As Jay Slater's loved ones continue their heartbreaking wait to bring his body home , they've had to contend with a fresh blow from 'armchair detectives'.
While distressed mum Debbie Duncan tries to come to terms with losing her 'beautiful boy', she's now having to deal with internet sleuths attempting to access the teen's autopsy report before his body is repatriated to the UK , it has been revealed.
After a desperate month-long search, Jay , 19, was discovered lying dead in a lonely ravine, with a preliminary autopsy suggesting he died instantly following a fatal fall. The full autopsy results have not yet been disclosed.
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Now a spokesperson for Jay's family has shed some light on the 'hurtful' toll that wild speculations have had on the family, slamming sleuths' cruel attempts to access the comprehensive autopsy report.
Speaking with the BBC, CEO of LBT Global Matthew Searle, who represents the Slater family, told of how 'armchair detectives' and 'so-called experts' had been 'making a name for themselves' in the wake of Jay's disappearance, with some trying to get whatever details they can about the teenager's autopsy. Announcing his plans to address this issue with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Mr Searle said: "If someone is missing, what parents will do is sit there and try to find every bit of information online, and there's been all this stuff that's been so hurtful for them.
"But as well as the parents, all this has a huge impact on the investigation. It's been unprecedented, and I think it has to stop. This behaviour is just not fair for the authorities or practitioners like ourselves, but most of all it's not fair for the families who are going through the worst time ever. I've been in this job for over 20 years and I have worked on thousands of cases and I have never seen anything like this level. It seems like it's ramped up recently and it's something I feel passionately about, something I am going to be talking to the Home Secretary about in the coming weeks."
A preliminary autopsy points toward 'a fall or plunge from height due to the broken bones' sustained by Jay . A Civil Guard spokesperson revealed that Jay's injuries included several broken bones, stating: "The body of the man located yesterday has been identified of that as Jay Slater through fingerprint comparison and identification. The result of the preliminary autopsy points to the cause of death being a fall or plunge from height due to the broken bones he suffered."
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This comes as new photos show the desolate ravine where Jay's body was finally discovered. The remote spot, which has a steep drop, is overgrown with thick vegetation and is nearly inaccessible by foot. Rescue teams would have needed ropes to access to the area, all while dealing with changeable weather conditions. It's possible that this is why rescue efforts took so long.
In the coming days, Jay's bereaved family members will be preparing to bring his body home to Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, however, the Spanish police have yet to complete their investigations. The Sun reports that this means the family could face a year-long wait for answers, given that UK authorities may have to hold off on their inquest for months until the Spanish police force 's findings are complete. Given the complexity of Jay 's case, a UK inquest may then take even longer.
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