'This Could Be Anybody's Son': The Mother of Missing ISU Grad Student Jelani Day Searches For Answers

The mother of missing Illinois State University graduate student Jelani Day says nothing about her son’s disappearance is “adding up.”

Day was last seen in Bloomington on Aug. 24. His family reported him missing a day later.

Carmen Bolden-Day said she’s seen speculation on social media that Day may have been struggling with depression, and that he may have run off to “take a break.” She said that simply doesn’t square with Day’s character.

“He is a young man that loves his family,” said Bolden-Day. “He cares so much about what his grandma would think about anything he does. And he wouldn’t want her to worry.”

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Bolden-Day said her son also loved his late grandfather, whose car Day was driving the day he disappeared. That car – a white 2010 Chrysler 300 – was found two days later in a wooded area of Peru, Illinois, about an hour's drive north from Bloomington-Normal.

Bolden-Day said Day would’ve never abandoned his grandfather’s car.

“His grandfather meant the world to him,” she said. “Jelani wouldn’t even let his brothers and sister drive that car. So I know he wouldn’t give up his car to nobody and let them have it.”

Bolden-Day said she’s convinced that there are people who know what happened to her son, and she is urging them to come forward.

“Somebody’s not talking,” she said. “And I don’t even want to know all the details. I just want my son back.”

Bolden-Day said she wants people to understand how vital Day is to his family. “He’s a missing piece to my world,” she said.

Day’s family is grateful for the outpouring of support they’ve seen from the community. Bolden-Day said she doesn’t want the attention being paid to her son’s case to let up until he’s found.

“This could be anybody’s son,” she said. “This is all of our son.”