New clue in William Tyrrell investigation as weather hampers search efforts

New South Wales Police have discovered a new clue in the search for William Tyrrell as heavy rain looks set to hamper the ongoing search efforts.

Authorities photographed a black piece of fabric on November 21, in the search area and have bagged the evidence for further forensic testing, as reported by Channel 9 news.

Police now face the difficult task of continuing the investigation as the renewed search effort enters its second week due to the deluge of wet weather predicted for the Kendall area, where the three-year-old disappeared.

There’s a warning for heavy rainfall on the Mid North Coast today with predictions of up to 80mm. Police on the William #Tyrrell search are still at it though, clearing instead of digging & sifting. @9NewsSyd pic.twitter.com/EJxviNxhFk

— Kelly Fedor (@KellyFedor) November 20, 2021

The extensive search announced on Monday, November 15, has seen authorities scour the property where William went missing seven years ago, dig up the garden below the second-floor balcony, and sift through dirt for any clues on the boy’s disappearance. Detectives have also seized a vehicle for forensic examination and drained a local creek bed in the search for clues to William’s disappearance.

It’s been seven years since William Tyrrell disappeared from his foster grandmother’s house in New South Wales. He had been playing in the front yard of the property in Kendall, and was wearing a Spider-Man suit at the time of his disappearance. Despite extensive investigations and an exhaustive search by hundreds of volunteers and emergency service workers, the then three-year-old has not been found.

Detectives from Strike Force Rosann have conducted fresh searches for the last week, involving hundreds of police officers, in three specific locations in the Kendall area which police anticipate will run over the next two to three weeks.

Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Bennett told reporters that investigators “are looking for the remains of William Tyrrell”.

“It’s highly likely that if we found something, it would be a body,” he said.

Since the renewed search efforts began, local residents are braced for the worst. Local store owner, Mark McLaughlin told 7 news, “we always thought that he had been taken”.

“Now they’re going in another direction, it’s sort of starting to hit home now,” he said.