Researching Stephen Sutton

Sutton was last seen by his family in Sydney, Australia. At the time, he was living by himself and working in a Sydney factory. It is believed that he had met a Peruvian woman at his place of employment. He contacted his sister by mail, informed her that he had travelled to Peru with the woman, was living with the family and that the family was treating him well.

Sutton and his family members maintain his innocence, as he claims that he was asked to courier "a quantity of gold" from Peru to Argentina. He also claims that when arrested, he had no drugs in his possession. The Sutton family is campaigning for his early release and improved support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), who they maintain have provided inadequate health care and legal advice to Sutton and insufficient information to the family. They have also criticized the Australian Government for not making attempts to have him returned to Australia, comparing his case to that of Schapelle Corby.

Sutton performed well at school, but withdrew his applications to university in 2012 after his terminal prognosis for colorectal cancer. His father had fought the disease twice, and both were predisposed to it through Lynch syndrome. Sutton had struggled to get a diagnosis as doctors did not believe that colorectal cancer could occur in someone so young. He made a "bucket list" of things to do in his final months and achieved many of them, such as becoming a Guinness World Records holder. He began fundraising for the Teenage Cancer Trust, receiving support from celebrities and politicians. In 2013, he met filmmaker Grigorij Richters, who recorded him for a documentary.

Sutton died on 14 May 2014 at the age of 19. A memorial service to him at Lichfield Cathedral was attended by over 10,000 mourners. After his death, he was posthumously recognised for his activism with awards including an MBE and an honorary doctorate from Coventry University.