In a devastating echo of one of Australia’s most haunting missing child cases, a three-year-old blond-haired boy from Thababen, near Bundaberg in Queensland, was tragically discovered dead on January 6, 2026—just hours after police launched an urgent public appeal. The toddler, last seen wearing his beloved Spiderman outfit, was found unresponsive inside a parked vehicle at the same Central Avenue home from which he vanished around 3:30 p.m. that afternoon. Dubbed “Another William Tyrrell” by shocked locals and media due to the eerie similarities—both a three-year-old boy in a Spiderman costume disappearing from a home in regional Australia—this incident has plunged the Wide Bay-Burnett community into profound grief.
Queensland Police issued a “missing child” alert shortly after the boy was reported gone, expressing “significant concerns for his welfare due to his age.” The notice, circulated widely on social media and local news, featured a photo of the cherubic toddler in his red-and-blue Spiderman shirt, blonde hair tousled, evoking immediate comparisons to William Tyrrell. William, who vanished without trace from his foster grandmother’s garden in Kendall, New South Wales, on September 12, 2014, was also three years old and dressed head-to-toe in a Spiderman suit at the time. That case, now over 11 years old, remains unsolved despite massive searches, inquests, and charges against his foster mother for unrelated lies to police. The iconic image of William roaring playfully in his costume has become a symbol of unresolved child disappearances Down Under.
The Bundaberg boy’s disappearance sparked a frantic response. Police, State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers, and local residents mobilized within hours, combing bushland, nearby streets, and waterways in the sweltering Queensland heat. Thababen, a quiet suburb of Bundaberg known for its sugarcane fields and family homes, is not far from the Burnett River, raising fears the child had wandered into danger—drowning, snake bites, or dehydration were immediate worries for such a young child. “He’s so small, anything could happen,” one neighbor told 7NEWS, as drones buzzed overhead and cadaver dogs were deployed.
Social media erupted with the police photo, shared thousands of times. Posts on X (formerly Twitter) drew direct parallels: “WILLIAM TYRRELL AT 3 WENT MISSING KENDALL NSW ONE PIC HAS WILLIAM IN A SPIDERMAN OUTFIT Tragic development after Aussie boy, 3, goes missing in Spiderman outfit,” tweeted user @1WORLDHEADLINES, linking to Daily Mail coverage. Daily Mail Australia broke the initial urgent alert, headlining: “Urgent alert issued for missing boy, 3, as he’s pictured in his Spider-man outfit.” By evening, the tone shifted to heartbreak. Just before 9:30 p.m., searchers located the boy inside a car parked at the Central Avenue property. Paramedics rushed to the scene, performing CPR, but he could not be revived.
Police have stated the death is “not suspicious,” with the cause believed to be heat-related or accidental—possibly the toddler climbing into the unlocked vehicle to play, falling asleep, and succumbing to the extreme temperatures inside. Queensland’s summer has been brutal, with Bundaberg recording highs above 35°C (95°F) that day, and car interiors can reach lethal levels within minutes. “The circumstances are not being treated as suspicious at this time, and a report will be prepared for the coroner,” Queensland Police confirmed in a statement. No names have been released pending family notification and formal identification, respecting the privacy of the grieving parents and relatives.
The tragedy has reopened wounds from William Tyrrell’s case, where initial abduction theories gave way to suspicions of a cover-up by foster carers. Unlike Tyrrell’s ongoing mystery—no body, no closure—this Queensland incident resolved swiftly but no less painfully. Community members in Thababen gathered overnight, leaving flowers, teddy bears, and Spiderman toys at the home. “Our hearts are broken for the family. Another little boy in Spiderman gone too soon,” posted a local Facebook group. Vigils are planned, with counselors offered through local services.
Experts note the dangers of hot cars as a persistent killer of toddlers worldwide. In Australia alone, 68 children have died in hot vehicles since 2000, often in tragic accidents where kids access unlocked cars unnoticed. “It’s every parent’s worst nightmare,” said child safety advocate Allanna Smith, who investigated Tyrrell’s timeline. “A momentary lapse, and they’re gone.” Bundaberg Mayor Jack Dempsey echoed calls for vigilance: “Check your cars, yards, pools—toddlers move fast.”
This case underscores vulnerabilities in regional Australia, where vast properties border bush and waterways. William Tyrrell’s disappearance prompted national reforms in foster care oversight and missing persons protocols, including Strike Force Rosann’s 3,000+ Crime Stoppers tips. Here, the rapid response—bolstered by public tips—likely pinpointed the vehicle quickly, sparing prolonged agony but not the loss.
As the coroner investigates, questions linger: Was the car checked early? Why the delay in discovery? Police forensics will examine the scene, but early reports suggest no foul play. The family, described as “devastated,” has requested privacy amid media frenzy.
In Bundaberg’s tight-knit community, where kids play freely in front yards, this hits hard. “Like William, he was full of life in that Spiderman shirt,” a family friend told ABC News. “Gone in a blink.” Australia mourns another innocent, a stark reminder that even in safe suburbs, tragedy lurks. Rest in peace, little hero—may your story save others.
