On the 12th February 1993, two-year-old James Bulger disappeared from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, while accompanying his mother.
Two days later, his mutilated body was found on a railway line almost two-and-a-half miles away.
It later transpired that he had been abducted, murdered, and tortured by two ten-year-old boys, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables.
Now, 23 years later, James’ mother Denise has sat down with Loose Women following the recent news of a young toddler who was taken by two teenagers in Newcastle this year.
On hearing the news of the kidnapped toddler in Newcastle, Denise said: “Just hearing stories like this, it's just horrible and I still can't believe this has happened again.
“I just have to relive it all.”
She continued: “Every minute without your child it seems like an hour, you're so desperate to get your child back. You're just in a world of your own, you don't know where to go or what to do.
“It’s just horrible.”
Sherrie Hewson chipped in: "That moment changed everything in my life, and for everybody. Do you think we're more aware?"
Denise responded: “I think we are more aware [today] because of what happened to James, but do you know what we're not going to stop this from happening because it only takes a split second.
“I let go of his hand for seconds, I never left him anywhere, he was right beside me and in that split second he was gone and my life was changed forever.”
The conversation then turned to how the parents of missing children often find themselves victimised by the public, particularly after Sharon Osbourne and Katie Price recently spoke out against the parents of missing girl Madeleine McCann.
Addressing the issue, Denise said: "I don't feel like I was victimised, maybe by a couple of people, but I've had more well wishers support me along my way and that's been a great big help for me.
“A lot of people have said ‘it's not your fault, don't worry about it.’ I think the fault lies with them two who took James.”
She added: “I did blame myself at first, I kept on thinking to myself if only I kept hold of his hand but it's so hard to keep hold of a child, go into your bag, to get your purse to pay for something you are buying, it was a split second I looked down and he'd gone.”
Denise went on to explain that, after setting up the James Bulger Memorial Trust, she has “learned to live with” the agony of losing her little boy.
She also explained that she is in regular contact with parents who have been through a similar ordeal.
An emotional Vicky Pattison fought back tears as she praised Denise, saying: "That's amazing that you're doing that, and you've got the foundation as well.
“I think you’re incredibly strong.”
When Janet asked whether Denise had been in contact with the McCanns, Denise said: “No I haven’t.
“If they wanted to speak to me then I'm more than willing to speak to them but I don't want to intrude.”
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