Jay Slater: Mother of British teenager breaks silence after body found in Tenerife as she pays tribute to 'beautiful boy'
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The 19-year-old went missing on the Spanish island on June 17, prompting a near-month long extensive search which resulted in the discovery of human remains near where Jay was reported missing on Monday (July 15).
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Hide AdFollowing a post-mortem, a court spokesperson said fingerprints examined had confirmed the body was that of the teenager and the multiple injuries suffered were consistent with a fall from a cliff.
In a statement released via LBT Global - a British overseas missing persons charity working with the family, his mother, Debbie Duncan said: “I just can’t believe this could happen to my beautiful boy. Our hearts are broken.”
A body was found in the Masca area of Tenerife at around 10am on Monday (15 July) in the search for the teenager, four weeks after he went missing. Spanish authorities said the "evidence strongly suggests" the remains belong to the 19-year-old man, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire.
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Hide AdOn Monday, a spokesperson for the Civil Guard said: “After 29 constant days of searching, the lifeless body of the young man has been found in the Masca area. The discovery has been possible thanks to the tireless and discreet search carried out by the Civil Guard over these 29 days."
The apprentice bricklayer disappeared on June 17 after he decided to walk back to his accommodation alone. He had travelled to the holiday island on June 13 to party at the NRG music festival with two friends. His last known location was the Rural de Teno Park in the north of the Canary Island – approximately an 11-hour walk from his accommodation.
LBT Global said the teenager’s body was with his possession and clothes and is understood the body was also found close to the site of the last location of the his mobile phone.
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Hide AdMatthew Searle from the charity said he was talking to Ms Duncan at the time she received the news and her family were “devastated”. He said: I just can’t believe it – We’re here with the Embassy staff waiting for an update and now it’s come – the worst news”.
Mr Searle added: “The announcement does seem to confirm that Jay died of injuries consistent with an accidental fall from a considerable height. There will of course be many more hurdles for the family to face in the coming days and we will work with them to make this horrific time as easy as possible.
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Hide Ad“We are working with the family now to sort out the next steps of taking Jay home, recovery of his belongings and laying him to rest back.. We will not be releasing details of travel timings or funeral arrangements at this time and ask again for privacy for the family. I ask now that this is the end of all the hurtful comments on social media and elsewhere”.