William Tyrrell detective accuses foster mum of ‘knowing’ where boy’s body is as secret recordings played in court

William Tyrell case’s secret hearings revealed as a senior detective on the case told a court he believes the foster mother “knows” where his body is located.

William Tyrrell’s foster mother was grilled in top secret hearings over allegations she dumped the missing boy’s body in bushland after he fell from a balcony and died, a shocking court case has revealed.

It comes after a senior officer, investigating the disappearance of the boy in the Spider-Man suit, told a court he believes the foster mother “knows” where his body is located.

William was just three years old when he vanished from the home of his foster grandmother on the NSW mid-north coast town of Kendall in September 2014.

His body has never been found and no-one has ever been charged over his disappearance.

The final photographs of William, wearing a Spider-Man suit, were taken minutes before he vanished and have become enduring images in the tragic case.

William’s foster parents, from Sydney, were charged with assaulting another child in late 2021 – the child is not William Tyrrell.

William Tyrrell pictured wearing the actual Spider-Man suit he disappeared in. Picture: Supplied

Police allege the foster mother, who cannot be identified, slapped and kicked the child and hit the child with a wooden spoon.

Police further allege the foster mother lied to the highly secretive NSW Crime Commission about the alleged use of the wooden spoon when they interviewed her in November 2021.

She appeared in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday after denying she gave false evidence to the NSW Crime Commission.

Detective Sergeant Andrew Lonergan was called to the stand as the first witness.

Detectives undertook a new search for William Tyrrell's remains in March 2022. Picture: Trevor Veale

The foster mother’s barrister, John Stratton SC, asked the detective if he had formed a view that the foster mother knew where William Tyrrell’s body was.

“Yes, I have formed the view (the foster mother) knows where William Tyrrell is,” Det Sgt Lonergan replied.

The barrister asked the detective if he had brought the Crime Commission charge against the foster mother to “break her spirit” so she would reveal the location of William’s body.

Det Sgt Lonergan said that was not his primary motive, but it could have been “an assistance”.

Mr Stratton, who once represented Eddie Obeid, questioned the detective about a statement he had prepared for the court.

In the statement the detective wrote the majority of the foster mother’s evidence before the Crime Commission had been “ambiguous and deceitful”.

Police divers search a dam during a Strike Force Rosann hunt for William Tyrrell's remains near Kendall. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Peter Lorimer

But, Mr Stratton said the detective had only identified to the foster mother’s denial of the alleged use of the wooden spoon as the sole lie.

“Yes that’s true or else I would have charged her with more offences if I could have proved it,” Det Sgt Lonergan said.

The foster mother turned to her supporter with her mouth open in shock in the courtroom.

The court heard audio, taken from listening bugs inside the foster parents’ Sydney home, which appeared to capture the alleged argument with the second child.

The audio, played in court, began with the child screaming and the foster mother is heard saying “stand up, stand up, where did you put the wooden spoon?”.

A slap or smack sound is heard before the child continues crying.

The foster mother cried in court, and looked to the ceiling, as the audio played.

The hearing continues.