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Jay Slater's mother prays she's not 'taking her son home in a body bag' as she slams trolls sharing wild conspiracy theories amid hunt for Brit, 19, who vanished after leaving a Tenerife nightclub

3 months ago 20

The desperate mother of missing teenager Jay Slater has said she is praying she does not have to 'take my son home in a body bag' - as she lashed out at cruel trolls sharing wild conspiracy theories about his disappearance. 

Debbie Duncan, who flew to Tenerife last Tuesday after her 19-year-old son went missing there the day before, said she was upset by the online speculation - including about a fundraising page which has raised £30,000 for the family.

Ms Duncan wrote: 'I really am saddened by all your comments. You seem to be so bothered about this GoFundMe page. I really hope I am not taking my son home in a body bag. 

'The funds are not released any won't be if not needed. I really cannot believe the British public are not supporting me in trying to find Jay. This may happen to any of you one day. Very let down by you all.'

She later updated the post by writing: 'Sorry that you have taken this the wrong way. I am overwhelmed with the generosity. What I meant was VERBAL support. I really hope I don't need this money. If it's not needed it all gets refunded to the people who really did care.'

Debbie's son Jay, an apprentice bricklayer, vanished last Monday after going to a three-day energy music festival in Tenerife - sparking a major week-long investigation which has been subjected to cruel unfounded theories online.

Jay's mother Debbie Duncan (pictured) flew to Tenerife on Tuesday, the day after he vanished in Tenerife

Apprentice bricklayer Jay Slater, 19, pictured here with his mother Debbie Duncan, was last heard from on Monday

Debbie Duncan, who flew to Tenerife last Tuesday after the 19-year-old went missing on the Spanish island, said she was upset that by people posting negative comments about a GoFundMe page which has raised £30,000

Jay Slater, an apprentice bricklayer, disappeared last Monday after going to a three-day energy music festival on the Spanish island

A GoFundMe page set up to raise money for Jay Slater's family reached its £30,000 target after just three days

Jay, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, disappeared following an attempt to walk back to his accommodation after missing a bus. He had attended the NRG music festival on the island with two friends before his disappearance.

Lucy Mae Law, who went to the festival with Jay, said he called her at about 8.30am last Monday and told her he was 'lost in the mountains, he wasn't aware of his surroundings, he desperately needed a drink and his phone was on 1%'.

Lucy, 18, set up a GoFundMe called 'Get Jay Slater Home' with the aim of raising £30,000 for his family as the search continues - and the page reached its target on Sunday.

Debbie has previously reassured those donating money that the money would not be used for anything other than expenses to remain in Tenerife.

A post replying to the fundraiser, which claims to be from Debbie, confirmed it was 'approved by our family'.

It said: 'We have not yet withdrawn any funds and are currently covering the expenses, such as the trip to Tenerife and accommodation, ourselves. The funds will remain on hold with GoFundMe until we post a further update on this page.'

She had also thanked the public for their generosity, writing: 'Hi everyone, this is Debbie, Jay's mother. Thank you all for your generosity and kindness during this difficult time.

'We are extremely worried and are doing everything we can to find Jay. Please continue to share our fundraiser far and wide.

'Your support means the world to us, and we are grateful for any help you can provide.' 

Debbie also said she was unable to visit a search site with Jay's father and brother because she has been on the receiving end of vile social media abuse.

She revealed how trolls have compared her to Karen Matthews - who was dubbed 'Britain's worst mother' when she orchestrated the fake kidnap of her own nine-year-old schoolgirl daughter Shannon in a case which horrified the nation in 2008.

She said: 'People keep saying on social media why aren't I up there and calling me the new Karen Matthews, I just can't face it. 

'I don't want to go up there in case I see something that I don't want to. I'm just hoping everything will turn out for the better. If I went up there I would just break down. 

'The last few days have been awful. I just need him back. He is a handsome lad from Lancashire and he shouldn't be missing in Tenerife.' 

It comes a detective-turned-TV investigator Mark Williams-Thomas, who probed the disappearance of Nicola Bulley and exposed Jimmy Savile's evil crimes, offered his help.

He said he was waiting to speak to Debbie but had a response from a close relative to say Jay's mother is 'keen to accept my team's help'.  

But the case has also piqued the curiosity of armchair sleuths spreading wild theories about his disappearance on social media and supposed psychics also said they could help.

Jay's friend Lucy Mae Law (pictured), 18, has blasted Spanish police for rejecting an offer from British officers to help

Search teams focus on a mountainous area near the village of Masca in their search for Jay Slater on Sunday

Firefighters gather near the village of Masca in Tenerife on Sunday as they continue the search for Jay Slater

A member of the Guardia Civil near the last known location of Jay Slater

Spanish police officers scour the area for any clues which could help them find Jay Slater

Vehicles of the Guardia Civil near the last known location of Jay Slater on Sunday

Search teams have been unable to find Jay Slater since he was last seen on Monday

The church in Santiago del Teide where it is believed that Jay was spotted sitting on a bench with two men

Conspiracy theorist David Icke waded in yesterday making unfounded claims on Facebook about people traffickers, while others have levelled unsubstantiated allegations about possible mafia involvement.

Meanwhile at least five British internet sleuths have also spent hundreds of pounds on making the trip despite having no link to Jay.

Paul Arnott, 29, who runs the Down the Rapids TikTok account and describes himself as an 'explorer', spent £400 on travelling to Tenerife on Saturday from Fort William, in Scotland.

He told The Telegraph: 'It's cost quite a few hundred pounds so far. I've been trying to contact mountain rescue all day but I haven't been able to get through to anyone.'

He added: 'The idea is ideally to communicate with mountain rescue and the police and if I can't get a response then I'll do my own thing in hits area and try and work out where's not been searched.' 

Mr Arnott said he would want someone to come out and help if the same thing had happened to him.  

It comes as search teams have narrowed their efforts on small buildings close to where his phone last pinged in Tenerife.

Officers from the Guardia Civil in the Canary Islands could be seen circling two structures at the bottom of a ravine in Rural de Teno Park on Sunday.

Efforts appeared to be solely focused on the one area after days of searches in the village of Masca and the surrounding landscape.

Those conducting the searches on the seventh day of the hunt for Jay could be seen looking into blue barrels outside one of the small buildings.

The walk from Jay's last known location to his accommodation would have taken about 11 hours on foot.

Lucy has blasted the Spanish police, claiming they are 'not doing a good job' as Jay's family and friends desperately try to find him.

Police are currently searching for Jay in the Teno Nature Reserve, referred to as 'malpais' by locals — a word that translates into English as 'badland'.

In a statement released late on Friday, Lancashire Police said it had 'made an offer of support to the Guardia Civil' but this was declined after local cops said they were 'satisfied that they have the resources they need'.

Lucy said: 'We are having to do this all by ourselves as Spanish police are not doing a good enough job.

'They don't even speak English. It's been a very slow process here so we need the British police to come out and help them.'

She told of wanting to 'bring him home to his family', adding: 'That is all we want, all that we need.'

When asked how she felt that the offer from British cops to help had been declined, Jay's mother Debbie told MailOnline: 'I had a screaming and shouting day when I had the meeting with the police. 

'I know the Spanish police mean well, but the problem we are having is the language barrier, we just don't seem to be getting told. I'm sure they are doing their best.

'They told me they had used dogs and drones and then they said Lancashire police had offered their resources but they turned it down, but I think that would have really helped.

'I would feel happier if our people were over helping. It's just so difficult not knowing where he is, the area and the terrain is rough, but the police were saying that now there are too many people up there and it could interfere with their investigation.

Meanwhile, Jay's distraught father Warren, 58, has fought back tears as he told of just wanting 'my boy back' as he and Jay's brother Zak, 24, visited the spot where his phone last pinged and hugged each other in emotional scenes.

Choking back tears Warren, wearing a bucket hat, sunglasses and black t-shirt, said: 'He's my son. I just want him back.'

The visit came as a bombshell new video of missing Jay dancing shirtless in a Tenerife nightclub just hours before he disappeared has emerged.

In the new clip of Jay which has emerged, he is seen dancing shirtless in Papagayo nightclub which is at the end me of the notorious Veronica's Strip area of Playa de las Americas.

The after-party is known to have wrapped up at 5am and an hour later Jay was with two mystery British men at their £40-a-night AirBnB 19 miles away at Masca.

It was here that a woman made the last confirmed sighting of Jay at about 8.15am, saying he was walking at pace up the hill and away from Playa de las Americas.

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

The mountain range in Rural de Teno near the village of Masca where police were searching

Jay Slater was seen dancing shirtless in Papagayo nightclub (pictured) which is at the end of the infamous Veronica's Strip area of Playa de las Americas in Tenerife

Warren Slater and his son Zak, 24, were joined by other family and friends at the remote mountain spot where his mobile phone last pinged on Monday morning

Debbie, 55, who has flown out to Tenerife from her home at Oswaldtwistle, told MailOnline there had been a sighting of someone resembling her son at around 6pm the day he disappeared by the church at Santiago de Teide which is back towards Playa de las Americas.

She said the man had told police he was 'with two men sitting on a bench by the church looking a little worse for wear' however at the moment it has not been confirmed this was Jay.

Jay's mother still believes that he may have been kidnapped. She has vowed to stay in Tenerife for 'as long as it takes'.

In a tearful appeal through MailOnline last week, she said: 'If anyone does have him, just let him go, he's not a bad person, maybe he's got in with some strangers who've befriended him.

'I'm not stupid, I've been to Tenerife before, I've worked abroad myself and I gave him warnings, I just think if anyone has got him let him go, he's not a bad person.'

Breaking down in tears, Debbie added: 'If he's got himself mixed up with any trouble, just let him go, just let him go, it's been three days, he's in the same clothes, if he's been dumped in the mountains it's hot in the day and cold at night.

'Jay is a brilliant person, everybody loves being in his company, he's bubbly and fun, he's such a lovely, beautiful boy. I just want my little baby home with me.

'He was supposed to fly home from Tenerife today, he should be on the flight now, coming home. I had the taxi booked and everything and now who knows where he is.

'I just don't know what to think, I'm all over the place and I'm trying to keep positive, has somebody taken him? Is he panicked and lost in the mountains? I just don't know, that's why if anyone has any information please just tell us.

'But if he is lost then why hasn't anyone seen him? It's busy with hikers and holidaymakers up there so if he was lost then someone would have seen him, so that's why I think maybe he's been bundled off somewhere.'

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