GoFundMe reveals ‘next steps’ in £54k fundraiser for Jay Slater as donations continue after human remains found
GoFundMe has released a statement on what will happen to the £54k raised for Jay Slater after human remains were discovered in Tenerife.
Jay, 19, from Oswaldtwistle, has been missing since the morning of Monday, 17 June. He had previously flown out to the island with friends in order to attend a festival over the weekend.
It is understood that Jay had travelled to an Airbnb in the remote Masca region of the island on the Sunday night (16 June) and had later attempted to make the long journey back to his accommodation on foot.
The last person to have contact with Jay was his friend Lucy who reported the teenager missing later that day, after a phone conversation between the pair revealed the apprentice bricklayer 'didn't know where he was' and had been cut by a cactus.
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In the days following his disappearance, a GoFundMe was set up for the family, with the aim of raising money to aid with the search for Jay.
However police in Tenerife have confirmed today (15 July) that human remains have been recovered at a 'inaccessible' location in Masca, close to where the teenager's phone had last pinged at a mobile phone tower.
A formal identification and post-mortem is yet to take place, however the Tenerife Civil Guard have since released a statement saying that 'everything is pointing to the body being that of the young British man who disappeared on June 17, pending full identification'.
It is also understood that initial police inquiries are leaning toward a 'accident/fall in the area' occurring.
Following the devastating update, a spokesperson for GoFundMe has released a statement regarding what will happen to the funds, which currently stand at over £54,000, revealing that it will work with Jay's family in the next couple of weeks.
"We are in regular contact with Jay’s family and will work together with them in the coming weeks on the next steps around the funds donated," the spokesperson told The Sun.
Jay's mum, Debbie Duncan, and his friend Lucy have shared regular updates via the fundraiser page, with the most recent post on 13 July revealing the family had arranged for a private search team to be flown in from the Netherlands.
British missing persons overseas charity LBT Global has since issued a statement on behalf of Jay's family, confirming they are aware of the remains which have been found.
It said: "LBT Global is saddened to announce that a body found in Tenerife does look to be that of Jay Slater.
"It is understood the body was found close to the site of his mobile phone’s last location.
"Although formal identification is yet to be carried out, the body was found with Mr Slater’s possessions and clothes.
"LBT Global are supporting the family at this distressing time and ask for everyone to afford them space and privacy to come to terms with the news."
LADbible has contacted GoFundMe for further comment.
Topics: Jay Slater, UK News
Brenna Cooper