We\'ve got variable that for some reason we think would be an array, but it happens to be null.
$var = null
We try to get a value from this var
There is "almost duplicate": Why does accessing array index on boolean value does not raise any kind of error?
the code there looks like:
$var = false;
$value = $var['key'];
and the answer is - it's just document
Accessing variables of other types (not including arrays or objects implementing the appropriate interfaces) using [] or {} silently returns NULL.
So in this string (I am talking about your case, $var = null, but with boolean would be the same explanation, just replace NULL to boolean)
$var['key']
$var is the variable of type NULL, and accessing variable of type NULL (other type that array or object) using [] silently returns NULL.