'He's my baby and my baby wouldn't run away': Missing ISU student's family continues search

"Oh, I'm not giving up. I've never given up on any of my kids, no matter what has happened," Jelani "JJ" Day's mom, Carmen Bolden, told WAND News. "I know that Jelani is thinking right now, 'my momma is coming to get me.'"

Bolden said the past couple days have been the hardest situation she has gone through. She said she is desperate for answers. 

"I'm just wondering where my child is and I want to. I'm trying to think of everything I can because I want him to come home," she said. 

She's working together with the Bloomington Police Department, saying the detectives on the case have been incredibly helpful, but they are still desperate for more tips to have leads on the case. 

JJ's sisters are also tirelessly searching for answers that can lead them to hugging their brother again. Dacara Bolden, JJ's sister, said, "we don't really know exactly what to do but we know it takes a village. And we're asking for help from everyone all over all surrounding areas even people far away."

They tell WAND News that JJ is not one to disappear. 

Dacara said Jelani is a stand-out person.

"Jelani is lively. He's energetic, very personable," she said. "So many people are reaching out and showing so much love for him and they've never even met him before. That's the type of person he was."

His mom is saying Jelani is definitely not the type to run away. 

"He has a good foundation. He has people that he can talk to, so he wouldn't run away, he wouldn't go away. He would not hide," Bolden said.

Now, their only mission is to keep search efforts alive.

"We don't know everything, but we're trying to figure out like what he did to lead us to him," Bolden said. "So, those, those steps are progressing ... I just want Jelani back. I want my baby back."

Jelani's mom urges those who many know something to speak up. 

"Somebody knows something," she said. "I'm asking them to just come forward, if you just want to leave Jelani on the side of the road, let me know I'll come and get him no questions asked." 

Zena Day, his other sister, said she knows JJ is waiting for them to find him. "I know that he's waiting on us, and I know that he knows that we're looking for him, and we're coming. We are coming for you. We're coming for you."

A cash reward of $25,000 will be rewarded to anyone who gives in information to solve Jelani Day's disappearance.