I've just caught up with this thread. I did read about this case over the years but before I realised Web Sleuths was a 'thing'. One thing that struck me was a few things I could relate to. At 14 to everyone who knew me I was in a happy home. My family would have said I was happy. However I was unhappy at home and also different to my family in that I lived for alternative music and particular bands. It was the only thing that kept any impetus. I had the impression the family wanted a standard boring work life for me without much ambition after school and though I didn't vocalise it, because I was quiet at home, I kept it internalised as teenagers can do. I kept searching for ways to leave the family. Earning part-time work money I would spend it on music, music T shirts and going to gigs. My family had no idea that after I disappeared to my room I would sneak out of the window and go from the countryside into a city and go to gigs. I was never ever caught or found out. I was always there in the morning. I used the fact that they never bothered to say goodnight assuming I was asleep. They believed my old pattern of living. I did leave the classic rolled up hump in the bed to look like a person in the dark, just in case. Now if at this point I had gone missing, they would have not believed I was the type of teenager to do what I just explained I did and I did it regularly. I also went into clubs. I gave the outward appearance of being 'good'. I was still good, I just wanted a different life. A few years later I eventually left home after telling an estranged family member (who I knew would relate to my problem) that I c ouldn't stand it any more, plus there had been a family argument. It was stifling to live in a boring home when there was music and bands out there that brought me alive. The estranged family member offered to meet me and put me up - which they did. I never went home. Once the opportunity to get out was presented to me, I took it. I wasn't a bad teenager at all, didn't do anything bad at all really, but I wanted out.
If I relate a bit to Andrew (minus the gaming as it was pre home gaming period for me) I would agree with the other poster who suggests he met someone (probably at the summer camp mentioned in here) who gave him their number (also of note when I was fourteen I was staying at my grandmother's house, I met a lad one afternoon in the area who gave me his name and number. I never did anything with it, but it also seemed to me like a contact to potentially meet someone different to my boring life.). I think he went out to meet that person that day (carefully planning the clothes in the washing machine to buy him some time) but once he met them , was convinced not to return home because 'look what I have here to offer you' and it was far more exciting than home. I think he was the Andyroo online who said he left home at 14 and had been living with a partner (male or female) for ten years. If I had been offered that at 14 or 15 I would have seriously considered it. I think he laid low for a very long time and changed his appearance. I too changed my appearance significantly once I left home but only because I wasn't bound by rules of the family and could be as outrageous as I want. I wonder if he began to wear black make up and really changed his looks to suit how he really wanted to look. That would make him unidentifiable and look older too?
I think Andrew is still alive. If he is still alive I hope he considers telling someone to tell his family he is okay as I think it so cruel on the family the not knowing. But it must be so hard to do this. I think you can do it anonymously via Missing Persons charity, can't you?
