William Tyrrell: Inquest into toddler’s disappearance announced

An inquest into the disappearance of toddler William Tyrrell will start next year.

Mystery has surrounded the fate of the three-year-old boy since he vanished while playing hide-and-seek in the garden of his foster grandmother’s home in Kendall, New South Wales, on the morning of September 12, 2014.

After a controversial campaign, Justice NSW yesterday announced an inquest into his disappearance will be held at the new Forensic Medicine and Coroners Court Complex for five days from March 25 next year.

NSW Police previously told nine.com.au they did not want an inquest held until Strike Force Rosann’s investigation into the disappearance was complete.

A petition with 18,000 signatures urging NSW Coroner Michael Barnes to investigate “vexing questions surrounding the case” was handed to NSW Coroner’s Court in Glebe, Sydney, in October.

In August, the advocacy group Walking 4 Warriors fought NSW Family and Community Services (FACS) to resist an injunction to prevent publication of the fact that William was in out-of-home care when he went missing.

There is no suggestion William's biological or foster families were involved in his disappearance or are at fault in any way.

Strike Force Rosann has taken information about nearly 700 persons of interest in relation to the case, according to NSW Police.

In ruling against FACS’ attempts to keep William’s status as a foster child secret, Supreme Court of NSW judge Justice Brereton noted "the tragic probability that (William) is no longer alive".