Update (Oct. 18, 2021): An Illinois coroner told USA TODAY that Jelani Day's organs were only missing during a second autopsy because they'd been removed during the first. Claims of the 25-year-old's missing organs first surfaced in a Chicago Sun-Times interview with Day's mother Carmen Bolden Day. 

Day's mother and the family's lawyer told the outlet that an independent autopsy had found her son had been without eyeballs and his top and bottom teeth and his jawbone had been “sawed out," among other missing parts. 

Following the report, internet sleuths circulated rumors that the Omega Psi Phi member had his organs harvested. The claims were quickly shut down on the Justice for Jelani Day Facebook page. 

On Thursday, a petition was launched to request federal officials investigate Day's death. It accused local authorities of improperly handling the case. 

Update (Oct. 12, 2021): A Facebook page titled Justice For Jelani Day is responding to conversations that took place following the publication of a Chicago Sun-Times article around the 25-year-old's death. The article cited Day's mother and attorney, who said they'd been informed organs were missing from Day's body. 

The name of Day's mother was written at the bottom of the Facebook post to suggest she'd authored it. The post clarified that the article stated that organs were missing, not that they were removed.

"I want to be VERY CLEAR about THIS journalist and his article…NO WHERE in this article did it say the 'eyes' or the 'organs' were REMOVED!" the post read. "MY PREVIOUS POST was written because I was/ and continue to constantly receive messages and questions about organ harvesting which again I said, was NOT the case."

"This article is ACCURATE, however as people do, they take what they want out of a conversation, in this case, a article and say or quote things incorrectly. John Fountain is telling Jelani's story, and so far he's done that accurately with grace and honesty… and I APPROVE!!" the status continued on, in reference to the journalist who wrote the piece. 

In the article, Day's mother, Carmen Bolden Day, and her attorney cited an independent autopsy that said Day's eyeballs, liver and spleen were missing. 

"The information that he has written he did in fact get from me based on MY UNDERSTANDING of the two differing preliminary autopsy reports done by two differing pathologists," the post continued. "Please know that this author's SOLE PURPOSE is to shed light on Jelani's story and to help me #FINDJUSTICEFORJELANIDAY!"

"I don't know if any of you even remotely consider how draining and emotional this is for MY ENTIRE FAMILY, WE ARE NOT OK, I'M NOT OK, so please continue to pray with and for US, pray for the community and people that are helping us seek answers, so that means let's pray for EACH OTHER as we continue to find out what happened to my baby," the post continued. 

Original (Oct. 11, 2021): Authorities are continuing to investigate the death of Jelani Day, whose body was pulled from the Illinois River last month. Day's mother said an autopsy found her son had been without eyeballs and his top and bottom teeth. The autopsy also concluded that his jawbone had been “sawed out" according to The Chicago Sun-Times. 

The family said their loved one's brain, liver and spleen were also missing. A pathology report added that the organs were “completely liquefied" and the genitalia was unidentifiable. 

Day's body was found after the family continually begged authorities to give more attention to the case. 

"I was very frustrated with the fact that Jelani hadn’t been getting the coverage. Jelani has been missing for 24 days. It appears that help has ceased. I’m imploring, pleading, and asking that the police still pay attention and look for my son,” Carmen Day said, according to MEAWW. 

The heartbroken mother cited the case of Gabby Petito, wishing that her son would have received the same amount of diligence.

"Her face is plastered everywhere and the FBI is involved," Carmen said about Petito. "And I do not understand why Jelani doesn’t get that same coverage; Jelani doesn’t get that same attention."

The coroner’s office identified the body on Sept. 23 and notified the family. Day's loved ones learned that the body was not only missing its organs but also suffered from fish and turtle bites, while also being infested by maggots. 

When authorities released Day's body, the family's attorney, Hallie M. Bezner, advised the mother not to look at her son's remains.

“He was in such bad shape,” Bezner said. “It’s just a heartbreaking story, for sure.”

The family is now preparing to celebrate the young man's life at a closed-casket service in his hometown of Danville.

Bezner said she is still looking for scientific explanations, hoping to understand what happened to Day's body.