NSW Police wind down search for missing William Tyrrell in Kendall

The renewed bush search for the remains of little William Tyrrell is winding down without the breakthrough police were hoping for.

The renewed bush search for the remains of little William Tyrrell is winding down without the breakthrough police were hoping for.

It comes as William’s foster grandmother’s Mazda car remains with scientific officers, numerous pieces of cloth which may — or may not — be from the toddler’s Spider-Man outfit are with forensic specialists and plastic tape is still flapping around a number of bush sites within 1km of his foster nana’s home which have yet to be dug up.

William Tyrrell who has been missing for more than seven years.

Police who have identified William’s foster mother as a person they are “looking closely at” have been liaising with Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame who postponed handing down her findings into his disappearance.

The coroner had signalled she would be delivering her findings in June but that was delayed amid internal conflict over who police believe was to blame.

Police search the area where William went missing in 2014. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Peter Lorimer.

A number of homicide detectives will remain at the search site near the home in Kendall on the north coast where William, 3, was last seen alive in September 2014 but the small army of searchers is expected to pack up by the end of this week.

Police said on Tuesday that a team would “facilitate a repatriation of the site”.

“Forensic examinations of seized items and a significant quantity of soil remain ongoing,” a spokesperson said.

Strike Force Rosann detectives will continue to prepare a fresh brief of evidence for the coroner as they thank the NSW Rural Fire Service, Salvation Army, and the local community.

“The NSW Police Force remains committed to finding William Tyrrell and investigations by the homicide squad’s Strike Force Rosann are ongoing,” the statement said.

The fresh theory being explored was that the toddler fell to his death from the second-storey of the home, which his late foster nana sold five months after he disappeared, and that the accident was covered up.

His foster mum has vehemently denied any involvement in his disappearance.

William’s foster parents — who cannot be identified — are due to face Hornsby Local Court on Friday charged with assaulting a child who is not William in legal proceedings which have been suppressed by the court. They have not yet been required to enter pleas.

William Tyrrell in his Spider-man suit moments before he was seen for the last time. Picture: AAP

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said as the latest search began in November that police have one person “they are looking closely at”. It is the foster mother.

Police and other emergency services personnel have been clearing vegetation, wading in creek beds and combing through each bucket of dirt by hand under the guidance of forensic experts including a hydrologist.

This week police divers also continued to scour the drained and excavated creek beds for evidence, wading through murky waters slowly on their hands and knees.

One theory being explored is that his nana’s grey Mazda — which has been seized from its new owner — could have been used to dispose of his body off Batar Creek Road and Cobb and Co Road near the home.

The inquest into his death is expected to resume next year will include evidence found from the new search.

William Tyrrell has been missing since 2014.