The disappearance of William Tyrrell has been referred to the NSW coroner, but police say investigations continue with the hope the young boy is still alive.
The announcement comes more than a year after the then three-year-old vanished from the front yard of his grandmother's home at Kendall on the NSW north coast.
"The referral of William Tyrrell's disappearance to the local Coroner is in line with standard protocol for matters of this kind," police said on Saturday.
On Tuesday, William's parents thanked members of the Kendall community who helped in the search for the missing boy and had given their support.
"We love William. And when he was home, we treasured every second of every day with him," they wrote in an open letter.
"Now, with William missing, we are faced with having to live our lives as a family incomplete.
"We have to face holidays, sunrises, sunsets without him. New Year's without William. A Christmas without him. A birthday for William but without William."
Several events were also held in Kendall last weekend to mark a year since William vanished.
Thousands walked through the town wearing red and blue - the colours of the Spiderman suit William was wearing when he went missing.
Before the march, white goods repairman Bill Spedding, a person of interest in the investigation, had released a homemade video denying any involvement.
Authorities and child safety campaigner Hetty Johnson have repeatedly called for anyone with information to come forward.
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