UK UK - Andrew Gosden, 14, Doncaster, South Yorks, 14 Sep 2007 #2

[Marc94]

Anyone got any theory’s on this one it’s always perplexed me, I think maybe a suicide into the Thames, but there is so many red herrings

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Anyone got any theory’s on this one it’s always perplexed me, I think maybe a suicide into the Thames, but there is so many red herrings

What do you think is most likely and why, Marc94? Why the Thames?

I hope he did start a new life somehow, but then again, I hope he didn't walk away from his family, because they are obviously suffering so much not knowing for all these years.

They say our brains go through massive changes around age 14, and I think for some teenagers, it feels so hard to bare.
If he chose self harm, I think it was not planned much in advance (a few hours maybe). I have wondered if he travelled on to a forest, since I remember his dad saying in an interview that he loved boy scout camp (but not the weekly meetings).

I've also considered he originally just meant to spend the day in London, ended up feeling it was too hard to face going home, and met up with the wrong person while trying to sleep in a park, but that's an unlikely "what if" for me.

I don't think he was lured to London, but I wouldn't rule it out, either.
All IMO only.

 

[?unknown?]

I can’t recall if anyone’s asked his father on any of the podcasts and media he’s been on if those London family members were close family members that Andrew had been to see several times or if they were just people he barely knew and visited once or twice when younger. If these were close family who Andrew visited and kept contact with regularly then he could have met someone in London prior to this and gone back there hoping to meet them.

 

[Mrs Marple]

I can’t recall if anyone’s asked his father on any of the podcasts and media he’s been on if those London family members were close family members that Andrew had been to see several times or if they were just people he barely knew and visited once or twice when younger. If these were close family who Andrew visited and kept contact with regularly then he could have met someone in London prior to this and gone back there hoping to meet them.

Or perhaps they assisted him in building a new life. I always think when a kid goes missing in these circumstances- not underprivileged, intelligent etc - they must have some sort of help, or planned to get some sort of help. These are the kids that are unlikely to be so desperate to get away from their home life they just pack a bag with no planning or money etc.

I guess there's no accounting for naivety though.

 

[Officer Dibble]

This was discussed a way back in the thread (post #800). Some of us think it is Andrew, most people disagreed.

I still think its him. He preferred adult company. It fits. I really think its him.

 

[Officer Dibble]

I still can't stop thinking about shadowdancer's friends' sighting. It's nice to think he is still alive but no one can say either way until he's found.

I'm trying to think of what you are referring to and I'm stumped.

 

[Kitkat28]

I still think its him. He preferred adult company. It fits. I really think its him.

So do I .

I certainly don’t think there would be anything to lose by trying to trace the person with him and finding out what they were doing that day.

 

[Kitkat28]

I can’t recall if anyone’s asked his father on any of the podcasts and media he’s been on if those London family members were close family members that Andrew had been to see several times or if they were just people he barely knew and visited once or twice when younger. If these were close family who Andrew visited and kept contact with regularly then he could have met someone in London prior to this and gone back there hoping to meet them.

Andrew’s father explains it in the interview that’s been linked to multiple times in this thread.

Quote from interview with Kevin Gosden:
Who did he know in London? Were these people “cleared”?
My parents, couple of aunts, couple of uncles, some old friends of mine. They were among the first people we called and remain as baffled as we are. And yes, they were “cleared” by the Police side of things.

Link to interview with Kevin Gosden:
The Disappearance of Andrew Gosden. Interview with Kevin Gosden.

 

[Deathsgrandaughter]

Not specifically about Andrew, but hopefully relevant enough to post here. Guardian piece about missing people who do not want to be found. When missing people don’t want to be found: ‘I’d removed myself to push the world away’

 

[catchingdelivery]

I remember seeing the news reports when Andrew went missing back in 2007 and it's really stuck with me ever since. I've followed the case and think about him and his family every so often. Maybe it feels close because I live in South Yorkshire and I was just a couple of years older than Andrew when he went missing. I find it really sad that he's still missing and I can't imagine the unbearable pain his family feels. I've wanted to reach out to them and say how much I hope he's found and that they get the answers they deserve but I wouldn't know where to start and it wouldn't make any difference, probably wouldn't make them feel any better, I'm just a well-meaning stranger I suppose. I hope they know Andrew hasn't been forgotten by everyone, and even though we're just strangers we do care.
I really hope there will be answers for his family

 

[BethAnn777]

Has there ever been a case where a 14 year old voluntarily goes missing and stays missing for any length of time before being found? And then come to find out that they just chose to leave and went on to live their life? I can’t think of even one case. I’m sure someone here can name one or two and of course there may be individuals who have done this and no one found out about it. What are the chances that Andrew voluntarily left, remained gone, and is somehow living his life? .0000000001%? I just can’t see how this is even a possibility. He seemed such a sweet boy and I don’t think he would allow his family to be in this never-ending agony.

 

[Littlegreenlady]

Has there ever been a case where a 14 year old voluntarily goes missing and stays missing for any length of time before being found? And then come to find out that they just chose to leave and went on to live their life? I can’t think of even one case. I’m sure someone here can name one or two and of course there may be individuals who have done this and no one found out about it. What are the chances that Andrew voluntarily left, remained gone, and is somehow living his life? .0000000001%? I just can’t see how this is even a possibility. He seemed such a sweet boy and I don’t think he would allow his family to be in this never-ending agony.

There was an American case I read about on here Crystal Haag
20 Years Later, Missing Girl Returns with a New Family : Living Magazine

She was 14 when she went missing.

 

[SJ16321]

What are the chances that Andrew voluntarily left, remained gone, and is somehow living his life?

0% in my view. There is a possibility that some people could run away at 14 and put together some sort of life, cash in hand work etc to support yourself. However to do that you'd require street smarts and you'd need to look much older than you actually are. It seems Andrew led a quite sheltered life so I doubt he had the street smarts and he looks incredibly young, nobody is giving a cash in hand job behind a bar, on a building site or wherever to somebody who looks like Andrew did.

 

[Dan Cooper]

I still think its him. He preferred adult company. It fits. I really think its him.

So do I .

I certainly don’t think there would be anything to lose by trying to trace the person with him and finding out what they were doing that day.

You're seeing what you want to see. Look at the comparison image; if it's him, he's wearing a different t-shirt - and if so, why?

 

[BethAnn777]

You're seeing what you want to see. Look at the comparison image; if it's him, he's wearing a different t-shirt - and if so, why?

I don’t think it’s him, but how is the shirt different? I see that Andrew’s shirt says “slipnot” and I can’t see that in the other picture. The other picture is very grainy and it may be that person has a black bag or something in front of them blocking the place where we see the writing on Andrew’s shirt. Is that why you say the shirts are different or is there another reason(s)?

 

[AtticusPip]

Hello first post!
I wonder if he copied one of his favourite band's music videos. In my opinion it romanticises a kid commiting suicide, who resembles Andrew faintly. It was on heavy rotation on MTV in 2006 and possibly still played in 2007. Rock music tends to not be a flash in the pan. Im not going to mention the band or video.

Was a strange time for music.

I know there wasn't a body but maybe he took a connection in London to somewhere that meant something to him.

Welcome to the forum Jimmyjazzuk - this post got me thinking, Andrew obviously knew his music and its not impossible for him not to have come across Soul Asylum's Runaway Train - and its famous video. I've just listened through the song a couple of times and one line 'Runaway train, never goin' back, Wrong way on a one way track' may have resonated with him

 

[dotr]

Welcome to the forum Jimmyjazzuk - this post got me thinking, Andrew obviously knew his music and its not impossible for him not to have come across Soul Asylum's Runaway Train - and its famous video. I've just listened through the song a couple of times and one line 'Runaway train, never goin' back, Wrong way on a one way track' may have resonated with him

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Andrew obviously knew his music and its not impossible for him not to have come across Soul Asylum's Runaway Train - and its famous video.

Quote RSBM. Do you believe he more likely intended to run away for longer than just the day?

 

[AtticusPip]

Quote RSBM. Do you believe he more likely intended to run away for longer than just the day?

Yes - I've mentioned in a previous post that Andrew seemed to know where he needed to be, his destination. Also no return ticket would also suggest the 'trip' potentially was open ended.

An utterly terrifying case I feel so so much for his parents, sister and obviously for Andrew himself. But something was driving this young man that day - he had purpose.

 

[Oakie]

Has anyone explored the possibility that someone from the Doncaster area had asked Andrew to meet him in London? It seems the police must have looked at this scenario, but I have yet to read this explicitly stated anywhere. Perhaps he was "groomed" by some adult near his home, who said something like, "meet me in London, and we'll start a new life together"....