Jelani Day’s family pleads for public’s help in finding missing Illinois graduate student

It has been nearly a month since Jelani Day, an aspiring doctor, disappeared.

His family is now pleading for answers and asking for the public’s help.

Jelani Day was last seen August 24th

Jelani Day, a graduate student at Illinois State University, was last seen on Aug. 24. His family reported the 25-year-old missing the following day, after they made many attempts to reach him, but were unsuccessful. Day had also not shown up to class for several days, prompting concern among faculty members at ISU, according to the report.

Bloomington Police Department

People reports:

On Tuesday, Aug. 24, Day was seen on surveillance footage entering a store called Beyond/Hello in Bloomington at around 9:12 a.m. In images obtained by police and shared in the report, Day is seen wearing a blue Detroit Lions baseball hat, a black graphic T-shirt, white shorts and black shoes.

While Day’s whereabouts are unknown, police believe they have located his vehicle.

On Aug. 26, officers with the Peru Police Department responded to a report of a vehicle in a wooded area south of the Illinois Valley YMCA. When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered a white 2010 Chrysler 300, concealed by trees.

After inspecting the vehicle, officials say they found the articles of clothing Day was wearing when he was last seen on Aug. 24. Police, along with the help of K-9 officials, searched the area, but there was no sign of the graduate student, who is also a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

“Upon a search of law enforcement computerized files, it was determined the vehicle was a vehicle of interest in a missing person case out of Bloomington, Illinois. The vehicle was one belonging to Mr. Jelani J. Day, age 25 of Bloomington, Illinois,” police state in the missing person report.

Family Pleads For Help

As authorities work to find Jelani, his family is asking for the public’s help in finding their loved one.

“This is my little brother,” Day’s brother Seve Day wrote alongside a copy of the missing persons report on Twitter. “He’s been missing for 3 weeks as of today now. Please help me and my family find him, one retweet can make a huge difference. I love him so much #FindJelaniDay I’m never giving up.”

Day’s mother, Carmen Bolden Day, has also spoken out, telling Newsy, “We don’t have a lot of information.”

” I don’t feel like I’m getting the help that I need,” said Carmen. “I’m imploring, pleading, and asking that the police still pay attention and look for my son.” In addition, Carmen is frustrated that her son, who is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., isn’t getting coverage compared to Gabby Petito.

“Jelani hadn’t been getting the coverage. Jelani has been missing for 24 days, and as I said, it seems like the effort to find him has slacked down. I know about Gabby, the missing girl, and she’s been missing for two days, and her face is plastered everywhere, and the FBI is involved, and I do not understand why Jelani doesn’t get that same coverage.”

The Day family is offering a $25,000 reward for information that can help their case and has also asked the public to reach out to their private investigator with tips. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Day family, and we wish Jelani a safe return.

Carmen said during her last conversation with Day, he told her he was going to class and that he’d call her later. “He said ‘Okay mama, I just wanted to hear your voice.’ And that was our last conversation on Aug. 23.”

Jelani Day’s fraternity, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., has also got involved in the search efforts.

Help us bring Bro. Jelani Day (’18 NE) home safe. If you have any information or have seen Jelani please contact BFD Dispatch 309-820-8888 or contact Det. Paul Jones at 309-434-2548 or pjones@cityblm.org.
💜 #findjelaniday #bloomingtonillinois #jelaniday pic.twitter.com/LrF6DBuyBg

— Omega Psi Phi (@OfficialOPPF) August 30, 2021