Boy's body found in river is not missing British toddler, DNA testing confirms
A DNA sample from the boy's body discovered in Germany does not match Ben Needham, police have revealed.
Ben's mum had been waiting anxiously for news after she was alerted to an appeal for information after German police found remains in the River Danube. They found the remains last year but were convinced the boy was not German.
Now Kerry has been told the DNA does not match Ben's which was sent for comparison. A statement said: "South Yorkshire Police, supported by Interpol, has received confirmation that a DNA sample of the body found in the River Danube in Germany does not match that of Ben Needham.
"Ben’s family has been informed and are being supported. Our thoughts remain with the young boy who is yet to be identified and, of course, the Needham family who continue in their search for answers."
Kerr, who had been a “nervous wreck” waiting for police to investigate the body, said she was physically sick after discovering the news. Interpol had issued a ‘black notice’ after remains of a five- or six-year-old were found a year ago.
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Interpol previously said the unidentified boy was found wrapped in foil in the River Danube,They fear the child was abducted from overseas after investigating. The remains were found wrapped in foil and weighed down with a flagstone slab tied to his torso. British officers have now compared the DNA with Ben's and found it not to be a match.
Kerry told The Mirror: "It's a relief. I actually was physically sick when I heard. It was all that pent up anxiety. I was expecting it to be in another couple of days. It came as a huge shock but obviously a relief. I've been on edge every day with really bad anxiety. I've tried to distract myself but it's always there in the back of your mind.
"What would I do if it is Ben? How would I handle it?" Kerry says she was horrified to hear the boy had been found after being weighted down with concrete in a river. "The way that little boy died makes it worse, it's just horrible. Someone has actually done that to that little boy on purpose," she said.
"The thought of that being my son was sickening, it churns my stomach just thinking about that." But Kerry says she also feels terrible for other parents out there still waiting for news. "There are some other parents out there, sitting there still waiting and the thought of that is just horrific," she said.
"They are obviously suffering like I have been suffering since the news broke. I hope they do find who he belongs to because not knowing what's happened to your child is the worst nightmare." But Kerry says she's been here "hundreds of times' adding: "When the police number came up my stomach did a somersault.
"From our point of view it's good news because there's a chance he's still out there." She said she wants to urge British police never to give up on her son and "please they must keep looking for Ben."
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