Searchers are focusing on whether William Tyrrell had a fatal fall from the deck of his foster grandmother's house. Photo / File
William Tyrrell's biological grandmother has spoken out about her heartache after losing her grandchild, while also lashing out at a suspect in the case.
The renewed search for William has entered its third day, with investigators yesterday focusing efforts around a home on NSW's Mid North Coast where he was last seen more than seven years ago.
William was playing with his 5-year-old sister in the yard at his now-dead foster grandmother's house on Benaroon Drive, Kendall, on the NSW mid-north coast on September 12, 2014, when she suddenly couldn't find him.
He was 3 at the time and wearing a Spider-Man costume.
William's biological grandmother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the Daily Telegraph that a detective on the case recently called her "for the first time in years" to tell her they were digging up the garden bed in the home where he was last seen.
"He's probably going to be under there somewhere," she claimed.
The woman then took aim at the new suspects in the case.
"Every day, for the last seven years, I haven't had a life. I don't know how [the suspects] are sleeping now, look at how they slept for seven years, their life was fine," she told the publication.
On Monday, police revealed "many hundreds of officers" would search three locations around the area where he disappeared.
As officers descended on the Kendall home on Tuesday, multiple media reports suggested police were now probing whether William fatally fell from the two-storey balcony.
Officers were seen searching the area directly below the balcony, removing plants from the garden and sifting through the dirt.
Luminol, a substance that shows traces of blood, was sprayed in the area and a cadaver dog was also seen combing through the garden bed.
A car previously belonging to William's foster grandmother was seized by police in Sydney under a Coronial Order last week.
The Mazda hatchback was seized at a home in Gymea in the Sutherland Shire on November 9 and will undergo "extensive forensic examinations and analysis".
This process is expected to take several weeks.
News.com.au understands police are investigating whether the vehicle was used to move William's body after his death.
The car seizure comes as new information came to light about a suspect in the boy's disappearance.
The suspect, who cannot be named for legal reasons, recently had a child removed from her custody and had an apprehended violence order taken out against her.
It is understood the woman had previously been spoken to by police but was never pursued as part of the investigation.
Speaking to 2GB on Tuesday morning, Police Commissioner Mick Fuller there is "certainly one person, in particular, we are looking closely at" in relation to the investigation.
"I'm confident that the team who has the investigation at the moment can solve it," he said.
His comments came as it was revealed police would be taking two suspects in William's disappearance to court later this month.
NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon said investigators would leave "no stone unturned" in their search for William.
"As it's an ongoing investigation as things unfold daily," he told reporters on Wednesday.
"It is very much an active investigation. What you are seeing and what's being reported on demonstrates that we are committed to the investigation."
Investigators are seeking an apprehended violence order against the two suspects, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
The AVO application was filed in Hornsby Local Court by Detective Sean Ogilvy and will be heard on November 23.
Fuller was tight-lipped when asked about the AVOs being sought against the suspects.
He said he wouldn't want to "compromise any aspect of the investigation" by speaking about the situation.
"The team is working diligently and they are searching today and will continue to search bushland and other areas in the coming days.
"We are hopeful that we will find some forensic evidence that will assist us in solving this case."
What police are searching for
The renewed search efforts are expected to take between two to three weeks, with hundreds of officers checking new locations and using different types of search methods.
Police Minister David Elliott told Today that experts would be looking for any "ground that's been disturbed" in the area where William disappeared.
"We've got an excellent Rural Fire Service here in NSW," Elliott said.
"They are experts in managing the ground, in identifying any soil that may have been moved, in any ground that's been disturbed, and that's what they are looking out for."
State Crime Command director Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Bennett revealed on Monday that the new search efforts were in responce to "evidence we have obtained in the course of the investigation".
"[It's] too speculative in any way, we are acting on behalf of the coroner and in conjunction with the colonial orders, she will be kept updated with regard to our progress," Bennett said.
"There is a large amount of work to be undertaken, we will be working specialist areas and people from outside the police force. We are very hopeful we can bring this matter to some sort of conclusion."
Asked whether they were looking for William's remains or whether they were looking for him alive, he said it was "highly likely" officers would be looking for a body.
"It's highly likely that we, if we found something it would be a body. We are looking for the remains of William Tyrrell, no doubt about that."
He said he believes the search will "take us a degree towards finding out what happened to William".
"I'm not anticipating a swift end to the investigation by any means."
Strike Force Rosann detectives have investigated hundreds of leads and several suspects as part of the ongoing search for William.
A $1 million reward is still on the table for finding the missing child.
Detectives revisited the Kendall area in September on the 7th anniversary of William's disappearance.
During the visit they revealed new information had "come to light, as part of our ongoing review of the materials gathered by investigators" over the seven years since his disappearance.
Police did not comment further as to what the new information was, but the previous week it had been reported detectives had renewed their inquiries into a suspect who had previously been dismissed.