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

[warp3dwing]

Sorry, I don't mean travel to another city as a teen, because it's no surprise he would do that, to see the city for his own reasons.

I meant would you have travelled cities with the plan of surprising a relative on their doorstep? As a teen, I would not have done that; I would have called them first before travelling all that way and just showing up.

I agree. I doubt that he planned to just show up unannounced at his relatives’ place. He would’ve been welcome to visit them (although not by missing school), but there doesn’t seem to be a precedent for Andrew making such visits.

If for some reason he had planned to do that, why keep it a secret? Why not leave a note considering his well-planned clandestine trip would be exposed the moment he arrived at the relatives’ home?

Otherwise, he would’ve had only a few hours available to him in London before he would’ve had to have gotten back on the train to make it home before he’d be reported missing. What could have been worth the pain he’d cause? Coming back home the next day to a distraught family and likely police? A rock show for a band he wasn’t known to have liked? I don’t see it. He was said to be a polite and conscientious kid, normally.

 

[vagab0nd]

RSBM.

I am very sorry you have dealt with bullying in your life. It hurts.And is so difficult as a kid/teen.

I agree if he was being bullied or excluded, he would have been struggling. I don't rule out self-harm for him (not near the top of my list, though), but we have to remember teens who do it aren't thinking about it rationally. If they go somewhere rural, they may think it would be easier on their families, to not know they did it and to have some hope.

People who take their own lives often aren't in a clear state of mind and aren't trying to be cruel at all. I think maybe it can feel too difficult to write a note, as most people don't.

I don't think we'll have many answers until something is recovered. Whether that's a body or clothing or something.

 

[vagab0nd]

Sorry, I don't mean travel to another city as a teen, because it's no surprise he would do that, to see the city for his own reasons.

I meant would you have travelled cities with the plan of surprising a relative on their doorstep? As a teen, I would not have done that; I would have called them first before travelling all that way and just showing up.

I've actually considered traveling to see my uncle and show up unannounced, but travel to the US is so expensive and with all the government drama I just decided to give up. I just thought it'd be a nice thing to do because he's aging and I haven't seen him since I moved abroad like 9 years ago. I can't see why Andrew would visit his family.

 

[Deadbeat]

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

Sadly, unless something new comes to light all we can do is continue to discuss possible theories. The problem with this case is that we just have so little to go on, there’s one CCTV image and we can only speculate as to what happened after that. Unfortunately I feel like all the sleuthing in the world won’t solve this mystery.

 

[wtiger]

Often the answer is far more boring than most of the theories

 

[warp3dwing]

Often the answer is far more boring than most of the theories

What’s your boring theory?

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Often the answer is far more boring than most of the theories

Bit this case is pretty unusual, IMO. To the point that any theory isn't boring, because every theory is unlikely.