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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/aug/29/parents-take-boy-brain-tumour-hospital-southampton
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| Major investigation as parents take boy with brain tumour from hospital | Major investigation as parents take boy with brain tumour from hospital |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A major search and social media campaign are underway to find a five-year-old boy with a brain tumour after he was taken by his parents from hospital without the consent of doctors. | A major search and social media campaign are underway to find a five-year-old boy with a brain tumour after he was taken by his parents from hospital without the consent of doctors. |
| CCTV footage showed Ashya King being taken in a wheelchair by his father, Brett King, from Southampton General Hospital at around 2pm on Thursday. His family – including his mother, Naghemeh King, and six siblings – then boarded a ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg in northern France. | |
| Hampshire police said there are serious concerns for the boy's life as he needs constant medical care. | Hampshire police said there are serious concerns for the boy's life as he needs constant medical care. |
| DS Dick Pearson, of Hampshire's major investigation team, said Ashya King "needs to be taken to a medical facility for his urgent health requirements as soon as he is located". | DS Dick Pearson, of Hampshire's major investigation team, said Ashya King "needs to be taken to a medical facility for his urgent health requirements as soon as he is located". |
| He urged Facebook and Twitter users to help track down the family, who are believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses, as the force tweeted images of the parents and posted a picture of the type of car in which they are travelling. Jehovah's Witnesses refuse blood transfusions on religious grounds but are generally open to other medical procedures. | |
| Police said the family, who live in St David's Road, Southsea, arrived in France at 8pm local time on Thursday night. | Police said the family, who live in St David's Road, Southsea, arrived in France at 8pm local time on Thursday night. |
| Ashya is likely to be in a wheelchair or buggy, he cannot communicate verbally and is immobile, a police spokesman said. | Ashya is likely to be in a wheelchair or buggy, he cannot communicate verbally and is immobile, a police spokesman said. |
| The family are travelling in a grey Hyundai I800 Style CRDI, registration KP60 HWK, and they are still believed to be in France. | The family are travelling in a grey Hyundai I800 Style CRDI, registration KP60 HWK, and they are still believed to be in France. |
| In a statement Hampshire police said: "We are working with our counterparts in France to activate their emergency child rescue alert procedures to locate the family as soon as possible. If we do not locate Ashya today there are serious concerns for his life. He is receiving constant medical care within the UK due to recent surgery and ongoing medical issues. | In a statement Hampshire police said: "We are working with our counterparts in France to activate their emergency child rescue alert procedures to locate the family as soon as possible. If we do not locate Ashya today there are serious concerns for his life. He is receiving constant medical care within the UK due to recent surgery and ongoing medical issues. |
| "Without this specialist 24-hour care Ashya is at risk of additional health complications which place him at substantial risk." | |
| In a video posted on YouTube last month, Naveed King said his little brother, Ashya, had been diagnosed with a brain tumour and was undergoing emergency surgery. Speaking into the camera in a message directly to Ashya, he said: "I haven't slept. I've been awake all night worrying. We love you so much. We're all here for you. Everyone is praying for you. We just want to see your smile again. | |
| "No kid at the age of five deserves to have a brain tumour. Let's just hope the doctors know what they're doing and they know exactly where to operate and what to take out, and they take everything out and you can be better. | "No kid at the age of five deserves to have a brain tumour. Let's just hope the doctors know what they're doing and they know exactly where to operate and what to take out, and they take everything out and you can be better. |
| "And when we look back in 10 years' time, when you're 15, we can actually see that things have changed for the better. Just because they're bad at one point doesn't mean they'll always be bad. I love you so much. I can't wait to see you." | "And when we look back in 10 years' time, when you're 15, we can actually see that things have changed for the better. Just because they're bad at one point doesn't mean they'll always be bad. I love you so much. I can't wait to see you." |
| Naveed also posted footage of a visit to his brother in hospital, having to cut away as the young boy breaks down in tears. | |
| On 18 August he posted an update on Facebook signed "King family", saying Ashya had been "progressing slowly but continuously with only minor problems along the way". | |
| The post included several pictures, one showing Ashya with his mother and another of a large stitched wound at the back of the boy's head and neck. Naveed wrote: "He (Ashya) is now able to swallow (only liquid things like water and on odd occasions soft yoghurt) but not chew or move his leaps (sic). | |
| "He can also close his eye lids but still struggles in moving his eyes to look at people or things. He is still unable to talk to explain how he feels or what may be hurting him on occasions. As a family we thank everyone who has taken their time in prayer for Ashya to get better and also … the amazing gifts he has received from those prayers! | |
| "He is still far from being a normal child and still not out of the danger zone of where minor issues could cause severe problems for his brain, so please continue to pray for him to have the strength and to be able to recuperate quickly!" | |
| Naveed, whose Instagram profile says he is 20, describes himself as a Jehovah's Witness on the social networking site. Friends making comments on his Facebook page also make reference to the Jehovah's Witness religious movement. | |
| A spokesman for Brittany Ferries confirmed the family had travelled on its ferry and the company was assisting Hampshire police with its inquiries. The spokesman also confirmed the family had declared they were travelling with a child with "special medical needs" at the time of booking. | |
| Anyone with information about Ashya's whereabouts should contact Hampshire Constabulary on 101, quoting Operation Aquilion. | Anyone with information about Ashya's whereabouts should contact Hampshire Constabulary on 101, quoting Operation Aquilion. |