In February 2008, 9 year-old school Shannon Matthews disappeared on her way home from school in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. For 24 days the British public watched as the search for her grew into Yorkshire Police’s biggest operation since the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper in the 1970s. 

This week we look at this unbelievable case of kidnapping and fraud, along with the issues it raised when it comes to social services and class discrimination in the UK, and how Shannon’s rescue only brought up more questions than answers. 

FURTHER READING:

Shannon - The Mother Of All Lies

The Kidnapping of Shannon ...