Jay Slater's mum taken through son's post-mortem results as she reveals guilt over fateful moment she 'still feels responsible for'

From the Newshound archive · first published 26 September 2026 · last updated 27 September 2026.

Debbie Duncan, 57, travelled back to Tenerife's Rural de Teno national park for Channel 5 documentary 'Cause of Death', weeks after finally receiving the delayed Spanish post-mortem report confirming Jay died falling into an 82ft-deep ravine. Pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd, who conducted the Home Office post-mortem, walked her through the findings in detail, while Duncan also opened up about a specific moment she still feels guilty about and addressed why Jay never turned back on his fateful walk. Duncan had accidentally seen photographs of her son's dead body when Spanish police showed them to her during a visit to collect his phone and paperwork.

Duncan broke down laying flowers at the spot where Jay left the road, saying he would be 'so sorry for the mistakes he made'.

The family endured years of abuse from online conspiracy theorists making what authorities described as unevidenced claims about Jay's fate.

Shepherd told Duncan the head injury was so severe it would have killed Jay immediately, with no prolonged pain or suffering.