DNA RESULT SHOCK 

Ben Needham’s mum reveals result of DNA test after adopted man in US claimed he might be her missing son

BEN Needham’s mum has revealed the result of DNA testing after an adopted man in the US claimed he could be her missing son.

The stranger had contacted Kerry Needham in January and she faced an agonising wait – ahead of the 35th anniversary of her son’s disappearance next month.

Ben Needham was 21 months old when he disappeared in Kos in 1991Credit: PA:Press Association
 

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Ben’s mum Kerry Needham is convinced her son is still aliveCredit: Peter Byrne
Ben vanished without a trace on July 24 1991 soon after moving to the Greek island of Kos with his mum to start to a new life – joining Kerry’s parents and brother, who already lived there.

The long-running investigation, involving local cops and teams from the UK, has included a mass excavation of the area, though no evidence of what happened has ever been found.

Kerry – who was just 19 when Ben disappeared – is convinced he was snatched by people traffickers and then illegally sold into adoption.

In a post on her Facebook group Help Find Ben Needham, she wrote yesterday: “Today we received confirmation that the latest DNA testing conducted in the United States has returned a negative result.

Kerry with her parents, Eddie and Christine, soon after Ben disappearedCredit: Rex Features
 

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An age progression facial depiction of Ben as an adultCredit: Daily Mirror
 

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South Yorkshire Police excavate a site in Kos in September 2016Credit: PA
 

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Ben was playing outside a farmhouse being renovated by his grandparents when he disappearedCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
“While it is disappointing to rule out another potential lead, we remain determined in our search for Ben and will continue to follow every credible avenue available to us.”

She went on to say: “For over three decades we have never given up hope of finding answers about what happened to Ben.

“As each lead is investigated and eliminated, it only reinforces the need for continued research, specialist support, international enquiries, and public awareness.”

It comes after Kerry, 53, originally from Sheffield, told The Sun earlier this month she has moved a step forward in retrieving a forgotten cache of documents, which she believes includes key information on Ben’s case.

She says it’s likely her “last chance” to understand what happened to the toddler.

Kerry claimed South Yorkshire Police – which has been co-ordinating the case from the UK since the beginning – told her last month it was scaling back its involvement.

And despite the force since appearing to U-turn – allegedly telling the desperate mum during a meeting last week there had been a “miscommunication” and nothing was changing – Kerry has begun discussions with a Greece-based private investigation firm.

She has explained how the company emailed her out of the blue in the midst of the uncertainty around the case’s future – assuring her it could get hold of elusive case files held by Kos cops she’s been trying to get since 2016.

Kerry said: “They’ve said that shouldn’t be a problem.

“They can then start from the beginning, look through the case files of everything that’s been done by the Greek police.

“They can study it from day one – which has never been done.”

They likely include reports from the lengthy excavation undertaken on the island in 2016 after a tip-off relating to a digger driver who had allegedly claimed he’d accidentally killed Ben near his grandparents’ farmhouse.

However, the tipster, who said he spoke to the driver before his death, then retracted his claims. Meanwhile, the subsequent dig carried out by UK police failed to provide any evidence indicating Ben had been killed.

Kerry said multiple witnesses from throughout the case need to be spoken to again to clear up “inconsistencies”, including one who she understands lives in the US.

As well as certain officers involved in Kos from the early 90s – who she claims UK police have since been blocked from speaking to by Greek authorities.

“These people are getting old, they’re in their 70s,” she explained.

“If something happens to them, whatever they know, is going to die with them.

“Things need to be actioned now before it’s too late.”

She is hopeful that the private detectives – who estimate they’d need around 20,000 euros to carry out their enquiries, which she is having to raise the funds for herself through GoFundMe – will be able to track down certain people involved in the case and speak to them themselves.

In her post on Friday, Kerry said: “The support of the public is now more important than ever.

“Our GoFundMe campaign remains vital in helping us pursue new leads, obtain expert assistance, and keep Ben’s case in the public eye.

“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported us so far.

“We continue to hold a strong belief that Ben may have been the victim of illegal trafficking following his disappearance.

“This possibility has never been fully ruled out and remains a significant line of enquiry.

“We are committed to pursuing every opportunity that could bring us closer to the truth.

“We ask anyone with information, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, to come forward. Ben remains in our hearts every single day, and we will never stop searching for answers.”

CRE: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/39397028/ben-needhams-mum-dna-test-missing-son/