Through Johnny Humphries, bbc information
Handouts/PA MediaThe mother of Jay Slater’s best friend has told the BBC a barrage of online trolling has added to her “living nightmare”.
Rachel Hargreaves, 34, has been supporting Mr Slater’s mother Debbie Duncan in Tenerife and has spent days in the mountains searching for the 19-year-old.
His son Brad traveled to the Canary Islands with Mr Slater, who has been missing since June 17 and subsequently failed to return to his residence.
Ms Hargreaves, a chef from Accrington, Lancashire, said one troll also mimicked her late mother, who died eight months ago.
Her response came later, with Ms Duncan saying one of the £36,000 raised for the fundraiser would be used to aid mountain rescue efforts.
thesisMs Hargreaves described Mr Slater as a “lovely lad” who was completing his apprenticeship as a bricklayer and who was popular with his friends.
She and Brad, whom she describes as “not really coping”, have vowed to stay in Tenerife “as long as necessary” to support Mr Slater’s mother.
Since Mr Slater’s friends and society raised concerns, the case has attracted intense family outrage, which has additionally unleashed a tide of conspiracy theories and bad online behaviour.
Ms Hargreaves later agreed to help run an online Facebook team set up by the society, which now has more than 590,000 people.
He told the BBC that the hundreds of feedback and messages included many from the public who were originally looking to assist, but were ignored due to the flood of negativity or speculation.
He said one of the most frightening instances was when he received a friend request from a fake account on Facebook using his mother’s name and movie, the same month his son also received a message saying “I miss you”.
‘worst nightmare’
“My mother’s picture is old, but it was definitely on my Facebook and coincidentally her hand is on it,” he said.
“We are living the worst nightmare you can live and it doesn’t help. I am a strong person and it affected me. Things don’t usually reach me.”
She mentioned: “You can’t put into words how you feel. I’m just here to support her and try to be strong for her.
“The things she won’t do, I’m looking forward to doing for her, mother to mother.
“Since then we have become even closer friends.
“We always talked about Jay and Brad, we were just caring moms who wanted to make sure they were safe.”
Ms Hargreaves said Ms Duncan was working closely with the Spanish government, but she had “absolutely no idea” what happened to the teenager.
He further added, “What people are saying about us is not true. We are not those kind of people at all.”
Ms Duncan, formerly of Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, thanked the family for all the support and donations during the “dark times”.
She noted: “Additionally, as there is a need to extend our stay in Tenerife, we will also use the funds to cover accommodation and food expenses.
“I am surrounded by wonderful people who are by my side, but far away from their loved ones, so we will also use a part of that budget to fly them to Tenerife so that we can help everyone on those difficult occasions. Be able to support the alternative.”
The appeal has so far raised more than £36,000.
Ms Duncan said the money, which is being “held safely” by the crowdfunding site, has not yet been accessed.
On Thursday, Ms Duncan wrote on Facebook that although it was “hard to focus on what’s happening”, Mr Slater’s family and friends were “not giving up hope” that they would find their son.
Ms Duncan said she is now working with GoFundMe to recoup some of the money donated, which will be used to support mountain rescue teams in the search for Mr Slater.
Ms Hargreaves told the BBC that Ms Duncan was reluctant to use the money because of negative comments online and was “making the entire payment from her personal area”.
Mr Slater reportedly left the tourist resort of Playa de las Americas in the south of the island with two British men in the early hours of 17 June.
His last known location was a path in the mountainous Rural de Teno National Park, about a 40-minute drive from where he left his friends.
reutersMr. Slater, an apprentice mason, had gone to Tenerife with two friends to attend an NRG concert.
He was last heard from shortly before 9:00 BST on 17 June when he called a friend saying he was lost, thirsty and that his phone was at 1% battery.
Mountain rescue teams, Guardia Civil Police, drones, specialist sniffer dogs and helicopter teams have been involved in the search but so far there has been no success.
Lancashire Police said they offered assistance to their Spanish counterparts, who refused, saying “they have the sources they want”.
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