to all GN's living in France 4 year old boy missing

Unfortunately that is unlikely to happen, penguinpaperback. There will be a nauseating media scrum to bag the best /most intrusive and voyeuristic story. Anything that will bring the press a nice fat profit

Yes completely agree Rowantree. I hope when they are found the media are kept well away from them.

The poor child has a Gr4 cancerous brain tumour Gr4 being the most aggressive, according to a blog by his brother.
Who knows what the parents are thinking but with an almost terminal diagnosis which may be imminent, maybe they wanted to take control of the inevitable and allow it to occur with all the family around in a setting of their choice.
I am sure if they had been happy with the treatment and the prognosis was improving, no loving parent would move their child, and these appear to be a loving family according to all reports.

Oh dear. If I've got my facts right, I don't think they have broken any laws and surely have the right to remove their child from the hospital unless he's been made a Ward of Court. Or is that not so?

I would assume they'd taken him to France for different treatment, or perhaps wanted to spend some time together as a family before he dies....but maybe not - it's all conjecture anyway and we don't know anything about the case apart from what we've been told in the media.

It's a very difficult and distressing case though - and I heard this evening that vital support which is battery-operated, will run out this evening. All we can do is send loving vibes to them all. Fingers firmly crossed that they are found safely and that the law treats them gently.

I repeat my post od 15,45.
IT does not really bode well IMO

It has just been top of the news on French TV.
I agree Notso. There are lots of good things about health care in France but I can't think that it would be of any benefit to remove him from a centre of excellence like Southampton under these circumstances.

I fear this will not end well, parents are clearly not thinking straight.

The little boy was removed from Southampton General Hospital which is a 'centre of excellence' for cancer care. People travel from all over to be treated there so I would be surprised if the standard of care was an issue in the parents' decision.

Joelsnan loving families do not always make good judgements, especially when they have a seriously sick child. Distress can cloud judgement. Travelling away from an NHS teaching hospital with a child who is needing intensive nursing is probably not a good call.

Can I just say that the fact the family are believed to be Jehovah Witnesses is mentioned by The Guardian and BBC also.

I don't see why that is an issue?.. Perhaps having that intelligence and the fact the police and media, both in print and on t.v, are mentioning that point could be for no other reason than they will have a community that they could be looking to for help as they are obviously in a state of mind that is not apparent at the moment.

Actually I haven't seen any comment that has been unfair to the parents and the message I have gained from the Police and media has been in a caring fashion for the welfare of the child.

It will be interesting to see how this all pans out !

Couldn't agree more Joelsnan and dorsetpennt. They are not criminals... how can you 'kidnap' your own child? They probably know they will get much more modern/better treatment in France

Trust the Daily Wail to point that out.I do know Jehovah Witnesses don't believe in blood donation but they aren't like Christian Scientists who don't believe in any medical care but feel prayer is the answer. They do have medical treatment. This boy is with his parents so they are hardly kidnappers. I think until we know more of the facts treating the parents like criminals is not helpful.

According to the Mail Online today, they are Jehovah's Witnesses. I am not sure what their beliefs are regarding treatment.

Yes I agree Joelsnan it's very sad.

This boy comes from a large very loving family. I am sure that his parents only have his best interests at heart and may well be on their way to a better treatment option than he was getting in the UK. They seem to be being treated as kidnappers!

Worth adding that the family travelled from Portsmouth arriving in Cherbourg yesterday evening.