Jay Slater’s mother, Debbie, has shared her harrowing experience with online trolls who inundated her with abusive messages, including one on Snapchat. The family received an onslaught of messages as soon as they arrived in Tenerife to search for Jay. A relative had posted a missing poster on Facebook, inadvertently sharing Debbie’s phone number publicly.
This mistake led to an influx of messages. Some claimed to know Jay’s whereabouts, while others falsely asserted they were holding him captive. One particularly cruel message on Snapchat stated: “I’ll give you one warning, your son won’t be coming back. He owes us enough f*****g money. Kiss goodbye to him.”
Debbie recounted to a newspaper: “The first week was all a blur. I was in a hotel room in Tenerife, looking for Jay, while being terrorised by trolls. “There were calls with people saying ‘we know where Jay is, he’s done this, he’s done that.’ Some were from people screaming Jay’s name or saying he had been stabbed on a beach. The stories were just unreal. Absolutely unreal.
“I don’t even have the words to describe how sick these individuals are. I have been terrorised by trolls. I have tried to block it out but you can’t.” Other messages suggested Jay was chained up or kidnapped. In July, ex-detective Mark Williams-Thomas, who joined the family’s search for Jay, commented on the abuse they received.
He noted: “So much fake content has been created in the Jay Slater case – mocked up chat, messages, pics. It’s a very different world we live in today with social media and online detectives. “The overwhelming response from people has been very positive, with many just wanting to help, even though most have no direct information, just what they have read, seen, or think.
“A number of people have made vile threats and ransom demands, all checked out and found to have no credibility. Being at the centre of a massive story that has attracted worldwide media and public attention brings many new challenges.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
What happened to Jay Slater’s family when they went to Tenerife?
They were bombarded with vile messages and threats from online trolls.
Why did Jay Slater’s family receive so many cruel messages?
A relative unknowingly posted Jay’s mum’s phone number on Facebook.
What kind of messages did Debbie Slater receive about her son?
Messages included threats, false claims of captivity, and fake ransom demands.
Who joined the search for Jay Slater and commented on the abuse?
Ex-detective Mark Williams-Thomas.
How did social media impact the search for Jay Slater?
It brought both positive support and harmful fake content, complicating the search.