Authorities in Australia have confirmed a shocking development in the disappearance of 8-year-old Gus Lamont, after a hiker discovered a small, mud-covered shoe deep within a restricted woodland area earlier this week.
Police forensic testing has since verified that the shoe contained DNA belonging to the missing boy, marking the first confirmed physical evidence connected to Gus since he vanished nearly two weeks ago.
“This finding changes everything,” said Detective Superintendent Erin Vale, leading the investigation. “We can now confirm that Gus was present in that area — and not by accident.”
The discovery was made by a local hiker roughly five kilometers from the original search perimeter, in a densely forested region near Mount Harper National Park. The shoe, partially buried under leaves and debris, appeared undisturbed for several days before being reported to authorities.
Forensic teams immediately sealed off the area and began an intensive ground search, deploying tracking dogs and specialized scanners. Within hours, police sources say, investigators uncovered additional items of interest, including a fragment of clothing believed to match what Gus was last seen wearing.
The area is now being treated as an active crime scene, with police warning residents to avoid the cordoned-off zone as forensic analysis continues.
“The location where the shoe was found is both remote and difficult to access,” one officer said. “It raises serious questions about how an eight-year-old could have reached it alone.”
Authorities have not disclosed details about the other evidence recovered, but multiple sources suggest the pattern of the findings indicates possible third-party involvement.
Gus’s parents, who were informed of the discovery late last night, are said to be “heartbroken but clinging to hope.”
“Every new piece of evidence matters,” Detective Vale added. “We’re closer than ever to understanding what truly happened.”
Police are expected to release an official update within the next 24 hours as the investigation intensifies.