Police and family are hoping someone may know something about Day, who has been missing since late August.
Spotlight on other unsolved missing persons cases
Spotlight on other unsolved missing persons cases
"What I want them to do, is to realize that Jelani is everybody, so he could be your brother, he could be your cousin, he could be your nephew, he could be a grandson. And you want somebody to look for him or somebody to find him, and that's all I want. I want my son," said Jelani's mom, Carmen Bolden Day.
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The 25-year-old was reported missing in Bloomington, Illinois, on August 25 after he didn't show up to class for several days, according to his family.
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His car was found a day later in a wooded area about 60 miles away near Peru in LaSalle County.
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"I shouldn't have to beg. I shouldn't have to plead. I shouldn't have to feel, that there is a racial disparity, I shouldn't have to feel anything like that, I want these people that have these resources to realize this this could happen to them," Jelani's mom told GMA.
A body was found in the Illinois River in early September, but authorities have not said who it is.
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Day is a masters student studying speech pathology.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Bloomington Police Department at (309) 4342548