Jay Slater's mother in talks to withdraw money from his GoFundMe
Missing teenager Jay Slater's mother has revealed she is in talks with GoFundMe to release some of the £36,000 ($45k) in donations given to an appeal in order to help finance '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 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,' she added.
The appeal was started last week by his friend Lucy Mae law and astonishingly reached its £30,000 ($37k) 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 ($6.30) in order to leave a comment. However, I feel this is important to highlight the concerns regarding this GoFundMe. My concerns stem from a feeling of dishonesty that appears to be involved in the whole process. These feelings are not baseless; they are a product of observations, inaccuracies and experiences that are shared by many.'
She added: '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 into fraud by false representation.'
Another donor Andy S, who also contributed £5 ($6.30), 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. 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 ($37k) 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. 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, 55, 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.
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