A Tokoroa family desperate to find missing teacher Jayleb-Che Dean have pulled together an $8000 reward in the hope that “money talks”.
The 36-year-old Tokoroa Intermediate teacher vanished on Tuesday, September 30, and police have confirmed they have serious concerns for his welfare.
He was last seen at a swimming spot known as the Hot ’n’ Cold pools on Waiotapu Loop Rd, about 30km south of Rotorua. Police have recovered his car from there.
He had earlier been seen on CCTV footage at the Rotorua BP on Fenton St at 10.03pm on September 30.
Search and Rescue teams and members of his family have been searching the bush, waterways and farming area surrounding the pools in the weeks since.
The extensive search has involved air and land crews, dog teams and drones.
The official police search has been scaled back this week as police review next steps.
Dean’s brother, Aaron Dean from Tokoroa, said the family was desperate for answers and they believed some people might have important information.
“Money talks. But there is no amount of money for us to bring our brother home.”
He said the $8000 had been pulled together in the hope of finding him alive, or at least knowing where he was.
“You can’t just vanish. There has to be some sort of answer.”
Aaron Dean said his brother came from a large family with many brothers and sisters.
The wider family had come together during this ordeal every day since September 30 to look for him.
They were concentrating their efforts on the forestry area at Waiotapu, tramping through blackberry bushes and dense scrub.
“We go out every day ... We are always careful and stick together but it’s like finding a needle in a haystack.”
He said the first few weeks of the search were particularly emotional.
“But no matter what, we still need to find our brother.”
He and his brother were close and were solely raised by their grandparents at one point in their early lives.
“They passed away when we were 17 or 18 and we had to find our own way forward after that.”
He said they were brought up as staunch Seventh Day Adventist church members and still came together each Saturday for the Sabbath.
“I miss his bubbly personality at lunch every Sabbath. He would just randomly turn up and bring light to everyone.”
He said his brother had an infectious personality and sense of humour and would often be given the “trouble bunch” at school to look after because he had a way of turning them around.
His brother’s absence during the past three weeks had left a hole in their lives and he admitted he didn’t want to believe this was real.
“Just walking through town, I would see photos of him on the missing posters and it would give me anxiety. I just didn’t want to see it or believe it.”
The family has set up a Facebook page called “bringjaylebhome” where those who knew him have been posting messages of support, as well as videos and photos of him.
One post said his presence would have been felt at Thursday’s teacher strike action.
“I know you would be front and centre, no doubt leading the chants, and making sure the crowd gets their timing right, counting them in and clapping the beat,” it said.
Another said he used to be in “Mr Dean’s” class at Tokoroa Central School.
“He was a bright light through the darkness ... Mr Dean if you can see this, please come home. The whole of Tokoroa is dull without your laugh and cheer.”
Senior Sergeant Graeme Hill, officer in charge of the Rotorua police search and rescue squad, said search teams were in the Waiotapu area until the middle of this week but had stopped as of Thursday.
“We are now getting the search reviewed by someone from out of the district to decide where to go from here.”
Hill said the terrain was tough going at times.
“You’re bush bashing to get anywhere.”
He said the family was also searching the area, which was helpful, but he said they had to also cover the areas the family had been in so they could “hand on heart” rule out those spots.
Rotorua police investigations manager Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Van Kempen said there were serious concerns for Dean’s wellbeing as it was out of character for him to be gone for so long.
He said there had been good tips from the public but nothing concrete.
Police believed other people were at the Hot ’n’ Cold pools on the Tuesday night Dean was there and they might have seen him or spoken with him.
Police were also keen to talk to anyone who might have been at the Waiotapu Mud Pools, a short distance from the Hot ’n’ Cold pools on Wednesday, October 1, between 10am and 3pm.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact police via 105, referencing file number 251003/5935.
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.