On his birthday, the father of a youngster whose disappearance 15 years ago raised concerns that he was sold into a sex gang, stepped forward to say that the loss had left a “big hole” in his life.
Tortured On the day his son Andrew turns 29, Kevin Gosden, 51, wrote that despite years of seeking in vain, he had not given up hope of reuniting with his son.
When Andrew went missing at the age of 14, he had just left his Doncaster, South Yorkshire, home, taken out £200, and purchased a one-way ticket to London.
The reason for the Straight A* student’s trip to the capital as well as his current whereabouts are unknown.
He was last captured on camera at King’s Cross station in September 2007.
On December 8 of the previous year, detectives from the Yorkshire Police and officers from the Metropolitan Police detained two men, aged 45 and 38.
They later acknowledged that reviewing the electronic devices taken from the duo, who were being detained on suspicion of kidnapping and human trafficking, would take between six and twelve months.
But in a moving obituary he wrote Monday, Mr. Gosden paid respect to Andrew, who has sadly been absent for longer than he was when he vanished.
Andrew is still missing, he declared. We become aware that he has been absent for longer than he was present as we approach his 29th birthday.
His absence leaves a gaping vacuum in our lives and our family that is more intense every day.
“In my opinion, hope is the one thing we cannot lose. Hope for a reunion, news, or any form of response.
On September 14, 2007, after boarding a train from Doncaster to London, Andrew vanished.
When he arrived at Kings Cross station, he was captured on CCTV.
That was Andrew’s last known sighting, and despite a vigorous manhunt, police have not since confirmed any information about his whereabouts.
Since Andrew vanished, his family has worked tirelessly to try and uncover what happened to him.
At one point, the River Thames was searched, and specialists even created artists’ renditions of what he would appear to be as an adult to attempt and modernize the hunt.
His image has appeared in advertisements all over the nation, with missing persons’ organizations promoting his cause on everything from milk bottles to buses.
And after the arrest of two men late last year, Detective Inspector Andy Knowles, the chief investigating officer for South Yorkshire Police on the case, stated that his team was in “close communication” with Andrew’s family.
He declared: “While we proceed through this new line of inquiry in the investigation, our first focus right now is helping Andrew’s family.
They request that their privacy be respected as our inquiry progresses, and we are in close communication with them.
“We have issued several appeals over the years to discover Andrew’s whereabouts and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
I would implore anyone with information to come forward who hasn’t already done so.
Mr. Gosden stated that until the investigation has been completed as a result of the arrests, he would not wish to comment on it.
We are aware that police investigations will go on for several months, he said.
We are at a loss for what to think and do not care to speculate on any potential outcomes until that is the case.