The mother of a British toddler who vanished from the Greek island of Kos nearly 35 years ago is planning to hire a private investigator, stating that British police have closed their active inquiry into the case. Ben Needham was 21 months old when he disappeared in July 1991.
Kerry Needham, Ben's mother, has spent decades searching for answers and was recently informed that South Yorkshire Police's Major Crime Unit would no longer lead the investigation after 14 years. Describing the development as "devastating," Needham, who now resides in Turkey, feels compelled to continue the search independently.
Ben disappeared from a farmhouse on Kos where his grandparents were renovating the property. His mother was working at a nearby hotel at the time. Despite numerous reported sightings and theories over the years, his whereabouts remain unknown, making it one of Britain's longest-running missing person cases.
Needham plans to hire a private investigator in Greece, believing this may offer the best chance to uncover the truth. This pursuit comes with significant financial implications, prompting her to launch a GoFundMe appeal to fund the investigation. She has expressed disappointment with what she perceives as a lack of urgency from British police.
"It makes you really think does nobody care? This is a missing person. Yes, it's been a long time," Needham said. "But when a report from a police officer or a detective inspector lands on your desk and it's a missing person, someone should pick that up and say, 'Wow, that's urgent.'"
She believes a private investigator could meticulously review all case files and reports from the beginning, potentially identifying mistakes or inconsistencies in original statements and re-interviewing witnesses. "I think if a private investigator got involved and was allowed to take the case files and review them from the very beginning, they will see that there were lots of mistakes made, and potential cover-ups," she stated.
South Yorkshire Police have stated they are not stepping back entirely but will act as a "conduit for information sharing" between UK authorities, Interpol, and Greek authorities. A spokesperson for the force emphasized that the investigation is led by Greek authorities and that their resource allocation, including a family liaison officer and a detective inspector, remains unchanged. They expressed commitment to supporting the family and apologized for any confusion.
This stance contrasts with Needham's understanding from a family liaison officer that South Yorkshire Police would no longer be actively involved. This is despite the force having received £700,000 from the Home Office in 2012 to reopen the case due to family concerns about its thoroughness.
Previous investigations by South Yorkshire Police included excavations around the farmhouse in 2012 and 2016. The second excavation followed a witness allegation that a digger driver had accidentally run Ben over and buried his body. During this search, an item believed to have been in Ben's possession was recovered, leading investigators to suggest accidental death as the most likely explanation. Police formally ended that search in October 2016.
Needham disputes this conclusion, stating there is no physical or forensic evidence to support the theory of an accident. She also highlighted funding as a significant obstacle, noting she has never had substantial financial backing for the search. "We have never had financial backing from anybody at all. And that makes you feel sometimes that Ben's case isn't as important as another missing person," she said.
The initial cost for the Greek investigative firm is €2,000, with the total investigation potentially costing tens of thousands of euros. Needham has explained her financial limitations to the investigator, who has expressed sympathy and a willingness to work together. She hopes to raise sufficient funds to employ the investigator, which she notes would be the first time a private investigator has taken on the case in 35 years.