Debbie Duncan, the grieving mother of Lancashire teenager Jay Slater, is struggling to come to terms with the tragic loss of her son. Jay, a 19-year-old bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, was found dead in Tenerife last month after a series of unsettling events that have left his family seeking answers.
Jay Slater went missing on June 17, 2024, following a night out at a music festival. He had decided to walk back to his accommodation, accompanied by two men he had just met. Tragically, he fell to his death after a long, arduous journey. A post-mortem examination revealed that Jay died from traumatic head injuries consistent with a fall from height.
Despite the official findings, Debbie Duncan remains haunted by unanswered questions and struggles to understand her son’s final movements. She expressed her deep confusion over Jay’s decisions in the days leading up to his death.
Debbie is perplexed by Jay’s choice to travel with two older men to a remote Airbnb instead of returning to his friends. She also questions why he left the apartment the following morning without charging his phone, suggesting that he may have felt unsafe when he made his exit.
In an emotional interview with The Sun, Debbie shared her distress: “I don’t know what he thought he was doing by going with these two guys. I really don’t know. I can’t get my head round why he just didn’t go back to his own friends, and went with them. In our minds, we think he’s not realised where he was going. And it was dark. I just think he’s not even thought about or knew which direction he was going.”
Debbie also reflected on the possibility that Jay may have been frightened, noting that he would never typically let his phone run down. She questioned why he didn’t take the opportunity to charge it, especially when one of the men claimed to have provided a charger.
Ayub Quassim, one of the men Jay accompanied, had booked the Airbnb under a false name. He stated that Jay arrived at the house alive and left alive. Spanish detectives interviewed both men but concluded they were not relevant to the investigation.
Debbie is determined to speak with the men involved to gain a better understanding of her son’s final moments. While she acknowledges that no amount of information can change the outcome, she hopes to find some clarity and closure.
“I can’t change anything and there are so many ifs and buts and I can just drive myself insane thinking about everything,” Debbie lamented, as she continues to seek answers and cope with her profound loss.
The search for answers continues as Debbie Duncan grapples with the heartache of losing her son and the many questions that remain unanswered.
