Closer spoke exclusively to Ben's sister, Leighanna Needham, about how their hopes may now be dashed.
Ever since Ben Needham vanished from a Greek island 25 years ago, his family have never waivered in their belief he would be found alive.
But, heartbreakingly, last week his distraught mum Kerry, from Sheffield, was told by British police that a new witness had come forward to reveal the toddler may have been crushed by a digger.
Ben was just 21-months-old when he disappeared on July 24, 1991, from outside Kerry's parents' farmhouse in the Kos village of Iraklis. His mum was at work in a local hotel and Ben was being looked after by his grandparents.
Poignantly, Kerry has spoken of how her mother's instinct has always told her he is alive.
Earlier this year their hope was fuelled when South Yorkshire Police flew back out to Kos after receiving £450k in funding to keep Ben's case active.
I've lived my whole life wondering where Ben is
Speaking at the time, Kerry told Closer: "I have to believe investigators will find something. I dream about seeing him again… I just want to know he's safe and happy. I miss him so much, the grief is as raw as ever."
Leighanna, a healthcare coordinator and mum to daughter Hermione, two, exclusively tells Closer: "We all just feel so numb. We're in limbo while we wait for a call that could change our whole lives. We don't know how to feel or how to act. It's just a terrible time for all of us.
"Mum is being incredibly strong. She's the one holding us together right now. I don't know how she does it. But I guess she has been dealing with this for 25 years. However, none of us feels very prepared at all."
Leighanna was born three years after Ben's disappearance and she gave birth to her first child in 2014.
"My daughter Hermione is a little angel - we need to be strong for her. She is only two and a half, and has no concept of what's going on, which is nice as it gives us something to focus on.
But she admits the family are bracing themselves for devastaing news.
"We're preparing ourselves for the worst possible outcome that, as a family, we have dreaded for 25 years," she says.
"But at the same time it would give us some closure – we've spent so long in limbo. I've lived my whole life wondering where Ben is, if we will ever see him again, or if he has had a really terrible life.
"If Ben did die as a 21-month-old, at least we know he hasn't spent years in pain or anguish."
And Leighanna admits she's worried about her mum if the news is bad, saying: "She's doing brilliantly at the moment but I'm scared if it's bad news, it will finally break her. I'm too numb to even think about the possible outcome – I'm just taking a day at a time.
"We will deal with it as a family when it comes. It will be heartbreaking either way but we will try to cope like we always have."
Read the full story in this week's Closer magazine, out now.
More on the Ben Needham case:
Ben Needham: Police fear Ben was crushed by bulldozer and buried in field
Ben Needham: Police now investigating witness claims tot was killed