Oliver Pugh was last seen in Marbella on July 4 and he was reported missing on August 7 – as the police investigation continues, three key questions remain unanswered
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of three-year-old Oliver Pugh is deepening after police in Spain confirmed they are treating the case as a parental abduction.
The British boy was last seen in Marbella, a popular resort on the Costa del Sol, on July 4 but his father only reported him missing more than a month later on August 7. Officials in the European country are now pointing the finger at the child’s mother, a Russian national, and they fear she may have taken Oliver to her native country.
A spokesperson added: “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.” As the investigation into Oliver’s disappearance continues, three key questions remain unanswered.
READ MORE: Oliver Pugh: Everything we know as Brit boy ‘abducted in Marbella and taken to Russia’
Little Oliver’s whereabouts
The main concern the police have is Oliver’s location. Oliver and his dad are British citizens, but his mum is a Russian national, and officials in Spain suspect she may have taken the child to her country. If he is indeed in Russia, it might be tricky for British and Spanish authorities to order that she returns with him.
Doing so would require declaring the mum a fugitive and requesting an extradition. Russia doesn’t have an extradition treaty with the UK or Spain. Back in 1888, Spain and Russia signed an extradition convention but it’s not a treaty in the modern sense.
Police have not gone as far as to share further details about the identity of the mother, or Oliver’s father. However, a well-placed source did explain the circumstances around 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.”
“Parental abduction” cases are the type of abduction cases most frequently reported. Many cases have a quick resolution, but they become incredibly difficult when the suspect takes the child across international borders.
Delay in filing missing person’s report
Oliver was last seen in Marbella on July 4 – and that’s the date reported as his disappearance by Spain’s National Missing Persons Centre. However, his dad only reported the child missing on August 7 – 34 days later. It’s unclear why there was such a delay in the missing person’s report.
Police have put out an official appeal detailing Oliver’s description in the hopes of tracking him down. He is described as having blonde hair, grey eyes, being around 85cm tall and weighing 15kg (around 33lb). Police have also shared images of the boy since the abduction took place.
Location of Oliver’s father
While a Spanish police spokesperson has confirmed that Oliver’s father is British, his identity hasn’t been confirmed, and his location is unclear at this state. It’s not known whether he remained in Marbella after reporting the child missing. It’s also unclear whether the couple lived in Marbella or were there on holiday.
The Ministry of Interior appeal, put out by the country’s National Missing Persons Centre, says: “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 15kg.”