Blood found on lost Ben’s toy ‘proves his body was moved’
Mum: This proves that they killed him then hid his remains. It’s monstrous.. I’ll never give up fight for truth
BEN Needham’s mum Kerry fears the discovery of human blood on the toddler’s sandal and toy car proves he was killed and his body moved in a sinister twist to the mystery case.
The 43-year-old said she is convinced the youngster was taken from the site where he was buried before British police returned to carry out a dig there last year.
Kerry claims the new evidence points to a cover-up over what happened to her son, who vanished at the age of 21 months while staying at his grandparents’ farmhouse on the Greek island of Kos, 26 years ago today.
Ben’s sandal was found in 2012 at the site where police believe he was accidentally killed by Konstantinos “Dino” Barkas, who was operating a digger there.
But the car was discovered at another spot late last year. There was no sign of Ben’s body.
Kerry, who made a fresh appeal for anyone who knows anything to break their silence, said: “This confirms everything the police have suspected. It makes it all a little too real. We believe what they believe.
“It shows more of a conspiracy because they didn’t find Ben’s body. That proves it to me without doubt they obviously moved him and buried him and for whatever reason dug him up.
“There’s no other explanation. It’s all been a massive cover-up. This confirms what the police have been saying all along.
“My Ben was killed in an accident. But it also suggests that not only did they kill my boy and bury him where the toy car was found, they then moved him before police got to the site last October.
“What kind of human being does that? It just infuriates me. How can they do such a thing?”
Kerry added: “He was definitely wearing those sandals that day. They were the only ones we could keep on his feet.
“And we’re 99.9 per cent sure that car was Ben’s. He was playing with them that day.
“You can sort of forgive an accident in time. But when somebody starts picking up a dead child and moving his remains again, it’s monstrous .
“God know’s where Ben is. He could be at the bottom of the Aegean sea for all I know. It’s really sick.”
Ben’s sister Leighanna added: “They are putting a whole family’s suffering on hold.
“But we’re always hopeful someone will come forward and be brave by breaking the stigma which stops people coming forward.”
Experts will now test the sandal and car to see if it contain’s Ben’s DNA. Kerry, of Sheffield, has provided a sample of her own to assist.
Forensic scientists found the decomposed blood on the items.
Professor Lorna Dawson, of the James Hutton institute in Aberdeen, has been working with South Yorkshire Police in the hunt for Ben.
She said: “These findings could corroborate the police theory there was an accident and the body was moved.
“We were looking for any unusual samples specific to mammals. A sheep, a dog will all leave different profiles. We are looking for a change in the chemical fingerprint which can be left for many, many years.
“Behind the farmhouse where Ben was last
seen playing we found a whole range of them in the soil – 20 to 30. It’s that profile that is particularly identifiable as being human.”
A specialist police dog used in the hunt for bodies reacted to the sandal sample.
Lorna added: “He didn’t react to the toy car but he did to the sandal. There were fewer compounds on the car to detect and the sandal was very high. It was one of the highest samples.
“Samples are now with the biologists who are trying to extract DNA to see if it could be Ben’s. But the items are very old and very dirty. DNA could well be degraded. It might not be possible.”
Superintendent Jon Cousins, leading the investigation into Ben’s death, said: “Based on the facts and information, it is still my belief that Ben died as a result of a tragic incident at the farmhouse involving heavy machinery.
“There has been a thorough review of all the information, with pioneering, scientific techniques conducted on items recovered.
“The result of this work has recently revealed a development forensically, with early examinations indicating potential signs of human decomposition.”
Ben was said to be playing near the farmhouse when Dino was moving earth with his digger. The builder had at least 70 other sites where he dumped rubble around the island.
Before he died in 2015, Dino allegedly confessed to a friend he may have killed Ben. The pal told police: “It’s time the family knew.”
Detectives believe an accomplice may have helped Dino hide the body. His family strongly deny he was involved in Ben’s death.
Kerry appealed for anyone who knows what happened to her son to come forward.
She said: “Just tell me where he is, even anonymously. Please send a letter, or an email.
“I don’t care any more who goes to prison or not. Just tell me. I want to put him at peace, my family at peace and my own mind at peace.
“I will go to my grave still looking for answers if I have to.”