One Year Later: Jelani Day’s mother still determined to find out what happened to her son

CHICAGO (WLS) — On the surface, Carmen Bolden Day seems robust and unrelenting, however deep down Jelani Day’s mom mentioned her coronary heart breaks day by day as a result of she nonetheless does not know what occurred to her son.

Day was a graduate scholar learning speech pathology at Illinois State College. He was final seen on the campus on August 24, 2021. The following morning, Bolden mentioned he did not reply his calls.

Jelani Day’s household on the lookout for solutions after lacking ISU scholar discovered lifeless in river

“If I textual content him, Jelani would textual content me again, let me know, ‘Mother I will name you proper again,’ or he would name me, however I did not get a textual content again. So I simply went into panic mode,” she mentioned.

The final sighting of him was captured on surveillance video, exhibiting him ready in line at a marijuana dispensary in Bloomington. Days later police discovered his automotive in a wooded space in Peru, Illinois, about 60 miles north of campus.

“I feel again on these days, and I get indignant as a result of I did not obtain the assistance and help from the police right here,” Bolden Day mentioned.

READ MORE: Mom of ISU scholar pulled from river clarifies post-mortem ‘contradictions’

She mentioned she initiated her personal searches with the assistance of household and folks on social media, however she might solely accomplish that a lot.

“I nonetheless did not go all the way down to that river. And I ought to have,” she mentioned.

Practically two weeks after his disappearance, Day’s physique was discovered within the Illinois River practically two miles from the place his automotive was found. The nook dominated his explanation for loss of life to be drowning, however Bolden Day is definite he didn’t die by suicide.

ISU graduate scholar drowned, LaSalle Co. coroner says

“It is foul play. Completely. And someone’s masking up one thing for someone, as a result of none of this is sensible,” she mentioned.

Bolden Day mentioned the delays in her son’s case have been unacceptable; specifically, the delay accessing his cellphone.

READ MORE: Mom exhibits why she believes foul play was concerned in Jelani Day’s loss of life

“The FBI has the cellphone and so they cannot unlock it,” Bolden Day mentioned. “His radio from his automotive, which is meant to be a significant factor that may truly, they imagine that it could inform the place the automotive was, they declare that this radio is in Quantico nevertheless it’s on a two-year backlog.”

ABC7 requested the FBI about these items of proof, however the company mentioned it could’t touch upon lively investigations. Police additionally instructed Bolden Day her son’s automotive had been sitting exterior for the final three weeks as an alternative of in a safe space.

The Peru Police Division would not inform the I-Workforce why Day’s automotive is sitting exterior and wouldn’t converse on digital camera, however did give an announcement on behalf of the Jelani Day Joint Taskforce saying partly, “Advanced loss of life investigations take time to totally examine, and the Jelani Day Joint Job Power is using all obtainable investigative strategies to convey this case to a decision as quickly as doable. The duty pressure continues to solicit ideas from the general public, and the $10,000 reward for substantial data concerning Day’s closing hours stays lively.”

Regardless of many questions that stay unanswered, Bolden Day mentioned she will not develop weary, and that she owes it to her son to maintain going.

“I really like him,” she mentioned. I need him to know I am not going to let folks overlook about him. I will discover out what occurred to him.”

The FBI continues to be taking tips about Jelani Day’s case. When you have any data, name 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Bolden Day is launching the Jelani Day Basis, which helps households of lacking folks of shade get the help and a focus they should discover their family members. It will likely be launched on Saturday at an occasion on ISU’s campus.

For extra data, go to thejelanidayfoundation.org.