Featured Image Credit: AFP via Getty Images/Kostas Souliotis
Topics: Crime, True Crime, UK News, Ben Needham
Rhianna Benson
Topics: Crime, True Crime, UK News, Ben Needham
South Yorkshire police have issued a statement after a man has come forward claiming to be missing toddler Ben Needham.
According to reports, the man approached authorities in Denmark earlier this week, 33 years on from the British tot's disappearance.
Ben Needham was just 21 months old when he went missing on 24 July 1991 while holidaying with his family on the Greek island of Kos.
He and his mother Kerry had been staying with his maternal grandparents, Eddie and Christine Needham, at the farmhouse home they were renovating in the village of Iraklis near Kos town, when he seemingly vanished in broad daylight.
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After his mother Kerry went to work in a nearby hotel that fateful day, the toddler was being looked after by his grandparents.
The duo later told police that their grandson had been wandering in and out of the property all day, until around 2.30pm, when they noticed he was missing.
Tragically, an extensive search of the island - as well as several police interviews - led nowhere.
This week, however, a man living in Denmark has come forward claiming to be the missing toddler.
According to South Yorkshire police, the unnamed man's DNA has now been tested and is being compared to a sample of Ben's DNA, maintained by the force 'to provide Ben's family with a definitive answer'.
A representative of the authorities told press today: "Whilst South Yorkshire Police has no jurisdiction in Greece, we are keen to support Greek authorities and Ben’s family in any way we can and a senior investigating officer remains in contact with Greek counterparts.
"Our thoughts are with Ben’s family who have never given up hope of discovering the truth of what happened on 24 July 1991 and we will continue to support them in that endeavour."
Police are hoping that the news will assist in tracking down witnesses that prompted the accidental death theory.
A spokesperson for the British authorities also declared a wish to rekindle with the Greek police once again in the hope of getting to the bottom of the matter.
In the years that followed his disappearance, both sets of authorities returned to the case on numerous occasions.
In 2012, a digger driver confessed to killing the toddler accidentally while on his deathbed, claiming he'd buried his remains.
His statement couldn't be confirmed however, and any remains that have since been found on the island do not match those of the missing baby.
Detective Inspector Jon Cousins, who was previously in charge of the inquiry, also stated he believed the toddler had died in an accident near the farmhouse.