UK police have said there has been no change to its role in the investigation into the disappearance of Ben Needham, a British toddler who went missing on the Greek island of Kos in 1991.
In a statement issued Monday, South Yorkshire Police said it continues to act as a conduit for information sharing between UK authorities, Interpol and Greek authorities, while the investigation itself remains under Greek jurisdiction.
“As we approach the 35 year anniversary of the disappearance of Ben, we have reviewed our processes to ensure these remain fit-for-purpose and can withstand any increase in information flow,” the force said.
The clarification comes after British media reports on Sunday quoting Needham’s mother as saying police told her they would no longer investigate her son’s disappearance, and that responsibility now lay with Greek authorities.
“This is devastating news. The case will now fall solely to the Greek authorities. If this happens, I feel like I may as well give up the search for Ben because the Greek police have only ever wanted this case to go away,” Kerry Needham, 51, told the Mirror.
