Found Deceased UK - Liam Smith, 16, Aberdeen, Scotland, 17 Nov 2018

[HayLouise]

It has now been more than three weeks since Aberdeen teenager Liam Smith disappeared without a trace. VIDEO: P&J recreates last confirmed movements of missing Liam Smith | Press and Journal



The Press & Journal on Twitter

 

[silverjug]

It has now been more than three weeks since Aberdeen teenager Liam Smith disappeared without a trace. VIDEO: P&J recreates last confirmed movements of missing Liam Smith | Press and Journal

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The Press & Journal on Twitter

I should like to think he needed time out and is safe somewhere. Unfortunately I think I am clutching at straws.

 

[zencompass]

Dear Silverjug,

I feel the same way. Even with no news at all yet of Liam's whereabouts, I still hold onto threads of hope. There is always hope.

 

[WiseOwl]

I wish we knew what Liam had in his rucksack - extra clothing, food, money? If he had these things with him there would be hope that he intended to stay away from home for a while but we just don't know. Still hoping he will turn up safe and sound.

 

[silverjug]

I wish we knew what Liam had in his rucksack - extra clothing, food, money? If he had these things with him there would be hope that he intended to stay away from home for a while but we just don't know. Still hoping he will turn up safe and sound.

I wonder if he had access to a reasonable amount of money, and to be frank, there does not seem to be much in the rucksack. I think it was a grab what you can and off scenario, probably without much thought.

 

[LadyNada]

I wonder if he had access to a reasonable amount of money, and to be frank, there does not seem to be much in the rucksack. I think it was a grab what you can and off scenario, probably without much thought.

More thoughts & more questions.

So why did he take off from home hurriedly?
What or whom is he running from??

Liam, Praying your safe & sound & sheltered.

MOO

 

[silverjug]

More thoughts & more questions.

So why did he take off from home hurriedly?
What or whom is he running from??

Liam, Praying your safe & sound & sheltered.

MOO

I thought he had an argument with his mother. I have a 15 year old grandson and it is a very tricky and complex age. He often phones to tell me about the dreadful things his mother does to him, like taking away his PS4 for a day, we chew the fat then he sees things more clearly. Perhaps Liam did not have someone to talk to.

 

[LadyNada]

I thought he had an argument with his mother. I have a 15 year old grandson and it is a very tricky and complex age. He often phones to tell me about the dreadful things his mother does to him, like taking away his PS4 for a day, we chew the fat then he sees things more clearly. Perhaps Liam did not have someone to talk to.

Hi Silverjug,

I hadn't heard about the argument with his mother. It has been mentioned Liam's phone was taken off him.
Yes, Liam may not have had anyone to talk things/issues over with for guidance.
Do any WS's here, have any more updates?

 

[HayLouise]

Nothing to update tonight

 

[Alessandra]

Hi , poor guy, poor family, argument or not. I have 4 sons, the youngest is 26. Thinking back to when they were 16. Would it be disrespectful to consider if he just got on the wrong bus. What stance did the bus leave from and how close was it to the stance he would have got on if heading home. Once he realised his mistake is it possible he tried to walk back. If this is a busy main Road route perhaps he has been the victim of a road accident or he attempted to walk home cross country and something has happened on his journey.My two youngest really loved a book by jack Kerouac (or something similar) it was all about just heading out and having an adventure, but after so long and everyone aware this seems unlikely.

 

[zencompass]

Welcome to this thread, @Alessandra ! I'm so glad you are here.

The scenarios you mention are all possibilities. We just don't know as we have few details. The police have taken the sighting at Crathes as credible. Other than that, I haven't seen any updates.

The police have been doing a stellar job in their extensive searches as well as continuing to alert the public to report any sightings.

My heart goes out to this young lad's family. Liam's mother has made statements through the police. As yet there hasn't been a press conference from the family. A statement on television from the family holds much meaning and can truly motivate people to call if they know something. That is just my opinion.

It's been so long. I still hold out hope (even if it's a sliver - it's still hope) that Liam is safe somewhere.

 

[Alessandra]

The scenarios you mention are all possibilities. We just don't know as we have few details. The police have taken the sighting at Crathes as credible. Other than that, I haven't seen any updates.

The police have been doing a stellar job in their extensive searches as well as continuing to alert the public to report any sightings.

My heart goes out to this young lad's family. Liam's mother has made statements through the police. As yet there hasn't been a press conference from the family. A statement on television from the family holds much meaning and can truly motivate people to call if they know something. That is just my opinion.

It's been so long. I still hold out hope (even if it's a sliver - it's still hope) that Liam is safe somewhere.


Hi, I did a quick check online and I guess you are right and the police will have covered every avenue but it remains a fact that Liam has not been found. I am new to the site but nothing I say is meant as a criticism to anyone and any thoughts are intended to be helpful and are definitely purely speculative. I did a quick internet check and the bus I think they refer to in the press leaves from stance 8 and a bus to Westhill, his home leaves from stance 9.


[/QUOTE]

 

[Alessandra]

Actually I’ve got the bus stances the wrong way round, it’s just a thought. I looked at next Saturday ‘s timetables at similar times.

 

[WiseOwl]

Actually I’ve got the bus stances the wrong way round, it’s just a thought. I looked at next Saturday ‘s timetables at similar times.

It was initially believed Liam got off the bus in Banchory, as he had bought a ticket to Raemoir Road. This is what the BBC reported on 20 November:

A 16-year-old boy who has been missing from Aberdeen since Saturday is now believed to have got off a bus in Banchory.

Liam Smith caught the 202 Stagecoach bus from Aberdeen on Saturday at 13:11. It was initially thought he had got off the bus in Lumphanan, where searches have been carried out, but police are now satisfied that person was not him. Liam's mother Alix Smith has spoken of the family's desperation for him to be found safe.

Ch Insp Martin Mackay said: "We are continuing to urge anyone with information to come forward and we now would particularly ask people in the Banchory area to think back to Saturday and consider if they have seen Liam then or at any time since. "We know that Liam bought a ticket for Raemoir Road, Banchory and would ask anyone who may have been in that area around 2.00pm to think back to that time as they may be able to assist us in establishing his current whereabouts."

However, a passenger on the bus said the had seen Liam get off in Crathes and this is where they have been looking for Liam ever since. The police have said the passenger was a credible witness but i wonder now if they might have been mistaken? Would be awful if they've been looking in the wrong area all along.

 

[Alessandra]

Hi there, anywhere that he might be is the right area to look and especially if there is a credible sighting. So of course right to look around Crathes area. Still a possibility he then headed for home though.

 

[Coach]

It was initially believed Liam got off the bus in Banchory, as he had bought a ticket to Raemoir Road. This is what the BBC reported on 20 November:

A 16-year-old boy who has been missing from Aberdeen since Saturday is now believed to have got off a bus in Banchory.

Liam Smith caught the 202 Stagecoach bus from Aberdeen on Saturday at 13:11. It was initially thought he had got off the bus in Lumphanan, where searches have been carried out, but police are now satisfied that person was not him. Liam's mother Alix Smith has spoken of the family's desperation for him to be found safe.

Ch Insp Martin Mackay said: "We are continuing to urge anyone with information to come forward and we now would particularly ask people in the Banchory area to think back to Saturday and consider if they have seen Liam then or at any time since. "We know that Liam bought a ticket for Raemoir Road, Banchory and would ask anyone who may have been in that area around 2.00pm to think back to that time as they may be able to assist us in establishing his current whereabouts."

However, a passenger on the bus said the had seen Liam get off in Crathes and this is where they have been looking for Liam ever since. The police have said the passenger was a credible witness but i wonder now if they might have been mistaken? Would be awful if they've been looking in the wrong area all along.

I agree WiseOwl. First they searched at Lumphanan and then Banchory before moving to search to Crathes. Apparently there was only the one passenger who said to the Police that they think he got off at Crathes. Like you, I wonder if the passenger could have been mistaken.

 

[HayLouise]

Just seen a tweet from the Find Liam Smith Campaign account, not sure if I’m allowed to link :/

But the gist was that a man in a high-vis vest was seen removing at least four posters from bus stops for Liam.

 

[HayLouise]

I don’t understand why public searches aren’t being organised. Unless they are behind the scenes and we just aren’t being made aware but I just wish there was more being done. The attention Liam was getting in the beginning was great but I just feel like it’s fading.

 

[Alessandra]

Hi, everyone will be doing their best to get Liam home to his family no matter what. I think this forum is great because hopefully my ruminating about what might have happened doesn’t cause any harm and links me up to others who are also interested even if very distant from this sad present mystery as to where is Liam.

Not knowing so many details it’s obvious my theory will be way off the mark but I’ll continue with it for now.

Liam is 16. , he blows his money on all the stuff kids are rationed with, fast food chocolate fizzy sugary drinks or is it stuff that he thinks will sustain a journey he plans to make.

My second stronger theory is he gets on the wrong bus after blowing his money on goodies. He lives on the outskirts of the city, to a lot of kids everything further away from a suburb is just ‘countryside’. So it doesn’t matter what it’s called, Lumphanan, Crathes Banchory, they will just repeat what is on the destination on the front or what the person before them asked for . After the right amount of time for his usual home journey has passed he realises he is in the wrong bus and gets off. He doesn’t have a phone or money, maybe he’s shy and wants to be the mature person he will become and thinks asking for help of strangers is too much and that he can sort it . He is seen in Crathes perhaps he recognises something about it from a previous time, there’s a football park there perhaps he played football games there in the past. So he gravitates there.

To get home he has to go cross country, walk on the main rd or ask a bus driver on the other side of the road to take him back or hitch a lift. Something happened with his choice which normally wouldn’t have. Of course my theory will be rubbish but thanks for listening to my thoughts, now I must get up for work.

 

[Ironside]

I don’t understand why public searches aren’t being organised. Unless they are behind the scenes and we just aren’t being made aware but I just wish there was more being done. The attention Liam was getting in the beginning was great but I just feel like it’s fading.

It's a waste of resources for the police to train the general public in searching when they can do it themselves instead. Volunteers mostly can only offer a few hours here and there. The terrain is very difficult so if people were searching it's likely there would be accidents which would take resources away from the search.

The police and mountain rescue are trained to search and will do it methodically to ensure all ground is covered. It might take longer but it's far more precise.

Plus there is the matter of what they might find, it's better if the police find something distressing rather than a member of the general public.

There is nothing stopping anyone walking about Crathes themselves looking but it just can't be officially sanctioned.