Family promise to never give up search for missing Sheffield boy Ben Needham after 35 year investigation
Family still hope they will find answers
For 35 years a Sheffield mum has been desperately searching for answers about what happened to her missing child - and she has vowed to never give up fighting to discover the truth.
Ben Needham was only 21 months old when he vanished on the Greek island of Kos in July 1991.
On the day Ben disappeared, he was playing outside a farmhouse his grandfather was renovating while his mum, Kerry, worked at a nearby hotel.
At the time, Kerry was planning to move with her son to the Greek island, however at around 2.30pm on July 24 it was discovered that Ben was missing.
Over the course of the subsequent three decades, the young boy’s family has been following every possible lead in a desperate search to discover what truly happened during that fateful trip to Greece.
A number of theories were posited over the years, however the reality remains shrouded in mystery.
In 2016, police investigated the possibility that Ben had died during a digger accident, however blood samples found at the scene of the alleged accident were later discovered to not match the young boy’s DNA profile.
Kerry has dismissed the theory, instead believing that her son was illegally trafficked.
Back in January, the ‘Help Find Ben Needham’ Facebook page posted: “There are far too many inconsistencies in witness statements and facts of what happened on that day.
“We encourage anyone who thinks they may be Ben to come forward or register their DNA on ancestry and other DNA platforms.
“Please continue to get our story and the facts about what happened that day out there - no trace of Ben has ever been found and until he is found the search will not end.”
Multiple people claiming to be Ben have come forward over the years, including a Danish man in 2024 and a person from the United States earlier this year.
In March, family said they were waiting for DNA tests over the latest claimant, while it has been revealed that many others have lied about their identity.
Recently, social media users have been using AI to falsely claim that Ben had been found, with family informing police about misleading content which they say ‘harms ongoing efforts’.
Despite regular setbacks, and attempts to derail their investigation, the family has never given up.
They fought to get Greek police to investigate back in 1991 - criticising the authorities slow response - and have sent letters to almost every UK Prime Minister since then as well as the Royal Family in hopes of getting help.
On their website, they describe ‘the most sympathetic letter ever received’ coming from then-PM David Cameron back in 2011, while thanking the British press for keeping this story alive over the decades.
However, they once again feel that their case has been setback, claiming the Major Crimes Unit will cease investigations and hand over responsibility to Greek authorities.
“Over the years, there have been moments where new information, renewed media attention, and public support have brought hope that progress could still be made,” mum Kerry wrote online.
“We believed there were still avenues to explore, witnesses to revisit, and opportunities for British and Greek authorities to continue working together.
“To now be told that active involvement from the Major Crime Unit is ending feels like a devastating step backwards.”
She added: “No parent should ever have to stop searching for their child, and I never will.
“Thank you to everyone who continues to support our family and keep hope alive for Ben Needham.”