The brother of one of the ‘Milk Carton Kids’ who led the search for the missing boys has died without knowing what happened to his sibling.

Lee O’Toole, 39, spent decades searching for answers over the disappearance of his brother David Spencer, 13, and pal Patrick ‘Paddy’ Warren, 11, who vanished 30 years ago.

The schoolboys had been out playing in Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham, when they went missing on Boxing Day in 1996.

Detectives initially treated them as runaways, saying there was no evidence to suspect they had come to any harm.

David and Patrick became known across the country as the ‘Milk Carton Kids’ after police printed appeals for information on milk containers in a bid to trace them.

But the bodies of the pair have never been found despite numerous appeals and searches over the years.

The last known sighting of them was at a petrol station at 12.45am on December 27, 1996.

A Channel 4 documentary claimed child-killer Brian Field had been seen with the boys in the days before they vanished.

In 2021, Lee – who was nine when his brother disappeared – led a dig near a football ground after receiving a tip-off following the TV show.

Hundreds of volunteers helped search land off Damson Wood Lane, near Solihull Moors FC, but no trace of the boys was found.

Devastated family members have now revealed Lee passed away on September 16 without ever knowing what happened to his brother.

A post on the Milk Carton Kids’ social media page said: ‘I am writing this with a very heavy heart, but Lee O’Toole, David’s brother, passed away on September 16.

‘As you all know, Lee did everything in his power to try to find his brother and Paddy and constantly told us how grateful he was to everyone in the community and everyone who helped during the dig in 2021.

‘Lee was the strongest man we know and we want him to be remembered for his bravery and determination in everything he did.’

The group added: ‘We know now that Lee will have the answers he has always wanted and will be with David and that’s all he ever wanted.

‘So thank you to each and every one of you for all your love and support you gave him. God bless you all. Rest in paradise Lee; you will be forever missed and loved so, so much by us.’

A GoFundMe page set up to raise money towards Lee’s funeral has reached over £2,600.

In 2003, police announced that they had arrested a 37-year-old man in connection with the disappearances of the two boys, but he was later released on bail and has never been charged.

Following the review of the case in 2006, convicted murderer and paedophile Brian Field was interviewed by officers.

Field denied any involvement in the boys’ disappearance, and police said he was just one line of enquiry in their investigation.

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