Missing teenager Jay Slater’s mother has revealed she is in talks with GoFundMe to release some of the £36,000 in donations given to an appeal in order to help finance rescue efforts and ‘living costs’ in Tenerife as the family continues to search for him.
Jay vanished without trace on the morning of Monday June 17 after enjoying the last night of a three-day rave at the Papagayo Beach Club.
He was last seen at 8.15am walking uphill from the village of Masca in the Parque Rurale Teno in northwest Tenerife.
After going back to an Airbnb near the remote village of Masca with two men he had met on holiday, Jay phoned his friend Lucy Mae Law at 8.50am to tell her that he was ‘tired, thirsty and disorientated’ with only one per cent battery on his phone.
It has been 11 days since Jay went missing and police still have no idea where he is. Yesterday, emergency services were using helicopters and drones to search a specific area of Masca, where Jay’s phone last pinged.
In a statement posted on GoFundMe on Thursday, Jay’s mother Debbie Duncan, 55, said: ‘This is Debbie again. First, I would like to thank everyone for your support, kind messages, and good wishes. It’s difficult to wrap our heads around what is happening right now, but we are not losing hope that we will find Jay and return home together.
‘We are currently working with GoFundMe to withdraw part of the funds, which are being safely held. I wanted to share that these funds will be used to support the mountain rescue teams who are tirelessly searching for Jay.
‘Additionally, since our stay in Tenerife needs to be extended, we will also use the funds to cover accommodation and food expenses.
‘I’m surrounded by wonderful people who are by my side, but far from their loved ones, so we’ll also be using part of these funds to fly them to Tenerife so we can support each other during these dark times.
‘Thank you again for all your donations and support, this means the world to us.’
It comes as:
Jay’s mother Debbie Duncan has revealed she is in talks with GoFundMe to release some of the £36,000 in donations given to an appeal as the family continues to search for him
Jay Slater pictured with his mother Debbie Duncan
The GoFundMe has raised more than £36,000 since it was set up by Lucy Mae Law
Canarian police officers carry out a drone search for the young British man Jay Slater in the Los Carrizales ravine
The appeal was started last week by his friend Lucy and astonishingly reached its £30,000 target within three days although some contributors have expressed concerns over where the funds will go.
One woman named as Charlotte C wrote: ‘Unfortunately I have to donate the minimum of £5 in order to leave a comment. However, I feel this is important to highlight the concerns regarding this GoFundMe.
‘These feelings are not baseless; they are a product of observations, inaccuracies and experiences that are shared by many.
‘Some of the key concerns regarding the GoFundMe are – 1. There is no detailed plan on how this money will be used. 2. The family said they did not want/need a GoFundMe then later set up a GoFundMe. 3. If it’s for accommodation and car hire. The family have already stated that this has been gifted to them for there stay. 4. The beneficiary – Jay’s mum keeps showing up and disappearing on the GoFundMe page. This has happened multiple times over the past few days. Which is unusual and concerning.
‘It is essential that all funds going towards Jay Slater’s GoFundMe page are put on hold until further details or evidence from the police are released and pending a thorough and meticulous investigation.’
Another donor Andy S, who also contributed £5, said:’I echo Charlotte C’s concerns. I have raised these on numerous platforms (as have many, many others) and no action has been taken.
The last confirmed sighting of Jay Slater (pictured) was at around 8am last Monday by a woman who had told him the bus was due at 10am when he asked
This is the CCTV image the family of Jay Slater are hoping and praying is him – more than a week after he mysteriously vanished on Tenerife
New pictures show apprentice bricklayer Jay, 19, lounging by the pool of the Hard Rock Hotel in Playa de las Americas with dozens of other holidaymakers before he went missing. Pictured: With friends Brandon Hodgkin and Lucy Mae Law
Dressed in camouflage style swimming trunks the picture was taken on the second day of the NRG festival at a pool party which was described on social media as ‘epic’
Also, in the picture with her back to the camera in a white skirt, is Jay’s friend Lucy Mae Law, 19, left, and it was taken on June 15 – just two days before he vanished
Holding a plastic cup in his hand (right) he appears to be standing by himself while Lucy (left) is talking to another group of boys
‘I understand that advice may have been given not to interact but there has not been one update on this GFM to address such concerns. It is really not difficult to update the bio.
‘The media have even highlighted the public’s concerns in this respect. Common sense tells me that Organisers/Beneficiaries would have responded to this on this platform at least.
‘The general public have raised almost £30k for this cause which has obviously touched the nation. Therefore, please, please address the points raised. My thoughts remain with those concerned.’
It comes after fresh pictures emerged of the missing British teenager today.
The photos show the apprentice bricklayer in party resort Playa de las Americas on the Spanish holiday island alongside dozens of other tourists including his friend Lucy.
They were taken at a pool party on the second day of the NRG festival on June 15 – just two days before he vanished.
A search team near the last known location of Jay Slater, near to the village of Masca
The pictures were posted by a Scottish female holidaymaker, who we are not identifying.
She wrote: ‘Just came across these in my camera roll. Not sure if they could be of any help, Jay sort of looks like he’s standing (by) himself while Lucy is speaking to his other friends.’
Since Jay vanished police and mountain rescue teams have combed a vast area of the park using drones, dogs and helicopters but found no trace of him.
His parents Debbie Duncan and Warren Slater, 58, plus brother Zak Slater, 24, have all travelled to Tenerife to help in the hunt and are said to be at ‘breaking point’.
They flew in from their home in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire and have vowed to remain in Tenerife until they find Jay but as time goes on and with no sighting fears are growing for his safety.
Jay called his friend Lucy Mae Law (pictured), 18, to say he was ‘lost in the mountains, with no water, one percent battery’ and he had cut his leg on a cactus
A picture of missing teenager Jay Slater shows the 19-year-old in a nightclub in the early hours with his female friend Lucy Law just hours before he disappeared in Tenerife
His frantic parents Debbie Duncan, 55, and Warren Slater, 58, (right) plus brother Zak Slater, 24, (left) have all travelled to Tenerife to help in the hunt and are said to be at ‘breaking point’
TV investigator Mark Williams-Thomas, who is in contact with the family, said he has two working theories – that he either had an accident and is on the mountain, or a criminal party is involved.
He has also appealed for the two men who were with Jay to come forward or he will ‘release a picture of one of them’.
Spanish police, who have rejected an offer of help from British police, have not commented on any of the speculation or Mr Williams-Thomas’ presence.
The disappearance took a bizarre twist yesterday when the search shifted to the town of Puerto de Santiago after a mayor said locals had seen someone matching his appearance in bars there.
Emilio Jose Navarro Castanedo gave an interview saying he had spoken to locals who said they had ‘seen him watching the Euros on the coast.’ Mr Navarro Castanedo said he didn’t know which bars locals had seen the man in or what time or date.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Mr Navarro Castanedo said: ‘There has been a lot of fake news and misunderstanding of what I said.
‘To be clear, I did not say I saw him watching football, locals have told me that they have heard from others that they saw someone looking like the boy in a bar at Los Gigantes further along the coast.
TV investigator Mark Williams-Thomas who is in contact with the family said he has two working theories, that he had an accident and is on the mountain or a criminal party is involved
The church in Santiago del Teide where it is believed that Jay was spotted sitting on a bench with two men
‘I have no idea if it was him, but holidaymakers of his age all dress the same and I have no idea in which bars he was seen, I don’t know if the police have been there they are not telling me about their investigation.
‘I know that local police have spoken to these people who said they saw him cheering in a bar watching football.
‘I don’t know when he was supposed to have been seen but it was supposedly certainly in the days after he disappeared but I have to underline this is unconfirmed information and only what I have been told.’
The development came as one of Jay’s pals lashed out at internet sleuths and online trolls who have accused him of being connected to the disappearance.
Bradley Hargreaves, 19, arrived on the Spanish sunshine holiday island with Jay, for their first lads holiday abroad and attended the high-octane NRG festival.
It was following an after-party at Papagayo’s nightclub in the hotspot of Playa de las Americas that the apprentice bricklayer vanished on June 17.
Posting on social media, Bradley said: ‘Don’t know why l’ve to jump on here to explain myself to the Facebook world but if any of yous believe me his best mate has anything to do with him going missing you’re honestly not all there.
‘I’ve known Jay most of my life go to all these raves and what not together and this was our first lads holiday with him. Nobody actually knows the true story not even me because there isn’t a factual story that has come out just a load of s*** that has been said by different people.
‘Anyway won’t be saying much more on here but just thought l’d get that out.’
Among those who commented on his post was Lucy, the last friend who Jay was in touch with and who spoke with him at 8.50am the day he disappeared. She posted a praying hands and heart emoji adding: ‘We will find him.’
Jay’s mother revealed she’s at her wits’ end with worry. Speaking out, Debbie revealed how among those who had travelled to the Spanish holiday island was her son’s former girlfriend, Jessica Ingham.
School finance officer Debbie, 55, told MailOnline: ‘It’s been a week now and it’s been awful. I’ve barely slept and I’m at my wits’ end.
‘The Spanish police are doing a good job and we are getting updated from the consulate so we just put our faith in them.
‘I know people in the UK have come forward as well who were at the festival and they are giving details of what they know but I’m not being told about that.’
