'Avatar' mother goes missing after becoming obsessed with online 3D world
By Daily Mail
4th June 2010
A mother has gone missing after becoming obsessed with a 3D virtual world on an internet chat site.
Annemarie Squires has not been seen for three weeks after leaving her home without warning.
Her partner of eight years, Andrew Jobe, and her son have not heard from her and her mobile phone is switched off.
Miss Squires’ family said in the months before she vanished, the 40-year-old spent most of her spare time on imvu.com.
The site allows users to create a character - or 'avatar' - that then interacts with others in a 3D virtual world.
The website boasts: ‘Create your own 3D look. Try on clothes, shoes, hairstyles and more. Shop for the latest fashions!
‘Meet New People in 3D. Hang out, chat and have fun in thousands of animated rooms. Meet new friends from all over the world!’
Miss Squires’ sisters believe she could have met someone online and decided to leave her old life behind and are desperate to hear from her.
Julie Hurst, 41, from Wiltshire, said: ‘Annemarie was very involved in this virtual reality game online.
‘She was on the computer all the time playing on it.
‘It's the sort of thing that just sucks you in, and it completely took over her life.
‘I know she argued with her partner Andrew about how much time she spent on the internet.’
Mrs Hurst said she has tried going online to search for Miss Squires by signing up to imvu.com's internet community, but without success.
Miss Squires of Gosport, Hampshire, was last seen on May 13 with two suitcases boarding a train at nearby Fareham railway station.
Her son, Andrew Hyslop, 23, from Andover, Hampshire, who was adopted as a baby, got back in touch with his mother three years ago.
He said: ‘She seemed happy when I saw her so it came as a real shock.
‘It wouldn't be so bad if we got a text or an email just letting us know she's okay, but it's the lack of contact that's so worrying.
‘For the last six months the internet had become one of the main things in her life.’
A spokesman for Hampshire Police said: ‘Her disappearance is being investigated and police are in regular contact with her family.
‘We believe she caught a train from Fareham station after 8am on Thursday, May 13, possibly to Southampton Central or London.
‘At this stage we believe Annemarie planned to leave home as she took her possessions with her and it looks like she planned her journey.
‘We would urge Annemarie to get in touch with police and let us know that she is okay.’
More than 1,300 people have joined a Facebook group asking for information about Miss Squires’ whereabouts.
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