Imagine being 14, skipping school, and heading off to a big city without telling anyone back at home. That’s exactly what Andrew Gosden did on a typical September day in 2007. On September 14th, Andrew left his home in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, withdrew £200 from his bank account, and bought a one-way ticket to London.
Andrew was last seen on CCTV at King’s Cross station at 11:25 a.m. and then he simply vanished.
Why would a young teenager take off to London alone? Was he planning to meet someone? Did he know what he was getting into? The possibilities are endless and the details are just as shocking.
The Day Andrew Vanished
That morning, Andrew had trouble waking up and was unusually irritable. At 8:05 a.m., he left the house, walking through Westfield Park as seen by a family friend. Instead of heading to school, he went to a nearby ATM and withdrew £200. Although his account held £214, the machine only allowed withdrawals in increments of £20, so he took out the maximum permitted.
He returned home, changed from his school uniform into casual clothes a black Slipknot T-shirt, black jeans, trainers, and a watch on his left wrist. He carried a black canvas satchel adorned with patches of rock and metal bands, along with his wallet, keys, and PlayStation Portable (PSP). He left £100 cash saved from his birthday behind.
At Doncaster railway station, Andrew bought a one-way ticket to London for £3.14, despite the ticket seller suggesting a return ticket was just 50p more.
A woman on the train noticed Andrew was quiet, engrossed in a video game. Andrew arrived at King’s Cross station at 11:20 a.m. and was seen on CCTV leaving the station at 11:25 a.m. This remains the last confirmed sighting of him.
Andrew’s Background
Andrew Gosden was born on July 10th, 1993, in Balby, a suburb of Doncaster. He lived with his parents Kevin and Glennis Gosden and his sister Charlotte.
Although the Gosden family were Anglican, they chose not to baptize their children, preferring to let them explore their own beliefs and interests.
Andrew was an exceptional student at McAuley Catholic High School. He had a perfect attendance record and was part of the Young Gifted and Talented program, aimed at the top 5% of students. His teachers expected him to achieve straight A’s in his GCSE exams. He was described as a prize-winning mathematician with the potential for Cambridge.
Despite his academic success, Andrew didn’t seem excited about school and often said he found it easy, hoping for more challenges.
In the summer of 2006, he attended a two-week residential program for gifted students at Lancaster University, returning enthusiastic.
Quiet and preferring his own company, Andrew wasn’t a loner. He had a small group of friends at school but didn’t socialize outside school hours. His family noted he showed no signs of depression or bullying and generally seemed content.
Andrew was absentminded and not very streetwise, making him potentially vulnerable. Though 14, he looked younger about 12 because of his small stature. He wore strong prescription glasses, was deaf in one ear, and had a distinctive double ridge on his right ear. He planned to dye his light brown hair black before he disappeared.
He rarely used mobile phones and had recently lost his last phone, choosing not to replace it. Instead, he asked for an Xbox. Andrew loved video games and was a fan of metal bands.
Initial Investigations
When Andrew didn’t show up for morning classes, the school tried to contact his parents but mistakenly called the wrong number, leaving a message with another family. By the time his parents realized he was missing, valuable hours had passed.
That evening, the Gosden family believed Andrew was at home, perhaps playing video games or doing homework. When they discovered he wasn’t, they thought he might be with a friend or neighbor. After calling his friends and learning he hadn’t been to school that day, they contacted the police around 7:00 p.m.
Andrew’s sister Charlotte described the panic when they realized he never attempted to attend school. Charlotte and their father Kevin searched the route to school and nearby areas but found nothing.
Within three hours, a missing person leaflet was produced and distributed. Family and friends continued the search until nightfall.
The police searched bushes near the Gosden home over the weekend but found no trace.
Three days later, after speaking to the ticket seller, police confirmed Andrew had traveled to London. The ticket seller remembered Andrew because he declined a return ticket, despite it being only 50p more.
Kevin Gosden later mentioned that Andrew not buying a return ticket “didn’t seem odd” since Andrew knew people in London he could stay with.
The initial London search focused on areas like Chislehurst and Sidcup, where the Gosden family had relatives. Days after the disappearance, the family went to London handing out flyers and posters around places Andrew might visit, such as museums and exhibitions.
South Yorkshire Police asked the British Transport Police to review CCTV footage within two days, but Andrew could not initially be identified. Three weeks later, after reviewing the footage again, they identified Andrew leaving King’s Cross station. The image, along with a close-up of his distinctive double ridge on his right ear, was circulated in the media.
A year later, Andrew’s head teacher traveled to London with staff and students to distribute 15,000 leaflets.
The Gosden family expressed frustration with the police’s focus on investigating them rather than expanding the search.
Kevin said the police “viewed him as a suspect initially” and described interviews as “unlawfully recorded attempts to pressure him into revealing information.” Eventually, the family was cleared of any involvement.
Sightings, Leads, and Theories
On the first anniversary of Andrew’s disappearance, there were 122 reported sightings nationwide, including 45 from London and 11 from Brighton.
Kevin mentioned some early sightings seemed credible, mainly due to witness descriptions of Andrew speaking to them. The family believed the most plausible sighting was at a pizza shop on Oxford Street near King’s Cross. However, they claimed police never investigated this lead.
Additional unconfirmed sightings included Andrew sleeping in a park in Southwark five days after his disappearance and being seen near Mortlake Station wearing warmer clothes.
A month later, a woman reported seeing a boy matching Andrew’s description in Covent Garden. When approached, the boy denied being Andrew. Kevin expressed disappointment police didn’t promptly follow up, noting the woman wasn’t contacted until six weeks later.
In May 2011, the family hired a private company to conduct a sonar search of the River Thames, which found no trace of Andrew but did discover another body.
In December 2021, following an anonymous tip, two men were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and human trafficking. One man was linked to possession of indecent images of children. Both were released under investigation, and by September 2023, they were released without charge and not considered involved.
Theories about Andrew’s disappearance vary.
