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<\/p>\nCOPS have confirmed that the body of a toddler found in a German river is not that of Ben Needham.<\/p>\n
South Yorkshire Police, supported by Europol, revealed that a DNA sample of the body found in the River Danube does not match that of missing toddler Ben.<\/p>\n
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Ben\u00a0was playing at his grandparents' farmhouse on the Greek island of\u00a0Kos\u00a0when he disappeared on July 24, 1991.<\/p>\n
He was just 21 months old when he vanished over three decades ago.<\/p>\n
Ben's mum Kerry had been waiting anxiously for news after she was alerted to an appeal for information after German police found remains in the River Danube.<\/p>\n
Interpol had revealed a sketch of the toddler found in the water on May 19, 2022 – with the child estimated to be about five or six-years-old. <\/p>\n
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And mum Kerry begged for police to investigate, saying: "I am hoping our British police will check this out and contact the German officers about this. We need to rule it out."<\/p>\n
But cops have now confirmed that the young boy was initially discovered in the Bavarian river in May 2022 was not Ben.<\/p>\n
South Yorkshire Police said: "Ben\u2019s family has been informed and are being supported. <\/p>\n
"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."<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Interpol previously said that the child found had been\u00a0weighed down with a flagstone slab and was wrapped in foil.<\/p>\n The international police agency published details of the case in hopes of finding the boy's name and determining "the suspicious circumstances surrounding his death".<\/p>\n He was around 3ft 6ins tall and weighed around two stone four lbs with brown hair and type O blood. <\/p>\n Interpol DNA Database Manager Francois-Xavier Laurent earlier said: "We can now assume that this boy was probably not German."<\/p>\n Ben vanished more than three decades ago while playing at his grandparents' farmhouse.<\/p>\n Kerry had recently moved to Kos from Sheffield, to start a new life with her family, when the tragedy happened.<\/p>\n She had left her son with her grandparents while she went to work, not realising she would never see him again.<\/p>\n Ben had been coming in and out of the home – a farmhouse that was being renovated by the family – when, at around 2.30pm, it was discovered the young child had disappeared.<\/p>\n At first, Ben's family began to search nearby for the tot, assuming that he had wandered off, or that Kerry\u2019s teenage brother Stephen had taken him out for a ride on his moped.<\/p>\n However, there was no sign of Ben and eventually the search for him was widened.<\/p>\n Police efforts to dig the land at the farmhouse failed to uncover remains, though it was reportedly their \u201cprofessional belief\u201d that Ben died when a digger driver accidentally ran over him.<\/p>\n South Yorkshire Police have twice sent a team of their own to the island, the latest time being after a witness came forward to say that before his death, digger driver Konstantinos \u201cDino\u201d Barkas, who has since died, confessed to killing Ben.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/DD-liam-payne_COMP.jpg\")
<\/picture>‘IN A BAD WAY’ <\/span><\/p>\nLiam Payne rushed to hospital for emergency care after being left in agony<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/JB-COMP-POND-TRAGEDY.jpg\")
<\/picture>POND TRAGEDY <\/span><\/p>\nToddler, 2, found floating in pond is named as woman arrested<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/word-police-fluorescent-decals-police-842473472-1.jpg\")
<\/picture>DOUBLE TRAGEDY <\/span><\/p>\nWoman & man found dead at home in quiet village as cops launch urgent probe<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/newspress-collage-23924329-1694532053897.jpg\")
<\/picture>LISA’S HEARTACHE <\/span><\/p>\nAnt McPartlin’s ex breaks her silence after \u00a35m mansion goes up in flames<\/h3>\n
SEARCHING FOR BEN<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nWilko name to SURVIVE in deal with discount rival – and shoppers will be happy<\/h3>\n
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