European arrest warrant issued for parents of missing boy
A European arrest warrant has been issued for the parents of a five-year-old boy with a brain tumour who was taken from hospital in Britain against medical advice, police said.
Ashya King’s family took him from Southampton General Hospital on Thursday afternoon and travelled on a ferry to France some two hours later.
Hampshire Constabulary were told by the hospital that the youngster was missing at 8.35pm that day – more than six hours after he was taken by his parents, Jehovah’s Witnesses Brett King, 51, and Naghemeh King, 45.
Police believe the family may have travelled to Spain where they have “strong links” to Marbella, while Interpol has sent out a missing persons alert to each of its 190 member countries.
Speaking outside Hampshire Constabulary’s headquarters, Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead said: “I can confirm we have obtained a European arrest warrant. What that will do is, when we find Ashya and his family, it will allow us to talk to his parents about what happened.
“Clearly we need to find out what their motive is in taking Ashya.”
Mr Shead said the European arrest warrant was based around “neglect” but added: “That does not necessarily mean they would be charged with that offence.
“It purely gives us the power to arrest and then we’ll be able to speak to them.”
Mr Shead said the arrest warrant had been issued for Ashya's parents and not his six siblings who they are travelling with.
“We don’t want the family to be put off by the fact that there is an arrest warrant,” he said.
“We would much sooner they speak to us and get Ashya the care he desperately needs.”
Mr Shead said the battery on Ashya’s feeding system “will have expired” and police had a “shrinking window” to find him.
He said: “Ashya really needs quite specialised care. There are a range of complications around the delivery of that care which really does need specialised medical training.
“I would appeal to Ashya’s parents, please do not be tempted to think you can deliver that care yourself. It needs specialist medical training and to our knowledge, you do not have that training.
“Please seek proper medical advice and take Ashya to hospital.”
He added: “I’m sure what they are doing, they think they are doing in Ashya’s best interests. But let me assure you, the advice I’ve been given from doctors today is this is a really quite serious situation for Ashya.”
Mr Shead said it was “possible” Ashya’s family had taken him to a medical facility in Spain or France and urged medical professionals who have seen them to contact police.
He said Ashya’s family are believed to have a property in Marbella and the family had previously posted on social media about visiting the area.
Mr Shead said there had not been any more confirmed sightings of the family after he revealed earlier the family’s vehicle was spotted by members of the public yesterday.
