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

[vagab0nd]

Unless he didn’t want to be tracked to his final destination, Brighton or otherwise.

His interests were pretty mainstream for the rock world. There really weren’t any gigs happening in London that night for bands he liked. None that he would’ve been willing to put his family through hell for, I wouldn’t think.

Exactly. I don't think it's likely he went to a gig. Brighton is a maybe, but that begs the question why? No pride events were going on. The fact that he might be gay is only a speculation and there's more evidence to point that he didn't have interest in romance. Maybe he wanted to see the beach, but there are beaches closer to Doncaster like in Hull. Why Brighton Beach?

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Not entirely true. In one interview his father said he had mentioned liking a girl at school. Anyway he was only 14. A lot of people don't start really dating until they're out of high school. Though IMO it's very possible he went to meet someone pretending to be a teenager. MOO.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Why Brighton Beach?

Maybe because it felt more adventurous/ fun?

 

[vagab0nd]

Maybe because it felt more adventurous/ fun?

Maybe, but then why go a holiday (the idea that he didn't plan to return before them) on his own and not tell his parents? Just all seems odd. He wouldn't have made it home before his parents or sister if he went to Brighton.

 

[beubeubeu]

But history father always took him to any and all gigs he wanted to see. He also didn't have ID on him. Why would he go to this one gig behind his parents back and without ID? You need ID to enter most gig venues.

Well... are there people who were young UK teens then, had kinda similar interests to Andrew and could offer their insight as to why THEY would do such a thing?

Unless he didn’t want to be tracked to his final destination, Brighton or otherwise.

His interests were pretty mainstream for the rock world. There really weren’t any gigs happening in London that night for bands he liked. None that he would’ve been willing to put his family through hell for, I wouldn’t think.

Maybe he didnt. Impossible to rule out that in his mind he would be able to either call home with explanation or came back before they will realize he skipped school.

 

[vagab0nd]

Well... are there people who were young UK teens then, had kinda similar interests to Andrew and could offer their insight as to why THEY would do such a thing?

Maybe he didnt. Impossible to rule out that in his mind he would be able to either call home with explanation or came back before they will realize he skipped school.

My husband is actually very similar to him. Even now, he keeps the same hairstyle he had back then! Looking at his personality, he was never a "rebel." He would never have snuck out to a gig; he was the type to ask permission, and if his parents said no, he simply accepted it. He doesn't quite understand why Andrew would suddenly break character that day, but he did note that traveling to London young wasn't necessarily seen as "risky" behavior back then.

My husband was allowed to travel to London for gigs or the cinema in Leicester Square even before he was 14. Coming from an American perspective, the level of independence in Europe can be a culture shock. It's common for kids here to use public transport alone from a very young age like my goddaughter in Germany so Andrew being in London alone might not have felt like an "extreme" act of rebellion to him. My husband thinks the answer lies in the reason as to why he went that day and during school. He can't imagine ruining his perfect attendance record because that would annoy my husband. And my husband notes he never got train tickets without a return because he knew it was cheaper and under 16 tickets were a thing he would buy. Generally a lot cheaper than adult ones. He remembers paying like £13 back then for tickets to London from a similar area/distance to Andrew.

Personally, I was a "rule-follower" too. I grew up watching kids on sitcoms like Full House sneak out of windows and I thought, "I’m never doing that; I’ll get caught!" I had a very peaceful upbringing where my parents never even raised their voices, so I can't imagine the mindset of intentionally upsetting that dynamic. I never had chores. I never got told off or grounded. My mom did the dishes and laundry. My dad vacuumed and took care of the lawn. My only job was to be a kid and have fun. I stayed out of trouble. I never snuck out or did drugs or underage drinking or went to parties. I knew I could do it because I had a friend replace water in her water bottles with vodka when we were 12 because she liked the way it made her laugh. Her parents never questioned the missing vodka or replaced version with water. It just never occured to me or was on my mind. Never thought about it. Was never curious about rule breaking.

However, this leads me to another theory regarding the timeline of that day:
We know from interviews that Andrew’s parents assumed he was home gaming or in his room because his blazer was on the chair. They didn't realize he was missing until dinner. If it was normal for them to come home and not "pop in" or speak to the children immediately, it makes me wonder: Is it possible this wasn't the first time Andrew wasn't where they thought he was?

If Andrew had a "private life" or was meeting someone locally, he may have realized he could be gone for hours without anyone noticing.

Saying no over the summer might explain why he didn't want to go away that summer—he had something or someone keeping him locally.

If he had ever been caught "not home" previously, he likely could have easily explained it away as being at a neighbor's house.

We often see in these cases that even the most "predictable" kids can have an entire world their parents know nothing about until something goes wrong.

While his family might find it impossible that he was sneaking out, they likely felt his disappearance was impossible, too. It’s a tragic reminder of how easy it is for a teenager to create a private space, even in a loving home.

So maybe he was sneaking out prior and nobody noticed because on the day he went missing they didn't go to his room straight away to check in and say hello?

 

[vagab0nd]

Well... are there people who were young UK teens then, had kinda similar interests to Andrew and could offer their insight as to why THEY would do such a thing?

Maybe he didnt. Impossible to rule out that in his mind he would be able to either call home with explanation or came back before they will realize he skipped school.

To add onto my previous point, I actually spoke with my sister-in-law about this. She just turned 30 last year, so she was in that exact age group at the time. Her background is almost a mirror image of Andrew’s: she was in NAGTY, did the Duke of Edinburgh program, and had perfect attendance.

When I asked her if she would have ever done something like what Andrew did, her answer was a flat no. She said she simply had no reason to. Because she was a "good kid" who never got in trouble, she couldn't even imagine what her parents' reaction would be. The idea of breaking that trust was completely off her radar. She also mentioned that for her to even consider skipping school and heading to London like that, there would have to be something pretty spectacular going on. It would have to be something she felt she couldn't tell her parents about, though she honestly can’t think of what that would even be.

Crucially, she emphasized that she wasn't the type to be easily influenced by museum exhibitions or promises from older adults. She actually went to London with her friends all the time at Andrew's age, so she was familiar with the trip. She noted that she never would have bought anything other than a return ticket; since she had an under-16s photocard/discount, it was never cheaper to buy two singles anyway.

Regarding the NAGTY program specifically, she said she was never treated oddly and isn't even in contact with anyone from it now; for her, it was just a normal academic program. Her experience aligns perfectly with my husband's view: for a student in that specific position, disappearing like that would be a massive, inexplicable break from their entire reality.

 

[vagab0nd]

https://www.reddit.com/r/AndrewGosden/comments/1qngth3/simplest_explanation

Literally half my wardrobe outside of work is band tees that I wear in summer or spring. Not a soul has come up to me (a 36 year old woman with a baby face that has indeed been mistaken for a middle schooler a few times) and made a comment about said band. Is that really how predators are operating? Even at Andrew's age walking around the mall in a band tee nobody paid me any mind. I don't think his outfit is going to make him an easier target compared to someone in a plain tee or another type of graphic tee/patterned tee.

 

[tricia]

Important Notice About Blurred Posts

We are updating the way we moderate on Websleuths. If you see a blurred post, move your mouse over it and click. You’ll be able to view what was blurred, and you’ll also see the reason it was blurred.

Please remember: anything blurred out cannot be discussed in the thread. That includes rewriting it in your own words or repeating the information another way.

CLICK HERE for a detailed explanation of the new system.

Please do not leave comments on this thread. If you have questions or feedback, post them HERE.

As mainstream media and social media change, Websleuths will continue to evolve, too. Our goal is to keep our high standards while still giving you access to information that may be available.

 

[beubeubeu]

My husband is actually very similar to him. Even now, he keeps the same hairstyle he had back then! Looking at his personality, he was never a "rebel." He would never have snuck out to a gig; he was the type to ask permission, and if his parents said no, he simply accepted it. He doesn't quite understand why Andrew would suddenly break character that day, but he did note that traveling to London young wasn't necessarily seen as "risky" behavior back then.

My husband was allowed to travel to London for gigs or the cinema in Leicester Square even before he was 14. Coming from an American perspective, the level of independence in Europe can be a culture shock. It's common for kids here to use public transport alone from a very young age like my goddaughter in Germany so Andrew being in London alone might not have felt like an "extreme" act of rebellion to him. My husband thinks the answer lies in the reason as to why he went that day and during school. He can't imagine ruining his perfect attendance record because that would annoy my husband. And my husband notes he never got train tickets without a return because he knew it was cheaper and under 16 tickets were a thing he would buy. Generally a lot cheaper than adult ones. He remembers paying like £13 back then for tickets to London from a similar area/distance to Andrew.

Personally, I was a "rule-follower" too. I grew up watching kids on sitcoms like Full House sneak out of windows and I thought, "I’m never doing that; I’ll get caught!" I had a very peaceful upbringing where my parents never even raised their voices, so I can't imagine the mindset of intentionally upsetting that dynamic. I never had chores. I never got told off or grounded. My mom did the dishes and laundry. My dad vacuumed and took care of the lawn. My only job was to be a kid and have fun. I stayed out of trouble. I never snuck out or did drugs or underage drinking or went to parties. I knew I could do it because I had a friend replace water in her water bottles with vodka when we were 12 because she liked the way it made her laugh. Her parents never questioned the missing vodka or replaced version with water. It just never occured to me or was on my mind. Never thought about it. Was never curious about rule breaking.

However, this leads me to another theory regarding the timeline of that day:
We know from interviews that Andrew’s parents assumed he was home gaming or in his room because his blazer was on the chair. They didn't realize he was missing until dinner. If it was normal for them to come home and not "pop in" or speak to the children immediately, it makes me wonder: Is it possible this wasn't the first time Andrew wasn't where they thought he was?

If Andrew had a "private life" or was meeting someone locally, he may have realized he could be gone for hours without anyone noticing.

Saying no over the summer might explain why he didn't want to go away that summer—he had something or someone keeping him locally.

If he had ever been caught "not home" previously, he likely could have easily explained it away as being at a neighbor's house.

We often see in these cases that even the most "predictable" kids can have an entire world their parents know nothing about until something goes wrong.

While his family might find it impossible that he was sneaking out, they likely felt his disappearance was impossible, too. It’s a tragic reminder of how easy it is for a teenager to create a private space, even in a loving home.

So maybe he was sneaking out prior and nobody noticed because on the day he went missing they didn't go to his room straight away to check in and say hello?

Thanks for such detailed answers. They didnt help at all.
I mean, I hope you know what I mean. That it still doesnt clear up this story even a bit.
Im trying to kinda "scroll" through the people I knew as we were teens and it's just like... very similar to what youre describing
OR not so healthy household, bit of the wilder ideas but still, at 14 kids were either afraid to go somewhere relatively far alone, or they would just simply didnt see that as attractive to go somewhere alone. Thats just... not something that people did.
And there was me. I was doing a lot of things that could be considered risky but I was the only one. I had it rough at home so most often I just wanted some peace, not looking for trouble. Concerts, trips, yes, but I had no way of going "legally". And I was still kinda "trying" to make it safest possible & cover my backside as much as possible.

Its totally different thing to skip school for a kid who kinda does it on occasion to avoid tests, to relax or do something fun with others vs. a kid who never skipped school before.

However, this leads me to another theory regarding the timeline of that day:
We know from interviews that Andrew’s parents assumed he was home gaming or in his room because his blazer was on the chair. They didn't realize he was missing until dinner. If it was normal for them to come home and not "pop in" or speak to the children immediately, it makes me wonder: Is it possible this wasn't the first time Andrew wasn't where they thought he was?

Possible? Yes. But was it likely?
Nothing here implies that Andrew's parents were neglectful, overworked, too busy and so on. Normal parent can not check on kid every single day, but once-twice a week there is just a thing to ask, need to talk, just via natural flow of life.
First thing is that if he was skipping school, parents would be notified.
Second - the first time parents would notice that he's not there while they were sure that he was... they would remember that. They would keep checking daily just to have peace of mind, not necessarily to act like prison guards.
So I'd say that it was possible that it happened few times before, but not much more than "few".

If Andrew had a "private life" or was meeting someone locally, he may have realized he could be gone for hours without anyone noticing.

That doesnt really fly with the type who likes puzzles and takes kid on concerts kind of parents.

If he had ever been caught "not home" previously, he likely could have easily explained it away as being at a neighbor's house.

Yes. But they would most likely catch on it during investigation, talking with people after disappearance. Whoever he would say that he was at would be the one asked about Andrew first and then they would learn that Andrew wasnt going there but somewhere else. That didnt happen.

We often see in these cases that even the most "predictable" kids can have an entire world their parents know nothing about until something goes wrong.

Exactly. An entire world their parents know nothing about until something goes wrong. Andrews gone. Something went terribly wrong. Parents still know nothing about that world. Surely they analyzed everything and asked everyone who they could even think of. If still not much of a clue then most likely scenario would but that there wasnt that much hidden from them.

While his family might find it impossible that he was sneaking out, they likely felt his disappearance was impossible, too. It’s a tragic reminder of how easy it is for a teenager to create a private space, even in a loving home.

Its one thing to not norice as it happens. But again. Any neighbour who would ever caught him sneaking out ot saw him in a place he wouldnt expected to see him would tell cops or/and parents afterwards. Any waitress, internet cafe worker, library janitor, clerk, whoever - Andrew disappearance got a lot of exposure, those people would more likely than not came forward and say something. Like oh yeah, I work at groccery store at x street, he kept showing up every Friday afternoon to get snacks. Yet... doesnt seem like that happened.

Crucially, she emphasized that she wasn't the type to be easily influenced by museum exhibitions or promises from older adults. She actually went to London with her friends all the time at Andrew's age, so she was familiar with the trip. She noted that she never would have bought anything other than a return ticket; since she had an under-16s photocard/discount, it was never cheaper to buy two singles anyway.

Regarding the NAGTY program specifically, she said she was never treated oddly and isn't even in contact with anyone from it now; for her, it was just a normal academic program. Her experience aligns perfectly with my husband's view: for a student in that specific position, disappearing like that would be a massive, inexplicable break from their entire reality.

There is always some logic. That logic may be not universally logical, but even with these craziest scams first moment yoy cant believe how could that happen, how anyone could fell for something like this.
But then you learn more about the victim. Poorly photoshopped pics... poor eyesight of the victim. Ridiculous insta love at first sight story... huge fondness of romantic comedies and positive vibes, true love & gemstones, motivational socials followed. And then you see how that perfect storm could happen.

Literally half my wardrobe outside of work is band tees that I wear in summer or spring. Not a soul has come up to me (a 36 year old woman with a baby face that has indeed been mistaken for a middle schooler a few times) and made a comment about said band. Is that really how predators are operating? Even at Andrew's age walking around the mall in a band tee nobody paid me any mind. I don't think his outfit is going to make him an easier target compared to someone in a plain tee or another type of graphic tee/patterned tee.

Happened to me. Several times. I dont look like a middle or high schooler though.
When I was no random person starting talking to me with whatever reason felt anything but uncomfortable.
Its rarely, very rarely an enjoyable conversation. Maybe if youre like sitting in a waiting room or at the bus stop (but not bus station), not many people, obvious long wait, nothing to do, then yeah, why not have a conversation about whatever & maybe also a shirt. But to like jump on someone out of the blue and start talking about the band on their shirt, come on, the only reason anyone would continue such talk would be cause theyd feel trapped and tried to buy some time to get away.

Simplest answers are the best but simple answers arent same for everyone.

Whats the simplest answer for a question why Andrew suddenly WALKED home instead of taking a bus despite of always taking a bus before?
To me: cause something bad happened. Walking miles aint fun for people who dont walk miles on regular basis. One mile maybe. More than one nope. Tired, probably hungry after school? Getting scared of something or someone in the bus or on the bus stop would be my best guess.

Another question is not why skip school but why skip school after staying in bed for much longer than usually. Thats two anomalies already and more to follow. Thats rarely coincidental.
Avoiding bus. Avoiding school OR avoiding school on that day. Why?

Why London Friday afternoon? Why not during vacation? Why not on weekend? Why not "legally" with parents permission?

Thats either feeling that he CANT tell parents whats the reason why he wants to go there or no occasion to tell them cause the reason or decision came after he last saw them.

Meeting with a girl or who he thought was a girl - but thats kinda same issue. Why Friday afternoon? Why not Saturday? Why not go with an excuse of going place x & meeting with that girl also. Why wouldnt that theoretical girl be in school?
I mean yeas of course, anyone could come up with some random excuse why this time and not another time. But wouldnt a groomer felt safer luring victim there on weekend? Why on a school day during school hours with alarm bells ringing possibly long before Andrew would show up in London?

I dont really buy that concept of 14yo killing himself in a way that no track of him is ever found. Possible but far from probable.

One thing may be coincidental. No biggie. Just skipping school or just skipping bus and then disappearing. But there are two things here. Two school-related & avoiding something school-related things. Thats less likely to be coincidental. May be not-coincidental in a way that he was feeling bad, feeling like he had to get a breather somewhere else asap and then something bad happened.
But no return ticket. Not all money available taken. No backpack taken, just a bag. No excuse left. No consideration of school calling parents or maybe no way to take that into consideration cause the reason to go was too urgent?

It feels like it was in same time big deal for Andrew yet with some reason felt like it wont be that big of a deal for his family. How to achieve that? By having some good explanation ready before things gonna get serious, so... would have to be delivered pretty quick, that afternoon. Not in person cause no returning ticket. So must be by call. But from where could he call and what could he say to calm down his parents yet stay in London at least overnight?

Something's missing here. Or somethings in there but "shouldnt" cause its coincidental. Maybe him saying that he doesnt want that returning ticket was coincidental and he hasnt thought it through while responding, just realized that he lost a bunch of money cause of that fast response? Could happen if he was stressed and then that whole "not planning to ever go back" thing wouldnt apply.
People are like that sometimes, arent they? So focused on the main task like "go to London" that theyre unable to think at all about all the past-the-stressfull-moment things to do.

 

[Jenesaisquoi]

Did school call parents in those days? Used to just write a note for them to take in when they were back after missing school if it was just an illness. I can’t remember when that changed.

 

[Rolypolyoly]

Was blackmailing kids a common thing in 2007? I've only heard of it in recent years with smartphones.

I cant say for sure what the motivation was, but I am pretty sure humiliation of some kind was the goal when my eldest started secondary school around this time, one of the girls in his class asked him to send her photos of him in speedos over msn messenger, amd it wasnt because he was one of the popular boys!
Luckily he told me about it and didnt do it, also didnt own a pair of speeds but that's beside the point!.
If he had been naive enough to do so, it would have been a photo taken on a digital camera and uploaded, and the end result probably would have been printed out and shared around, or posted on bebo and/or MySpace.
Again though, this would be more for humiliation rather than blackmail purposes I would think.

 

[Rolypolyoly]

Did school call parents in those days? Used to just write a note for them to take in when they were back after missing school if it was just an illness. I can’t remember when that changed.

They did, but it would usually take a while because registers were still books and only taken a tutor time, at least in my kids school. Sometimes it would be the next day if they hadn't returned with a note by then.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Did school call parents in those days? Used to just write a note for them to take in when they were back after missing school if it was just an illness. I can’t remember when that changed.

Yes, his family said the school did attempt to call them, but the school dialed the incorrect number. (Accidentally dialed the number above or below theirs on the list.)

However it would not have made much of a difference, because his parents were at work, not at home to receive the call. They would have gotten the message when they came home after work, so maybe would have known an hour sooner that he was missing. He was already long in London by then. JMO.

 

[vagab0nd]

Thanks for such detailed answers. They didnt help at all.
I mean, I hope you know what I mean. That it still doesnt clear up this story even a bit.
Im trying to kinda "scroll" through the people I knew as we were teens and it's just like... very similar to what youre describing
OR not so healthy household, bit of the wilder ideas but still, at 14 kids were either afraid to go somewhere relatively far alone, or they would just simply didnt see that as attractive to go somewhere alone. Thats just... not something that people did.
And there was me. I was doing a lot of things that could be considered risky but I was the only one. I had it rough at home so most often I just wanted some peace, not looking for trouble. Concerts, trips, yes, but I had no way of going "legally". And I was still kinda "trying" to make it safest possible & cover my backside as much as possible.

Its totally different thing to skip school for a kid who kinda does it on occasion to avoid tests, to relax or do something fun with others vs. a kid who never skipped school before.

Possible? Yes. But was it likely?
Nothing here implies that Andrew's parents were neglectful, overworked, too busy and so on. Normal parent can not check on kid every single day, but once-twice a week there is just a thing to ask, need to talk, just via natural flow of life.
First thing is that if he was skipping school, parents would be notified.
Second - the first time parents would notice that he's not there while they were sure that he was... they would remember that. They would keep checking daily just to have peace of mind, not necessarily to act like prison guards.
So I'd say that it was possible that it happened few times before, but not much more than "few".

That doesnt really fly with the type who likes puzzles and takes kid on concerts kind of parents.

Yes. But they would most likely catch on it during investigation, talking with people after disappearance. Whoever he would say that he was at would be the one asked about Andrew first and then they would learn that Andrew wasnt going there but somewhere else. That didnt happen.

Exactly. An entire world their parents know nothing about until something goes wrong. Andrews gone. Something went terribly wrong. Parents still know nothing about that world. Surely they analyzed everything and asked everyone who they could even think of. If still not much of a clue then most likely scenario would but that there wasnt that much hidden from them.

Its one thing to not norice as it happens. But again. Any neighbour who would ever caught him sneaking out ot saw him in a place he wouldnt expected to see him would tell cops or/and parents afterwards. Any waitress, internet cafe worker, library janitor, clerk, whoever - Andrew disappearance got a lot of exposure, those people would more likely than not came forward and say something. Like oh yeah, I work at groccery store at x street, he kept showing up every Friday afternoon to get snacks. Yet... doesnt seem like that happened.

There is always some logic. That logic may be not universally logical, but even with these craziest scams first moment yoy cant believe how could that happen, how anyone could fell for something like this.
But then you learn more about the victim. Poorly photoshopped pics... poor eyesight of the victim. Ridiculous insta love at first sight story... huge fondness of romantic comedies and positive vibes, true love & gemstones, motivational socials followed. And then you see how that perfect storm could happen.

Happened to me. Several times. I dont look like a middle or high schooler though.
When I was no random person starting talking to me with whatever reason felt anything but uncomfortable.
Its rarely, very rarely an enjoyable conversation. Maybe if youre like sitting in a waiting room or at the bus stop (but not bus station), not many people, obvious long wait, nothing to do, then yeah, why not have a conversation about whatever & maybe also a shirt. But to like jump on someone out of the blue and start talking about the band on their shirt, come on, the only reason anyone would continue such talk would be cause theyd feel trapped and tried to buy some time to get away.

Simplest answers are the best but simple answers arent same for everyone.

Whats the simplest answer for a question why Andrew suddenly WALKED home instead of taking a bus despite of always taking a bus before?
To me: cause something bad happened. Walking miles aint fun for people who dont walk miles on regular basis. One mile maybe. More than one nope. Tired, probably hungry after school? Getting scared of something or someone in the bus or on the bus stop would be my best guess.

Another question is not why skip school but why skip school after staying in bed for much longer than usually. Thats two anomalies already and more to follow. Thats rarely coincidental.
Avoiding bus. Avoiding school OR avoiding school on that day. Why?

Why London Friday afternoon? Why not during vacation? Why not on weekend? Why not "legally" with parents permission?

Thats either feeling that he CANT tell parents whats the reason why he wants to go there or no occasion to tell them cause the reason or decision came after he last saw them.

Meeting with a girl or who he thought was a girl - but thats kinda same issue. Why Friday afternoon? Why not Saturday? Why not go with an excuse of going place x & meeting with that girl also. Why wouldnt that theoretical girl be in school?
I mean yeas of course, anyone could come up with some random excuse why this time and not another time. But wouldnt a groomer felt safer luring victim there on weekend? Why on a school day during school hours with alarm bells ringing possibly long before Andrew would show up in London?

I dont really buy that concept of 14yo killing himself in a way that no track of him is ever found. Possible but far from probable.

One thing may be coincidental. No biggie. Just skipping school or just skipping bus and then disappearing. But there are two things here. Two school-related & avoiding something school-related things. Thats less likely to be coincidental. May be not-coincidental in a way that he was feeling bad, feeling like he had to get a breather somewhere else asap and then something bad happened.
But no return ticket. Not all money available taken. No backpack taken, just a bag. No excuse left. No consideration of school calling parents or maybe no way to take that into consideration cause the reason to go was too urgent?

It feels like it was in same time big deal for Andrew yet with some reason felt like it wont be that big of a deal for his family. How to achieve that? By having some good explanation ready before things gonna get serious, so... would have to be delivered pretty quick, that afternoon. Not in person cause no returning ticket. So must be by call. But from where could he call and what could he say to calm down his parents yet stay in London at least overnight?

Something's missing here. Or somethings in there but "shouldnt" cause its coincidental. Maybe him saying that he doesnt want that returning ticket was coincidental and he hasnt thought it through while responding, just realized that he lost a bunch of money cause of that fast response? Could happen if he was stressed and then that whole "not planning to ever go back" thing wouldnt apply.
People are like that sometimes, arent they? So focused on the main task like "go to London" that theyre unable to think at all about all the past-the-stressfull-moment things to do.

I know they didn't help at all because sometimes things are just painfully boring and normal for most people. Like there was an interview done on Columbine students after the shooting and they just said Columbine was a painfully normal school and they had nothing good or bad to say about it. I would say the same about the school shooting that happened at my university. A student came on campus with an assault rifle and was tackled so he couldn't harm anyone. I knew the guy from studying at Starbucks sometimes. He came from a loving family with parents both together. He had a perfect 4.0GPA and no mental health issues. He was the life of school parties and everyone liked him. He volunteered at the art museum on campus and had a girlfriend and a group of friends. Some people are just really good at hiding tbeir struggles or life. We really have no idea what was going on with Andrew and biographies of people in similar situations isn't going to help. We need to figure out why he went to London and that's going to be very hard to do. I can't think of anything else to make this make sense. There's no clues.

 

[vagab0nd]

Yes, his family said the school did attempt to call them, but the school dialed the incorrect number. (Accidentally dialed the number above or below theirs on the list.)

However it would not have made much of a difference, because his parents were at work, not at home to receive the call. They would have gotten the message when they came home after work, so maybe would have known an hour sooner that he was missing. He was already long in London by then. JMO.

But if Andrew had a cellphone then surely they did too? Would the school not call a mobile?