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AIBU?

to think this a major 'breakthrough' in the Ben Needham case?

185 replies

AliaTheEvilLeaper · 18/10/2013 23:19

A 4 year old girl living in a Roma Camp has been found not related to the camp and parents.
Ben Needham's family apparently had a line of enquiry years back about being linked back to Larissa,
Which is where the area this girl was found.
If there's so many children out there with a chance of maybe being Ben or other stolen, shouldn't we be checking this out?
It's a possibility and a plausible one at that.
Girl found with no DNA matching to parents
www.enetenglish.gr/?i=news.en.home&id=1553
Lots of other children out there in those camps.No idea whether they're biologically related or not.
Is it not worth the enquiry? For the peace of mind?
It hasn't been investigated. It should be. Just to make SURE.
Especially as this little girl has been discovered in the exact same place as Ben was purpoted to have been.

OP posts:

Report

WinnieFosterTether · 19/10/2013 16:10

If the police think there's a link between this alleged abduction and the Ben Needham case perhaps they've asked the media not to mention Ben? Perhaps they feel they are closing in and don't want to draw attention to the link in case it causes people to disappear or move away.

AliaTheEvilLeaper · 19/10/2013 16:12

Uk police can't just go to Greece and start 'investigating'

UK police have started investigating other cases abroad. When this one has such a strong link to Ben Needham, why aren't they doing more?

OP posts:

Nancy66 · 19/10/2013 16:13

the UK police did travel to Greece last year to follow up another lead re. Ben. They are not doing nothing.

AliaTheEvilLeaper · 19/10/2013 16:13

If the police think there's a link between this alleged abduction and the Ben Needham case perhaps they've asked the media not to mention Ben?

Really hope that is the case that they do think there's a connection and are doing something about it.

OP posts:

Millenniumbug1 · 19/10/2013 16:22

There is a direct link from Mumsnet to the online petition to get Ben's case investigated properly. Just type Ben Needham petition in the search box at the top of the page & it will take you right there.

Spirulina · 19/10/2013 16:24

Uk police have to follow protocol. If there's a link then they would know and have acted

The fact it's in the media makes me feel the police have already dismissed it. I get annoyed when people say the police should do more/are doing nothing..... How do you know this, for sure?? We don't...

AliaTheEvilLeaper · 19/10/2013 16:32

I didn't say they aren't doing anything, I have no way of knowing if they are or not.
I sincerely hope they are.
When an unidentified little girl turns up in the same place as Ben was reported to have been, it's surely of some significance.
Here's hoping she's identified really soon.

OP posts:

Spirulina · 19/10/2013 16:34

It's an observation that's all..... In general

But still, it's the Greek polices job. Nothing really to do with uk police yet. Hope she's identified quickly

SeaSickSal · 19/10/2013 16:43

If children are cared for in the extended family group by Roma could it not be possible that this little girl has not been abducted at all but is simply Ben's daughter? If so and she was with his extended 'family' it could explain there being no DNA link. If Ben thinks he is Roma it's possible.

She does look a bit like the age progression pics of him. Hope they test Kerry.

Spirulina · 19/10/2013 16:48

Gosh sal that's a new angle on it!

filee777 · 19/10/2013 17:01

That's how it would end in Hollywood, not sure about in reality.

DigestivesAndPhiladelphia · 19/10/2013 17:03

AuntMargaret - That sounds horrific. I was in Portugal a year after Madeline McCann disappeared. I read an English language paper while I was there & there was an article in it about the attempted abduction of an English toddler fairly nearby.

From what I remember of the story, the mother was an English hairdresser living in Portugal - or not far over the the border in Spain (sorry my memory isn't perfect on this one!)... The mother had left her blonde, toddler son strapped into his high chair in the living room. She went outside to hang washing out. When she walked back into the room, there were two women there who she described as looking like gypsy women. They were attempting to undo the straps on her son's high chair.

When the mother came in and shouted, the women ran outside to a waiting car. The local police refused to treat it as an attempted abduction & insisted that the women were theives - despite the fact that they has walked past a handbag, expensive sunglasses etc. to get to the child.the child's mother was quite sure that the women had been watching through the window & were trying to take her son.

The exact location is the only thing I'm not too sure of but I remember the rest of the story quite well. I was surprised that it wasn't mentioned in any UK papers or linked to the McCann case.

JustThisOnceOrTwiceOrThrice · 19/10/2013 17:04

Aunt.

I think really it should have been properly reported. You had seen a group in full attempt at abduction and what looked like an experienced group. They tried to take your child and from what you say had most likely tried to take/taken others before or afterwards.

I can understand though being in your position in a foreign country and wanting to just get home and not have to go to a foreign police station.

It doesn't sound as though the police officer you told unofficially did anything with that information as otherwise you would most likely have had to give proper statements and descriptions.

DigestivesAndPhiladelphia · 19/10/2013 17:09

I've just found a report online on the story I mentioned and it was actually a little girl on the Costa Blanca. I will post a link if I can figure out how to do it on my iPhone.

deepfriedsage · 19/10/2013 17:23

Aunt, there is nothing stopping you reporting the incident now, please do. I am sorry that happened, verypleased you stopped it.

Mintyy · 19/10/2013 17:33

Auntmargaret, I'm afraid I am utterly shocked that you didn't report that at the time! Those people could have abducted another child that very day. Why on earth did you not? I'm afraid your excuse that you were leaving the next day is really feeble .

Mumsyblouse · 19/10/2013 17:40

What on earth really could she have reported? Some gypsies surrounded my child but then went away again? This swarming technique is used all the time for pickpocketing/stealing- it happened to my FIL whilst abroad (by Roma), he foiled their attack as he felt them put their hands in their pockets and the child with the gang fell to the ground and started screaming as if we had hurt them. The police were nearby and utterly uninterested in taking statements etc- this is usual stuff for them. It is different if something is stolen, or the child was grabbed, but if you think the police will be interested in some Roma surrounding a child five years ago you are very much mistaken- it's like someone looking nastily at you in a pub, it can feel very threatening, but in general the police are not interested in this stuff unless something has actually happened, not just what you think might have been about to happen.

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 19/10/2013 17:41

Aunt, also, your DD needn't know anything about it (and it would have been possible to report it at the time without her finding out).

Mumsyblouse · 19/10/2013 17:43

And- older children begging often go up to the tourist children first as they know they are more likely to ask their parents for money, it has happened to me several times in my husband's country when begging children approach mine when they are playing, it is quite frightening and I always rush over shouting 'no' but it's very unpleasant, they are also children as much as my children and I end up feeling really sad about it all.

sashh · 19/10/2013 17:46

I didn't say the same distance from Kos, did I? If you read my OP again, you'll see I actually said "girl found in Larissa." Which is the exact same area the Needhams said they had a tip off for years ago, but nobody bothered to investigate it properly.
After the light of this case, why is THAT not being picked up on?

You did not say that though did you?

Perhaps you should have started with a post with a link that worked an outlining the story which you obviously know.

pastelmacaroons · 19/10/2013 17:47

So many break throughs have been because one person has been nosey, has asked questions.

This case, the case of the little boy who was starved, the girl in Amercia who was stopped by a woman police officer who sensed something was wrong...

auntmargaret · 19/10/2013 17:52

I told a police officer in the UK. He just happened to be my daughter's father. He knew, and I knew, if we went official on it, our daughter would be asked to give a statement. Probably over and over and over. And her innocence would be eroded each time. I work in the criminal justice system. I know that victims can be as damaged by the justice system as by the actual crime. And I don't want that for my daughter. And I am not going to apologise for it. I saw the people, and I couldn't give a description of them beyond "dark hair and skin" because at the time I was focused on keeping my daughter safe. It is not news to the police that these gangs operate in Europe. It is not news that they target blonde and blue eyed children and it is not news that they are so opportunistic. I have no doubt that if I tried to report it in Portugal, the police would have tried to say it was an attempted theft of the bag she was carrying,like in the story Digestives is talking about (I remember that one too, cos like that mum, I know what I saw) I also think the understanding of this type of crime has come a long way in the last 5 years. I have never asked my ex if he logged it, but knowing him, I believe he would have. But it's not in these resorts' interests to accept these incidents occur and that the resorts are targets. I have no doubt I would have been labelled another hysterical over protective British mum and no progress would have been made. And believe me, as shaken and emotional as I was that night, I couldn't have taken it. So I got my daughter and I hugged her and the next day, I took her home.

AliaTheEvilLeaper · 19/10/2013 17:54

You did not say that though did you?

Um, yes, I actually did - are you reading another post or just not reading properly?

Ben Needham's family apparently had a line of enquiry years back about being linked back to Larissa, which is where the area this girl was found.
Sorry my links didn't work, it was late and I'd had a couple of glasses of wine
I clearly did say Larissa, even if I was hopeless enough to cack up the links...

pastelmacaroons So many break throughs have been because one person has been nosey, has asked questions.
so, so so true, If we didn't follow up on leads and ask questions then nobody would ever be found, would they

OP posts:

Miopiccolotopolino · 19/10/2013 17:57

en-gb.facebook.com/AttemptedChildAbductionsUK

This Facebook page makes for chilling reading. Basically we assume that child abduction is very rare but reading about the numerous attempted abductions in the UK is very worrying indeed.

It's a bit off topic in relation to the op but reading about the girl they found in Greece, Ben Needham and MM all in the span of a few days is very very grim .

deepfriedsage · 19/10/2013 17:58

What kind of system do we have if senior police officers won't report a crime themselves? What are your influencal family with knowledge of loopholes and opportunity doing to improve things Aunt?

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