The plight of missing children

While the case of four-year-old Madeleine McCann remains very much in the media spotlight, the stories of hundreds of missing children from around the world are forgotten.

Here are just a few cases where the spotlight has all but faded:

Michael Doyle, also known as Michael Lyons, was two when he went missing from Tullow, Co Carlow, on 13 July, 2004. At the time information suggested that he may be in the UK travelling in a dark coloured van.

Congo born Jennifer Anne Bena Princess has not been seen since 3 December 2004. She is now aged eight. She may possibly be in Britain after going missing from Tralee in Co Kerry.

Joshua Lee O'Sullivan was last seen on 26 April 2004. He was then 7-months-old. At the time he was with his father in Naples, Italy, and his extended Romanian family in a gypsy camp.

Six-year-old John Ogbeide, a native of Sierra Leon, is missing from Palmerstown, Dublin, since 10 March 2004.

Joey-Ray Diedrich was 11-months-old when he disappeared without a trace on 10 October 2006 from Saint Sulpice, France. It is believed he may be in Europe.

Ilina Allouch was abducted by her father, Ibrahim Allouch, in November 2002. She may have been taken to Lebanon from Germany.

Brown-eyed Souria Boukatouh was last seen in June 2001. The six-year-old was possibly taken to Algeria.

Enrico Bertram Allesandro Korte was nine when he was abducted by his mother on 26 July 2001 and taken to Sudan.

Nine-year-old Estelle Mouzin disappeared on 10 January 2003. She has green eyes and brown hair.

Jasmin El Bakhti was three-years-old when she was abducted from Germany and taken to Morocco in May 2000.

Rachel Ashley Böhm was born on 25 September 1986. On 30 November 1993, she was abducted from Germany by her mother and brought to the US.

After visiting her mother in Italy, five-year-old Luna Maria Celeste Tinnemann was due home to her father in Germany on 20 April 2006. Her father has never heard from his daughter or the mother since.