Mystery Surrounds Child Found in German River: Could It Be Missing Ben Needham?
Authorities are currently investigating whether a child discovered in the River Danube in Bavaria, Germany, in May 2022, could be the missing toddler, Ben Needham. Ben’s concerned mother, Kerry, reached out to South Yorkshire Police after Interpol issued a fresh appeal to identify the young boy’s body. The child was found in distressing circumstances, weighed down by a flagstone slab and wrapped in foil.
The investigators have indicated that the child, estimated to be between five and six years old, may have spent time outside of Germany. South Yorkshire Police has acknowledged the reports but has yet to provide further updates.
To aid in the identification process, crucial information, such as facial reconstruction images and physical characteristics, has been shared with the public. The child’s likeness to Ben has prompted 33 public tips to Interpol’s DNA Database Manager, Francois-Xavier Laurent.
Ben Needham went missing on July 24, 1991, while playing at his grandparents’ farmhouse on the Greek island of Kos. At the time, he was just 21 months old. Kerry had left her son with her grandparents as she went to work, unaware that it would be the last time she saw him.
Interpol Secretary General Juergen Stock stressed the importance of public cooperation in solving this mystery, stating, “Someone, somewhere knows something about this boy, making it equally important to release certain details publicly.” He called upon law enforcement worldwide to collaborate in cross-checking databases and consulting unsolved cases.
Kerry had previously urged South Yorkshire Police to involve Interpol in her son’s disappearance, expressing her hope that they would explore this new lead. She emphasized her belief that Ben had not perished and expressed concern about the prevalence of child trafficking.
South Yorkshire Police had previously sent teams to Kos, most recently in response to a witness claiming that digger driver Konstantinos “Dino” Barkas, who has since passed away, confessed to Ben’s killing. Kerry, however, has rejected this theory.
The discovery of the child in Germany remains a poignant reminder of Ben Needham’s unresolved disappearance, keeping the hope of finding answers alive. Authorities are committed to exhaustively investigating this new lead and bringing closure to the enduring mystery.
Stay tuned for further developments in this ongoing investigation.