Jay Slater’s Mother Receives Heartbreaking Warning Following Autopsy Results
The family of Jay Slater, a teenager from Oswaldtwistle, received heartbreaking advice following his post-mortem examination. Jay’s body was discovered in a remote ravine in Tenerife, near the location where his phone last pinged. He had vanished after attending a music festival with friends and never returned to his hotel.
It is believed the apprentice bricklayer died instantly after a “fall or plunge” in the rugged terrain. Jay’s grieving mother, Debbie Duncan, was reportedly given a harrowing warning after the autopsy results: she was advised not to view Jay’s body in the morgue, denying the family the closure many grieving relatives seek.
According to MailOnline, the Slater family found “very small comfort” in the likelihood that Jay died instantly, meaning he would not have suffered for long. Tenerife officials explained that formal identification and autopsy results would take time due to the body’s “very deteriorated” condition. Jay’s body was found 29 days after he vanished, on the morning of Monday, June 17, by members of a mountain rescue team from the Spanish Civil Guard.
On their fundraising page, which has now exceeded the £70,000 mark, Debbie wrote: “We are working with agencies to arrange Jay’s repatriation to the UK, and the remaining funds, along with any future donations, will be used to help with this if needed and to pay for Jay’s funeral costs back home. We want to give our boy the send-off he deserves so please do continue to share and support our fundraiser however you can.”
The family has also faced scrutiny from online trolls over the large sum raised. LBT Global, a spokesperson for the family, defended them against the criticism. Chief executive Matthew Searle stated, “This hate comes from people who, I assume, have never had to repatriate a deceased loved one.
Those costs can top £20,000 easily. These people probably haven’t had to arrange their own child’s funeral, nor felt the need to make it the biggest and best they can as it’s the last thing they’ll ever do for their child.” Despite the devastating loss and added stress from online trolls, the Slater family remains focused on bringing Jay home and giving him a fitting farewell.