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

[matchaoatmilk]

I’ve lived in London for years and have been to King’s Cross a handful of times, but I never knew it used to have a shady reputation. London is huge, and I only ever take two or three tube lines to get where I need to go. There are stations and lines I’ve never even seen or been on—like the Metropolitan or District.

There are literally endless ways Andrew could have gone after leaving the station. He could’ve taken a bus anywhere, but we don’t know where, because the options are infinite. The police can check the routes, but we don’t know which stop he got off at, or where he walked to.

I feel like a lot of the discussion on Reddit and here is just repeating the same theories over and over, and we’re no closer to finding him—or his body. It seems extremely unlikely he’s still alive. For example, my sister applied for a strawberry-picking job outside London, and even that wasn’t cash-in-hand. They required proof of the right to work, including a valid passport and National Insurance number. Realistically, how could he be hiding anywhere?

I also can’t imagine him willingly choosing to be homeless, unless something like drugs were involved—but even then, drugs cost money, and how would he get them? I’ve never done drugs, so I have no firsthand experience, but it seems like we’re all really stretching for scenarios at this point.

What else is there left to discuss that could actually bring us closer to finding him?

 

[matchaoatmilk]

No idea. Everyone is different. My husband has had the same hairstyle since he was 11 and he has no desire to change it because he hates change. He also stopped growing when he was Andrew's age. I stopped growing when I was 9. Maybe Andrew has the same hair or doesn't. Maybe he grew in height or maybe he stopped. We have no idea and can only speculate.

My mate is 5"0 and same age as what Andrew would be and he stopped growing at like 12.

 

[matchaoatmilk]

Seems from looking at that thread this was a recent sighting given person was described as in their 30s. Andrew in the unlikely event he's still alive I'm sure would've radically altered his appearance so could be blonde, skinhead, anything. And if you're walking past someone it is too brief a glimpse to see if ear formation is similar to when the appeals went out.

Double ridge in the ear is actually mentioned in the comments below then the OP replies he looked exactly like Andrew....but much taller.

That's another thing there can't be no idea about. If he lived and stayed similar height or had a massive growth spurt?

How is anyone going to spot his double ruched ear from far away? I know I wear high index lenses for my astigmatism and my bad myopia, but there's no way anyone can possibly see that? I barely notice when people walk around wearing earrings.

 

[matchaoatmilk]

Where Andrew was losing his cellphones as he was such a homebody?
If seriously losing more than one phone in school that had no serious issues going on, then somebody should return it, right? Or not?
Was he losing things often? Or just stuff that would interest bullies?
How many hours of playing could his game get without charging?
Would returning ticket "work" after midnight or just during same day?
What exacly was the reasoning behind him not having an email at the time almost all people his type had?
What would cost about 100-150£ that Andrew could be interested in but available only in London?

Were these questions answered?

I got my first email address in 1996 and my partner got theirs in 2004 when Gmail was invite only. We are both in our 30s with a two year age gap. I definitely agree that no two people are the same. Who is he going to email at that time when it was noted that he was a homebody who didn't really like talking to people? Hell, sometimes I preferred my dogs/cats to hanging out with people when I was his age. It's not unusual. I think we are grasping too hard because we don't have enough evidence. The LE that searched his internet stuff was a different LE so we can't assume all LE is incompetent. We also have to take into account that not all students come from the same socioeconomic background. Maybe his family couldn't afford internet until 8 weeks before he went missing? We don't know why a computer wasn't in the home. Some families adapt early to technology and some don't. My parents know all about how to use technology and my in-laws literally couldn't find themselves out of a Windows lock screen and they are all the same age.

And to note he probably didn't sell his PSP. You need to give ID at CEX and GAME to prove that you aren't selling stolen goods. It would've been flagged by now.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

These children were often picked up, offered food or shelter, and then trafficked or abused

At least we can assume Andrew wouldn't have gone anywhere with someone who approached him at King's Cross offering food or shelter. Just my opinion, but the one thing I could imagine is if someone who had a Taxi offered something like a free ride from one part of London to another.

We don't know if he was known to lose other items.

True, but his father did say he was a bit like an "absent-minded professor." If his phones were actually stolen by bullies, it tells us a reason he maybe ditched school, but I really think he intended to go back home that same day or maybe the next.

How is anyone going to spot his double ruched ear from far away?

Exactly, you couldn't. You'd have to go up to the person, start a conversation, get a good close look to see it.

 

[matchaoatmilk]

Where are you finding your statistics for how many people take their own lives? I'm finding about 6,190 people in England and Wales were recorded in 2024. The highest rate was for males 50-54 years old.

"If you are struggling to cope, please call Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK and Ireland)."

Source: Suicides in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics

As far as how many people go missing in London, I think we have to look at how many teenagers went missing from London in maybe 2005 - 2009 never to be seen again. Most are located relatively quickly. Andrew and Alex Sloley are the most well known cases who were never seen again, but aren't the only teens who went permanently missing from London around that time. I can't remember if we ever compiled a list in this thread, though I don't think the chance is high that another case had the same cause as Andrew's. IMO.

+3



Tens of thousands
of people go missing in London annually, with reports varying but often exceeding 30,000 or even 50,000 incidents, placing huge pressure on police; while most people are found quickly, the sheer volume includes many repeated cases, especially among children, and underreporting means the true figures are likely much higher.
Key Figures & Trends:

• High Volume: The Metropolitan Police have dealt with around 55,000 missing person cases in a year, though figures vary.
• Pressure on Police: The "vast scale" of missing reports, sometimes over 36,000 annually, strains police resources.
• Children Missing: In 2022-23, over 9,000 children went missing in London, leading to nearly 30,000 separate incidents, as many children go missing multiple times.
• Underreporting: The actual number of missing people is likely much higher than reported, with some estimates suggesting up to two-thirds of missing incidents aren't reported to the police.
• Quick Resolution: About 80% of missing people are located within 24 hours, and many cases are resolved without major police involvement.

Why the Numbers Are High:

• Repeated Incidents: Many reports involve the same individuals, especially children who repeatedly leave placements, often to stay with friends or family, leading to multiple reports.
• Vulnerability: Missing people, particularly children, face high risks, with domestic abuse and other personal safety issues contributing to disappearances.

 

[matchaoatmilk]

At least we can assume Andrew wouldn't have gone anywhere with someone who approached him at King's Cross offering food or shelter. Just my opinion, but the one thing I could imagine is if someone who had a Taxi offered something like a free ride from one part of London to another.



True, but his father did say he was a bit like an "absent-minded professor." If his phones were actually stolen by bullies, it tells us a reason he maybe ditched school, but I really think he intended to go back home that same day or maybe the next.



Exactly, you couldn't. You'd have to go up to the person, start a conversation, get a good close look to see it.

The odds of going up to a stranger and striking a conversation and trying to inspect their ear without looking suspicious is well I don't know. I know I probably wouldn't do that. I don't talk to strangers on the tube or train. I get annoyed when tourists come up asking me for directions. I'm terrible with directions. Can't people just use the maps app on their phone.

 

[vagab0nd]

The odds of going up to a stranger and striking a conversation and trying to inspect their ear without looking suspicious is well I don't know. I know I probably wouldn't do that. I don't talk to strangers on the tube or train. I get annoyed when tourists come up asking me for directions. I'm terrible with directions. Can't people just use the maps app on their phone.

Four of my friends have bought houses outside London with gardens. They have planted flowers, but they haven't done a proper dig up of their gardens. He could be buried in a garden and we would never know because how many homeowners do you know in the UK that do proper dig ups like that? In the first home I owned I had a tree chopped down and planted flower beds, but if there were a body in the ground then I had no idea. It was never a thing that crossed my mind. Why dig up a garden just for fun? I'm only doing yard work if I have a reason to. Any theory is plausible because we have no viable leads. He could have taken a bus to a woodland. Hertfordshire National Park isn't too far from London I think. He could've been hurt in someone's flat. There's a ton of flats you can get to by bus from London. It would be difficult to search every single one.

 

[matchaoatmilk]

Four of my friends have bought houses outside London with gardens. They have planted flowers, but they haven't done a proper dig up of their gardens. He could be buried in a garden and we would never know because how many homeowners do you know in the UK that do proper dig ups like that? In the first home I owned I had a tree chopped down and planted flower beds, but if there were a body in the ground then I had no idea. It was never a thing that crossed my mind. Why dig up a garden just for fun? I'm only doing yard work if I have a reason to. Any theory is plausible because we have no viable leads. He could have taken a bus to a woodland. Hertfordshire National Park isn't too far from London I think. He could've been hurt in someone's flat. There's a ton of flats you can get to by bus from London. It would be difficult to search every single one.

National Parks are a stretch but you never know. I agree with the garden stuff but we don't know. Most house have fences and unless you are looking out the window at the exact moment you wouldn't know what your neighbours are up to. He could literally be anywhere. I don't think a sleuther is going to be the one to find him though if I'm honest. Nobody is coming up with any new novel suggestion. Podcasts on Spotify are just repetitive and AI slop on TiktoklYouTube isn't helpful.