Mum of missing British toddler reveals results of new DNA test after US man claimed he might be her son

A British mother who has been searching for her missing child for over 30 years has been handed another blow after a DNA test.

Ben Needham was just a toddler when he went missing in Greece back in 1991, shortly after moving to Kos with his 19-year-old mother Kerry and her parents, who owned a home there.

However, disaster struck not long after when Ben mysteriously disappeared on 24 July, and he hasn't been seen since despite the huge amount of investigative police work that has taken place over the past three decades.

Kerry has never given up on her son and was handed a potential glimmer of hope recently when an American man stepped forward to claim that he could be her son, as his adoptive parents had refused to hand over his birth certificate after he was adopted in the early 90s.

However, in a post on her Facebook group Help Find Ben Needham, the 51-year-old mother wrote yesterday: “Today we received confirmation that the latest DNA testing conducted in the United States has returned a negative result.

“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.”

Ben Needham was 21 months old when he disappeared (ITV News)

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.”

Numerous theories have been suggested over the years, with one man briefly suggesting that a former tractor driver had accidentally killed Ben and buried his body, although this statement was later withdrawn and the toddler's potential remains have never been discovered.

However, Kerry is convinced that the boy was kidnapped and sent to America for adoption, which is why there was a significant amount of hope that the recent man who stepped forward could have genuinely been her son.

Kerry now wants to utilise a Greek-based private investigation firm who have promised to look into the case and get hold of documents which she has been trying to get from Kos police since 2016.

Age progression images show what the toddler might look like 35 years on (findbenneedham.com)

She told The Sun: “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.”

Kerry is now using a GoFundMe campaign to try and raise the necessary funds to pay the private investigators.

Earlier this week, she wrote: “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.”