Kerry Needham says more funding for Madeleine McCann investigation is ‘unfair’

Kerry Needham

by Emma Dodds |
Updated on

Ben Needham's mum Kerry opened up about her son's disappearance 27 years ago on Loose Women today

The disappearance of Ben Needham 27 years ago still haunts people up and down the country today.

But his family remain in turmoil as they have no idea what happened to little Ben, who was just 21-months-old when he disappeared in Kos in 1991 while under the care of his grandparents.

Ben's mum Kerry appeared on Loose Women today, and revealed that her own mum is still wracked with guilt over his disappearance.

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Kerry told the panel that her mum still struggles with the guilt, before directly addressing her mum and telling the camera: "I want you Mum, to know that it’s not your fault. I don’t blame her. I don’t. Yeah, she does still blame herself.

"Because Ben was with my mum that day, I think my mum and dad have lived through the hope of finding Ben and bringing him home to me and that would make it alright, and we haven’t got that."

Kerry added: "She is strong, and I want to ease your pain Mum. Stop feeling guilty and then you might be able to move on with your life a little bit more."

Ben Needham
Kerry's mum Christine with little Ben ©REX/Shutterstock

She then opened up about how they still have no answers all these years later, saying: "We’re still in limbo.

"In my mind, Ben is still a missing person. Apart from the toy car that we know belonged to Ben and the piece of sandal - we don’t know if that is Ben’s, we don’t know if that is Ben’s blood on there.

"In our minds, it’s very difficult to accept that he has died. We believe what the police have told us obviously. But, it’s very difficult for us to accept that because we have no concrete proof."

However, Kerry did admit that in the back her mind, she knew that Ben had died - but added that she and her family will "never be able to move on" and would always think of him as a missing person.

Ben Needham
Ben was 21 months when he disappeared ©REX/Shutterstock

Of course, the family will always hold onto hope that Ben would come back, and Kerry said: "You live like that, that’s what drives you on."

Kerry also spoke about the Madeleine McCann case, as the police investigation into her disappearance 11 years ago was granted more money only yesterday.

She said: "It hurts, it hurts us and it hurts me as Ben’s mum. I’m not taking anything away from it all, she deserves to be found, but so does Ben. We have not had a fraction of that help."

READ MORE | Ben Needham: Everything we know about his disappearance

Kerry Needham
Kerry struggled to hold back the tears on Loose Women today ©ITV

She added: "I’ve had to fight alone, you know, as a single mum and try to get the help that Ben deserves and that we deserve as a family. It did happen in the end but not to the magnitude that that case has had, which is unfortunate and very, very sad for us."

Kerry added that she would "keep going" and "still do the media interviews" to keep Ben's name alive, adding: "They still deserve to be found and that’s how I feel. I don’t take anything away from anyone else that has got a loved one that’s missing.

"Every person needs to be found. Resources must be put into this. It is unfair, I don’t take it that I’m the only one in the world that feels like this every day waking up without your child. It’s horrendous for every parent."

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