Police reopen case of child missing for 14 years

The mother of a five-month-old baby who disappeared from a car in a busy London street almost 14 years ago appealed for help yesterday in finding her son as police reopened the case.

Ames Glover has not been seen since his father left him in his car while he collected a take-away curry in 1990.

Despite an international investigation, no trace of the baby was found. The trail has long gone cold, but Ames's mother, Shanika Ondaatjie, believes he may still be alive.

Speaking on what would be Ames's 14th birthday, Ms Ondaatjie said: "I just need to know what happened. I am desperately clinging to hope, but I need to know, even if it is bad news.

"I wonder what he would be like if he was still alive. I sometimes look at children in that age group, mixed race like him, and I wonder."

Ames's father, Paul Glover, who now lives in north London, was at one time the prime suspect in the case. He was arrested but denied any involvement and was released without charge. Police believe Ames might have been smuggled out of the country after being snatched.

Detectives have travelled to Ghana, where Mr Glover is from, but failed to find any trace of the missing baby.

Ms Ondaatjie, 35, and Mr Glover had separated by the time their son disappeared, on 5 February 1990. Ames was with his father in his blue Ford Sierra that Monday evening, when he stopped in Southall, west London.

The only account of what happened next came from Mr Glover. He told police he left Ames in the locked car, and used a cashpoint and bought a take-away curry before returning about 20 minutes later. When he got there, he says, the baby was gone.

The police did not find anyone who saw Ames being taken from the car, which was parked in a busy street. And no one came forward who even remembers seeing him in the vehicle.

Mr Glover told police that the kidnappers must have broken into his car, but there was no damage.

A reward of £10,000 is now being offered for help on what could be a murder or a kidnap investigation. The case has been re-opened as part of the police's review of unsolved investigations.

Police have asked anyone with information to contact them on 020 8284 8561 or anonymously on 0800 555111.

Meanwhile, a private investigator will fly to the Greek island of Kos today to renew the search for Ben Needham, a missing Sheffield boy. Ben disappeared 12 years ago, aged 21 months, from outside a farmhouse in the village of Iraklis, which was being renovated by his grandparents.