Ben Needham Case File

Ben Needham

Ben Needham has been missing for over 28 years. The nearly 2 year old child vanished from the Greek island of Kos. After initial investigations police failed to locate Ben and it was believed that he had been kidnapped. Despite numerous claims of sightings, Ben's fate still remains unknown - just like the other cases everyone has their own opinions, lets have a look at the details...

Details

• Ben was only 21 months old when he vanished in July 1991 on a family holiday to Kos.
• Ben was being looked after by his Grandparents in their farmhouse.
• Ben was wandering in and out the house as it was a hot day in July, however at 2.30pm there was no sign of Ben.
• After eleven days of searches the police chief reported "It leaves us with a great mystery, we have no theories or solutions."
• Two years later, the British prime minister asked the local army to undertake another search for Ben who would now be 4 years old - however the search was unsuccessful.
• In 2012, another extensive search was carried out, which again came up with no new clues.
• Again in 2016, police searched a specific part after they received a tip. Police found a small toy car which was identified by Ben's mother as belonging to her son - however no other evidence was found.

  

  Ben Needham before he vanished

THEORY 1 - WANDERED OFF

• On the day that Ben disappeared it was a blistering hot day in July, so Ben was playing inside and outside the house and in the large garden.
• At 2.30pm when Ben was discovered missing, the family initially assumed he had wandered away from the large farmhouse.
• The family immediately went looking for Ben and alerted local police, however they couldn't find anything.
• Could there be a possibility of Ben wandering off and had been knocked down or involved in an accident? 

  

  The large farmhouse which Ben went missing from

THEORY 2 - KIDNAPPED

• Builders working on nearby land told police that they saw a white car parked down a small lane near the home on the day that Ben disappeared, the builders reported seeing 2 males and a female present in the car. Could this car be involved in Ben's disappearance?
• In 1995, an investigator located a blonde boy around the age Ben would have been, living with a gypsy family in mainland Greece. The child said that he was given to the gypsies after being abandoned by his biological parents, but no evidence was found to suggest he was Ben.
• In 1996, Ben's grandparents, Christine and Eddie met with Andonis Bedzios - a prisoner in Greece. He claimed to know people (a well known gypsy family) who were "holding" Ben.
• In 1998 another blonde boy, seen in Rhodes playing with another group of children was thought to be Ben. After an investigator took pictures and managed to get some DNA from the boy, it proved he wasn't Ben.
• Each of these sightings are one of over 300 reports of boys who look like Ben. Private investigator Ian Crosby said he receives many tips but its "impossible" to follow them all up. 

  

  Ben when he went missing and what he would look like now

THEORY 3 - INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT 

• In September 2016, a new theory was made public. Information was given to police after a TV appeal which claimed that Ben was accidentally crushed to death by a digger driven by Konstaninos Barkas who told his friend he accidentally killed  Ben whilst clearing the land with an excavator.
• Barkas then allegedly buried the child.
• The builder reportedly died of cancer last year, but a friend claimed he may have killed Ben by accident.
• Police searched multiple land sites that Barkas had reportedly worked on however found no remains, however they did discover a yellow toy car at an illegal fly-tipping site Barkas frequented.
• The yellow toy was shown to Ben's mother who identified it as a gift, Ben received from his Grandmother.

  

  Konstaninos Barkas
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  View of the locations of interest 

MY OPINION
This is just another mystifying and heartbreaking case.

In my opinion I think that Ben has been involved in an accident, that's resulted in a horrific ending. I find it hard to overlook the fact that Barkas admitted to accidentally killing Ben - why would someone admit this is it wasn't actually true? Furthermore, the fact that Ben's toy was found on a site which Barkas often frequented is evidence which shouldn't be overlooked.

However this is only my opinion and for the purpose of the blog.

What do you think?! Comment below...