The mother of Ben Needham, who disappeared on the Greek island of Kos in 1991 at the age of 21 months, has expressed devastation after the closing of the UK investigation into her son's case. She believes the case was covered up by the Greek police and that there are still avenues to explore for finding her son. The case stands at less than £2million compared to the £13 million allocated to Madeleine McCann's case, highlighting a disparity in support.
The mother of British missing toddler Ben Needham has been hit with further heartache after being told in a video call the UK investigation into her son's disappearance will be closed.
Ben's mother Kerry Needham has been searching for her son, who was just 21 months old, since he vanished on the Greek island of Kos while playing at his grandparents' farmhouse in July 1991. Over the last 35 years, the family braved numerous false hopes in finding out what happened to the little boy, including false DNA matchings and a then-suspected body of a young child in Bavaria, Germany, turning out not to be Ben.
Ms Needham, 51, faced another tortuous blow last week as she was told the major crimes unit at South Yorkshire Police would stop their investigation into the toddler's case - as they hand responsibility back to the Greek police, citing issues of time and resources. The bereaved mother described the news as 'devastating', adding all her hope of finding out the truth about her son's disappearance will dissipate if the case is placed into the hands of Greek authorities - who she claims 'only ever wanted this case to go away'.
With the closing of the UK investigation, plans to follow-up with witnesses who provided inconsistent statements and a potential meeting with the Greek public prosecutor will also be abandoned. This comes as the Greek Police previously faced accusations of leading a 'cover up' of the case, with claims of inconsistences in witness statements and failing to secure the island after Ben's disappearance was alerted.
It was understood the South Yorkshire Police were organising a trip to Kos to meet with the local policing team in efforts to join forces with the investigation. Ben Needham has been missing since July 24, 1991, while playing at his grandparents' house on the Greek island of Kos Ms Needham, who now lives in Turkey, told the Mirror: 'For nearly 35 years, we have fought every single day to keep Ben's case alive, to search for answers and to make sure he is never forgotten.
We believe there are still avenues to explore. This feels like a devastating step backwards.
' Ben, from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, vanished while being watched by his grandmother Christine Needham, as Ms Needham, then aged 19, worked at a nearby hotel. For 20 years no significant leads into the case materialised under the control of Greek authorities. In 2011 South Yorkshire Police conducted two major searches at the Kos farmhouse, where Ben was last seen playing with his toy cars.
In 2016 a witness told British officers, who were led by Detective Superintendent Matt Fenwick, the child died in a digger accident, which involved Konstantinos Barkas, also known as Dino. Mr Barkas had been clearing land with an excavator close to where Ben was playing. The driver reportedly died of stomach cancer months before detectives from South Yorkshire Police arrived on the island for the new investigation. During which, no evidence was found.
During the search, a yellow toy car with decomposed blood was found. However the family were told in September 2018 the DNA did not match Ben's. His grandmother Christine previously revealed that she remembers Ben crashing two matchbox style cars together. She added Ben had wet his shorts which his grandmother had washed and hung on a tree to dry.
The toys and shorts have never been found. Kerry Needham has been searching for her son for more than 30 years In 2023 British police confirmed they were looking into whether an unidentified child found in the River Danube might be Ben. Hopes were raised in the search for answers when Interpol announced that the remains, found in May 2022, likely belonged to a child from outside the country.
But Ben's family were later told that the child's DNA does not match his, which had been sent for comparison. Ms Needham believes the child was kidnapped and trafficked off the island, which was a theory given by witnesses. She has since written a letter to the Government, urging for continued UK support as she pulls parallels with Ben and Madeleine McCann's case.
Last week the Metropolitan Police announced a further £108,000 will be allocated to the disappearance of Madeleine, topping the total amount to £13million. Ben's case stands at less than £2million. Ms Needham shed light on 'the stark difference' and 'clear inequality' between the cases, adding: 'Both are missing British children. Both families have endured unimaginable suffering.
'Yet the level of continued investigative support, media attention, Government backing and financial resources provided to Madeline McCann's case has been vastly different to what has been afforded to Ben. ' On the move, she said: 'The decision to reduce support now sends a devastating message: that some missing children remain a national priority while others are quietly allowed to fade into history.
' A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Police said: 'We remain ready to support Greek authorities should any new evidence come to light, and we remain committed to supporting Kerry. 'However after 35 years, we must ensure all of the appropriate routes are in place and remain fit for purpose. '
Missing Child Ben Needham Greek Island Kos Investigation Closed UK Greek Police Disappearance 80 Years Blood Found Prototype Matchbox Shorts Toy Cars Illegally Trafficked Disconnect Inequality
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