The NSW Coroner’s Court at Lidcombe was expected to resume the inquest into the disappearance of three-year-old William Tyrrell on Monday.
However, in a surprise move, Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame has closed the evidence, bringing the 18-month inquest to a close.
What’s Next?
Now, all parties involved will provide written closing submissions to the coroner. Ms. Grahame will then review these submissions and hand down her findings at a later date, which has not been fixed.
A Tragic Mystery
William Tyrrell vanished from his foster grandmother’s home at Kendall on the NSW Mid North Coast in September 2014. The inquest has been seeking answers to what happened to the little boy, who was just three years old when he disappeared.
A Fresh Police Theory
In 2020, the inquest was reopened after police conducted a comprehensive review of the case, resulting in a new focus on a fresh police theory. According to this theory, William died in an accidental fall from a balcony at his foster grandmother’s home. The foster mother allegedly discovered his body in the ferns below and then drove to a nearby location, where she dumped his body in the undergrowth.
Denials and Allegations
The foster mother, who cannot be identified, has consistently denied any involvement in William’s disappearance or having any knowledge of his whereabouts. Despite this, she was grilled on the theory when she appeared before the NSW Crime Commission. In a video of her evidence, played to the court earlier this year, she firmly stated, “I didn’t take William. I haven’t dumped his body.”
The Foster Mother’s Testimony
During her testimony, the foster mother claimed that on the day William went missing, she took her mother’s car and drove out of Benaroon Drive, turning right onto Batar Creek Rd. She said she came to a clearing near a riding school on the corner of Cobb and Co Rd, where she was looking for William. However, she soon realized it was “ridiculous” and gave up.
The Inquest’s Unexpected Conclusion
The inquest was previously told that police intended to make an application for the foster mother to be recalled as a witness during the final block of hearings. However, with the final hearing dates now vacated, this will not take place.
As the inquest comes to a close, the search for answers continues. The people of Australia remain invested in this tragic mystery, eagerly awaiting the coroner’s findings and hoping that they will finally bring some closure to William’s family.