Oliver Pugh: Spain police give update on search for missing Brit boy, 3

Police have issued an update into the investigation of a British toddler who vanished in Spain.

Oliver Pugh, 3, was last seen in the resort of Marbella on the Costa del Sol on July 4. His father reported him missing a month later, despite him last being seen in July. His disappearance is being treated as 'parental abduction', officials said. Authorities earlier confirmed little Oliver and his father are both British citizens, while the mother is from Russia.

It is believed that his mother kidnapped him, despite being under orders that she cannot take him out of Spain. Police are yet to reveal the identities of his parents, however, they did provide some context into their relationship. They said: "The mum and dad are separated and there was a court order preventing the mother from taking this boy out of Spain. They are all based here on the Costa del Sol."

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Now, officials have issued a follow-up to the public and confirmed "the investigation is ongoing." Police said on Friday: “The youngster and his father are British and the mother is Russian based in Marbella. We are treating this as a parental abduction. We believe the mother has left Spain and has taken the boy to her homeland which is Russia."

Spain’s National Missing Persons Centre (CNDES) website earlier published an appeal. However, it has since been taken down. It is not yet clear if a court has issued an international arrest warrant for the unnamed mum. It is not known whether Oliver was born in the UK, Spain or elsewhere. His parents have not been named.

The Ministry of Interior appeal via its missing person centre said while it was still online: “Oliver disappeared on July 4 2025. His date of birth is November 3 2021. He was three when he disappeared. The place he disappeared from is Marbella in the province of Malaga. He has grey eyes, blonde hair, stands 85 centimetres tall and weighs 15 kilos.”

Police have not commented on local reports which said his father didn’t report him missing until August 7.