VO Thai Son - Reuniting a Family Through Identification
VO Thai Son’s case highlights the devastating realities faced by many migrant families and the vital importance of international cooperation in missing person and unidentified decedent investigations.
Son’s family in Vietnam lost contact with him on 16 March 2025. His Facebook messages went unread - something his family immediately recognised as unusual. Two days later, on 18 March, they received an anonymous phone call from a man speaking Vietnamese who told them simply: “Your son has died.”
Desperate for answers, the family searched online and discovered a BBC article reporting that a man had been found deceased beside a country lane in Essex. Son had previously told his family he was in the Essex area, leading them to fear the worst.
Discovery in Essex
On Wednesday 19 March at approximately 5.45am, Essex Police were called to Lincolns Lane in Pilgrims Hatch, near Brentwood, where the body of a man believed to be in his 30s had been discovered. At this stage, the deceased male remained unidentified.
This meant the case existed in two parallel realities: Son was a missing person to his family, while in the UK he was an unidentified man.
Dr Chung Pham
Locate International’s Involvement
On 24 April 2025, Son’s family reached out to Dr Chung Pham at Locate International via community representative Mr Toi Xuan Le. The following day, they formally granted Power of Attorney.
Immediate research was undertaken, and Locate International contacted Essex Police to share information gathered from the family. Working collaboratively with authorities, evidence was submitted to support Son’s identification.
On 5 June 2025, Essex Police confirmed that the Coroner had formally accepted the identification provided by Locate International. Son’s family were informed straight away.
Shortly afterwards, Essex Police publicly confirmed Son’s identity in a BBC News article.
Bringing Son Home
Son’s funeral was held in Essex on 1 July 2025. His ashes were returned to Vietnam on 7 July, and on 10 July 2025, his family were finally able to hold a funeral for him in his home country.
After months of uncertainty, Son was brought home to rest.
A Wider Human Cost
This case serves as a painful reminder that despite growing awareness around human trafficking in Vietnam, the message does not always reach families like Son’s.
His parents remain in their rice fields, continuing to work while carrying the financial burden of the debt incurred for Son’s journey to the UK - a debt that will take years to repay. They now face that future without their son.
Son’s case demonstrates how vital identification work is - not just for legal closure, but for families left waiting thousands of miles away. By putting a name to an unidentified person, we were able to reunite Son with his family and allow them to begin their grieving process.
Every identification matters. Every name returned brings dignity to the deceased and answers to those left behind.
Following the information sharing agreement between Locate International and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Chung Pham assisted Essex Police by examining evidence connected to Son’s case. This collaborative process enabled secure and lawful data sharing, supporting officers in progressing both the missing person and unidentified deceased elements of the investigation. This case demonstrates how formal permissions and partnership working directly assist police forces in identifying individuals and bringing answers to families.
If you need help or support relating to VO Thai Son
If you are worried about a missing loved one, please reach out to us on the form below. We are an independent, trusted charity with extensive experience helping families in difficult and sensitive circumstances. It is a completely free of charge service.
We are here to help, not to judge you or your loved one. You can contact us without fear - we will treat your information in strict confidence.
You do not need to speak English to contact us. Dr Chung Pham, our Vietnamese Ambassador, is available to support you and can personally take on your case.