Nolan Wells’ parents “do not believe” that their teenage son “simply and accidentally drowned,” they announced Tuesday – despite a grand jury finding no evidence of foul play leading up to his death.
Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, broke down in tears while denouncing the newly released grand jury report alongside her husband and Wells’ father, Elmore Wonsley, and an attorney for the family, Ben Crump, during an intense press conference in Stonecrest, Georgia.
“Elmore and I have read through the report page-by-page more than once. What we have learned is that we still have no answers and the report reinforced that Nolan was not given a thorough, transparent and honest investigation,” the grieving mother claimed.
Her remarks come after a grand jury in Mississippi passed down a decision on Friday declaring the 18-year-old’s death as “consistent with drowning” – after reviewing results from autopsies carried out by both the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office and an independent pathologist previously hired by the parents.
“The Grand Jury finds that the position of, the condition of, time of discovery, and location of Mr. Wells’ body is consistent with drowning,” reads the deciders’ report, which was filed in Jackson County.
Wells was discovered floating in the water two days after he vanished during a July 4 boat trip to Horn Island with pals.
The 23 grand jurors who met last week also found no evidence that a crime resulted in Wells’ death – despite discoloration found on the back of his head being reported in an independent autopsy previously conducted for the family.
Here’s the latest on the disappearance and death of Mississippi teen Nolan Wells:
Though a witness testified under oath that he saw Wells slip “awkwardly” off the side of a boat where he was hanging out with friends, he couldn’t definitively say whether Wells struck his head during the fall — but added that he didn’t appear injured and carried on socializing, according to his testimony.
Ultimately, “There was bruising on the back of Mr. Wells’ head which was not a fatal injury. Further, the Grand Jury found no evidence of any fatal injury or organic disease to Mr. Wells’ body,” the final decision states.
Additionally, “There is absolutely no evidence to support the allegations that Nolan’s death and disappearance were racially motivated,” District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath said in a video statement released Monday.
Christine Wonsley vowed to continue fighting for what the family and their supporters have repeatedly referred to as “the truth” about her son’s death.
“Nolan embodies kindness and love, but most importantly, honesty. And I know without a shadow of a doubt that if Nolan would be here right now, he would be in full support – he would support every single thing – his father and I have done,” she said during the press conference, which was met by a round of applause from the audience.
“Despite the grand jury’s decision, Elmore, our family and I will continue to fight for justice and I know all those who have supported us will do the same.”
“At the end of the day, there is only one victim – and it is our son, Nolan Xavier Wells,” the mother added.
Wells’ pals have been subjected to a campaign of wild conspiracy theories and harassment from amateur online sleuths about why they left their friend behind on that fateful day.
The grand jury report called any such attacks on the group of Wells’ friends who traveled on three boats — the Triton, the Palm Beach, and the Tideline — or their families to be “malicious,” “false” and “have no truth in fact or evidence.”
