Jay Slater’s mum says ‘this is no holiday’ admitting the ‘mystery’ surrounding his disappearance may never be solved
9 July 2024, 10:09 | Updated: 9 July 2024, 10:25
Jay Slater’s mum has said ‘this is no holiday’ as the hunt for her son continues, as she admits the ‘mystery’ that surrounds her son's disappearance may never be solved.
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Taking to social media in a bid to address online sleuths and speculation following her son's disappearance, his mother, Debbie, insisted "I did not ask for publicity".
It comes as Jay's father urged Interpol and British police to get involved in the search.
In a new update posted to the ‘Jay Slater Missing’ Facebook group, as well as the GoFundMe page - which has now raised over £52,000 - Debbie said some sleuths had "decided to make up their own minds" where Jay's fate is concerned.
Jay, 19, went missing on June 17 in Tenerife, after travelling to the island to attend a three-day musical festival with friends.
He spent the night at a secluded Airbnb with two men, an 11-hour walk from where he was staying, after getting separated from friends on a night out.
The morning after, Jay planned to catch a bus back to his accommodation, but chose to walk before getting lost and telling friends his phone was about to run out of battery.
In the Facebook post, Debbie said: “I feel the need to post this to your group and then I shall remove myself. I joined this group to share the positivity and love from the British public.
"It seems through no fault of my own you have all decided to make up your own minds. It is really sad I have felt the need to do this.
She added that she "should not have to justify" the withdrawal of funds from the GoFundMe page or their destination.
“My beautiful son Jay is still missing and believe me this is no holiday. He came on his first holiday to Tenerife to attend the NRG music event. What mystery surrounding his disappearance may never surface. We as a family are truly devastated.
“I did not ask for publicity from the start and was not aware that the first missing poster had my telephone number on it. It should have had the SOS Guardia Civil but like I say this was out of my control.
"Whatever decision you have in your minds I cannot control this either."
She continued: "We are a normal working family from Lancashire going through hell. I would like to thank the genuine people for their love and support at this difficult time and to continue to pray for Jay to be found.
“For those of you who are more concerned around the Gofundme page I can assure you that up to now it has not been used and our stay up to now has been financed by ourselves.
Adding: "I do have proof of transactions and transfers to other persons but I should not have to justify this. So you can make up your own minds."
It follows speculation that the missing Brit may have lost the key to his apartment on the night he vanished, according to one of the last people to see him alive.
19-year-old Jay disappeared three weeks ago while holidaying in Tenerife with friends.
