Sister accuses cops of failing to act on new lead
Lisa Boyle
The sister of a boy who went missing 44 years ago claims police have failed to act on a vital new lead in the search for the tragic infant.
Three-year-old Sandy Davidson disappeared from his gran’s front garden in Irvine where he had been playing with sister Donna, who was two.
It is one of Scotland’s longestrunning missing person cases.
Donna alleged detectives “didn’t follow up” on the claims by a woman who said her dad snatched Sandy and brought the youngster into their car before driving to a field.
Donna said she informed Police Scotland – only for it to be quickly dismissed because officers thought the potential witness had mental health problems.
The 46-year-old said: “I contacted the police but they very quickly dismissed it. They said they thought the woman had mental health problems – but that doesn’t mean she’s making her story up. She should have been treated more seriously.
“The woman contacted me on Facebook on the day of Sandy’s birthday in May last year, saying that her dad had been responsible for his disappearance.
“She told me that she was in a car and her dad stopped, brought Sandy into the car and then said to her, ‘Speak to this wee boy just now, we’re going to help him look for his dog.’
“The woman told me that she can remember asking Sandy his name and they were taken to the middle of some fields. That’s where I actually think he might be buried.
“I was completely distraught and thought she might be telling the truth.”
Sandy disappeared in April 1976.
Donna could only tell her parents a “bad man” had taken him away.
No trace of him has ever been found despite multiple searches and appeals.
Mum-of-three Donna revealed she started receiving counselling after suffering flashbacks from the day he went missing. But Covid-19 social distancing measures has seen face-to-face sessions cancelled, leading to a setback in her therapy.
She added: “I’ve struggled tremendously the last few months. I ’ ve been having flashbacks and awful nightmares of Sandy and I think it’s because of lockdown restrictions. I can only have counselling over the phone, which isn’t the same because I can’t open up properly.l TheTh kids kid might hear what I’m saying and I don’t want to upset them.” Donna, who is being helped by charity Missing People, added: “This has taken over mylife.Throughlockdown, I’ve fallen back to the stage that I can’t open emails or anything that might be about Sandy because I just can’t cope. “Missing people are being forgotten about and abandoned.”
Donna is writing a bbook, backed by author AndrewAn O’Hagan, about Sandy’sSan disappearance. SheS added: “I said to myselfmy that 2020 would be my year and I’d be Donna Davidson,Dav not missing SandySan Davidson’s sister. “I wanted to be able to movemov on and do that without beingbein guilty and I was going to celebratecel Sandy’s birthday and hhis anniversary instead.” Jo Youle,Y chief executive of MMissing People, said: “FamiliesFam like Sandy’s, who have been missing their loved one for many years, often tell us that the pain and traumatr they feel today is just as raw as it was when their person first disappeared.
“They live in a state of limbo, unable to move on with their life without answers or closure.”
Pol ice Scotland said: “The investigation into the disappearance of Sandy Davidson remains very much open. All outstanding missing person cases are reviewed each year in order to identify any potential new lines of enquiry. We would welcome any information regarding Sandy’s disappearance, which will be thoroughly investigated.”