Brother of 'Milk Carton Kid' dies aged 39 with no answers after three decades of searching

From the Newshound archive · first published 29 September 2026.

Lee O'Toole, who spent 30 years hunting for his missing brother David Spencer, died on September 16 aged 39 — never learning what happened to David or his friend Patrick Warren. David, 13, and Patrick, 11, vanished on Boxing Day 1996 while playing in Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham, and were dubbed the 'Milk Carton Kids' after police printed appeals on milk containers. Lee was just nine years old when his brother disappeared, and dedicated his life to finding answers.

David Spencer and Patrick Warren were last spotted at a Birmingham petrol station at 12.45am on December 27, 1996, and their bodies have never been found.

A Channel 4 documentary linked convicted child-killer Brian Field to the boys, prompting Lee to lead a volunteer dig near Solihull Moors FC in 2021 — but no trace was found.

The family broke the news on the Milk Carton Kids' social media page, writing: 'I am writing this with a very heavy heart.'