We still hope for the best but in terms of the operational decisions that are made by emergency services, they are best done by experts in conjunction with all of their experience and national protocols, and that’s what I understand has taken place here,” he said.
“I support SAPOL, the decisions they make in really difficult circumstances such as this.”
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Originally published as Childhood friend of the Lamont family, Alex Thomas pleads for ‘online vitriol’ needs to stop around little Gus case
