Christmas party season warning from heartbroken parents of Michael

“He was my boy. So full of life and laughter. Then he was gone.”

The search for missing Fife teenager, Thomas Brown, was called off last week after police pulled a body from the River Leven on Wednesday. The 17-year-old went missing on December 13 in circumstances that sound depressingly familiar a young man on a fun night out with friends never comes home.

It’s a nightmare scenario that John and Elaine Slaven know too well. Their son Michael, 23, was missing for a week before he was found dead in the River Clyde in September.

On their first Christmas without their boy, John and Elaine talk of their grief and the agony of questions that will never be answered.

“Both my parents died in 2011. It knocked the stuffing out of me but I took consolation that they both had good, long lives.

“But with Michael, he was only 23 he was my boy. He was so full of life, energy, laughter he was alive. And then he was just gone.

“Michael’s death is the hardest, most horrible thing anyone in our family has faced. It’s all still so raw. It’s the last thing I think about at night and the first thing I think about in the morning.

“How can life ever be normal again?”

It was the early hours of Friday, August 30, when Michael went missing.

The electrician, from Dumbarton, was on a night out with friends in Glasgow city centre. He left Sugar Cube nightclub, on Queen Street, alone. He was last seen on CCTV images at around 2.30am.

As soon as it became clear Michael was missing, both parents were certain something terrible had happened.

Mum Elaine, 53, says: “I’ve always been a bit over-protective with my kids Michael, his brother Shaun and sisters Paula and Monica.

“If they’re out, I text them as soon as the clubs shut at 3am to ask where they are and when they’ll be coming home.

“Michael always replied, without fail. My other three, well, sometimes you’d hear back. So when it got to 5am and he hadn’t answered, I was worried. ”

And Elaine says something very odd happened later that morning when she got up for work.

“I was crying when I woke up,” she sighs. “It was weird and I don’t think it’s ever happened to me before.

“I can’t remember what I was dreaming about but I was very upset. I think, on some level, I knew Michael was gone.”

Elaine and John are divorced but remain friends. It was 11am when Elaine called her ex-husband to say Michael hadn’t returned home.

John says: “As soon as she told me I burst into tears. It was just so unlike Michael he always let his mum know if he was staying out. I knew something bad had happened.”

CCTV pictures show Michael displaying “bizarre” behaviour before he disappeared. Minutes after appearing calm and composed in a takeaway shop, he’s pictured running erratically around St Enoch Square and trying to open the locked doors of the Underground station.

The last sightings are of him attempting to climb into St Andrew’s Cathedral.

It has led to concerns Michael’s drink might have been spiked. Later toxicology tests proved negative but his parents remain unconvinced.

John says: “I’m not nave I know practically every parent would say it’s ‘out of character’ or ‘my son wouldn’t take drugs’, but there’s just too much that doesn’t make any sense.

“Michael was pictured at 2.24am buying a snack from a shop. You can tell he’s had a drink but he’s OK. He was lucid, perfectly calm, said thanks when he took his change.

“Yet at 2.29am he’s running about the place, acting so strangely. It’s like he’s suddenly gone from tipsy to completely away with it.

“How can that happen? I’m certain he didn’t knowingly take any drugs in a couple of days he was due to start a course that would get him a job off-shore.

“It involved a drugs test and it cost him £4,000 there’s no way he’d have jeopardised that.

“He was a sensible boy, into fitness. He hardly ever drank just socially when he was out.

“The tests came back negative but you can’t check for everything certainly not all the so-called ‘legal highs’ you get so there is the possibility he was spiked.

“The police and experts put it down to too much alcohol, so I have to accept that until I learn differently.”

Understandably, John and Elaine are dreading Christmas.

Elaine, 53, says: “Christmas isn’t really happening as far as I’m concerned. Michael’s girlfriend Rachelle is organising a memorial concert in January that’s what I’m focusing on.

“The heart has been ripped from our family. I know it’s a terrible pun given he was an electrician, but he provided the spark in the house. Now it just feels so empty.

“People need to stay safe when they’re out. Keep an eye on your drink, stay with your pals. And at this time of year, make sure you stay warm.

“I know people are just out to have fun but sometimes the worst happens. No family should face what we have.”

A depressingly familiar story a young man missing after a night out

DEAN GEARY, 19, Alexandria

Last seen on CCTV in Glasgow’s George Square at 2.40am on Sunday, February 7, 2010. MoD worker Dean spoke to a friend on his mobile at 3.30am saying he was in a taxi. He’d been on a night out with friends.

Found dead on A811 country road near Gartocharn, more than 20 miles from George Square and about seven miles past home. Initially treated as suspicious, then ruled an accident. Police re-launched an investigation on November 26, 2013.

ROSS RAMSAY, 30, Maryhill

Last seen leaving a casino in Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, around midnight on Thursday, February 14, 2013. He’d been in his local pub, the Ben Nevis. Found dead in the River Clyde on March 11. No suspicious circumstances.

Described as “vulnerable” and on medication for depression. Disappearance none-the-less “completely out of character”. A sound director, Ross was due to start a new job at the National Theatre within days.

DAVID O’HALLORAN, 18, Stirling

Last seen in the early hours of January 18, 2013, crossing Henderson Street in Bridge of Allan. Student David had been on a night out in Stirling. Found dead in woodland on April 18. Tests revealed the presence of drug GHB, leading to fears his drink was spiked. Police say there is no evidence for this. Parents say he was “not a drug user”.

CRAIG McCAFFREY, 24, Castlemilk

Last seen heading toward Bridge Street in Glasgow around 8.45pm on Friday, October 26, 2012. Found dead in the River Clyde on December 3, 2012. Not treated as suspicious. Craig had been at Halloween party with friends. Disappearance “completely out of character”.

STUART DAVIS, 23, Parkhouse

Last seen leaving Savoy nightclub, Sauchiehall Street, about 1.15am on Sunday, October 30, 2011. He’d been celebrating girlfriend Kelly’s 21st birthday with pals. Found dead in the Forth and Clyde Canal on Monday, November 14, 2011. Not treated as suspicious. Family described Stuart, a janitor, as a “homebird”. A dad-of-one who doted on daughter. Disappearance highly out of character.

IAIN NICHOLSON, 21, Bearsden

Last seen leaving Karbon Club and walking down Glasgow’s Buchanan Street at 1am on Friday, February 2, 2007. Had been on a night out with his sister and friends. Found dead, River Clyde Sunday, March 18, 2007. Not treated as suspicious.

Family said his disappearance was out of character. Shop worker Iain was due to go travelling in Australia that April. Parents fear his drink was spiked.