CRITICISMS by an online group of the official campaign to find William Tyrrell have been labelled an "absolute disgrace".
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Spokewoman for William's family Hetty Johnston said those using Facebook to smear the official campaign "should be charged with public nuisance".
"It's just incredibly sad and disappointing that at a time when a little boy is missing, these people are doing this and it has nothing to do with William," Ms Johnston said.
The 'Walking Warriors Australia' (W4W) Facebook page shared a post on December 3 that questioned billboards featuring William allegedly being taken down.
W4W's central gripe seemed to be that the billboards' use came from money donated to the Where's William? official campaign.
They posted using the hashtags #itsnotokay, #con and #moneyspinner.
The same day, the Where's William? campaign, which is supported by the missing boy's family and police, posted an extensive response which questioned the unofficial group's operations.
"For those who support the un-endorsed Walk 4 William group and the newly named W4W Walking Warriors Australia Group who have continually aimed to undermine William's family's wishes and continue to accuse the campaign and Bravehearts of mismanagement of funds, please note that we are aware that many in this group have raised funds to support their activities through asking MPs, Councils and businesses for funds," the post stated.
"Where have these funds gone? How have they been used? Who has managed these funds?"
The next day, W4W posted "It saddens many of us that they have been taken down" in reference to the billboards.
The group has not addressed the questions about its own fundraising.
On Monday the official campaign explained the billboards had not been taken down, but relocated to other parts of the region.
"The WW Billboard campaign has had a consistent presence in the region with each skin being reused and re-located by oOh!media whenever there is available space which they have provided consistently, free of charge to support William's family's campaign
"It has featured on six separate sites to increase awareness of William in that community," the offical campaign's Facebook post stated.
It also stated that the billboards and papering were donated by businesses, not from funds raised for the campaign to bring William home.
On Tuesday, Ms Johnston said it was a fact that W4W's actions had William's family "in tears".
"What has happened is despicable.
"It's not founded in any facts.
"It is just vitriolic, nasty rubbish."
