The family of Nolan Wells, a Mississippi teenager who was found dead after going missing last weekend, is demanding answers about what happened to him.Wells, 18, did not return with friends from a boating trip to Horn Island on 4 July and his body was found in the water two days later. The Jackson County Sheriff's office said "no foul play was suspected" but is calling on the public to come forward if they have any information. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump - who has been hired by the family - says there have been conflicting witness statements and that he has ordered an independent autopsy.An initial autopsy was carried out earlier this week, but the results have not been released. Dental records confirmed the body was Wells, Jackson County coroner Bruce Lynd told the BBC's media partner CBS News. His mother, Christine Wonsley, was the first to raise the alarm that her son, who played American football at Southwest Mississippi Community College and was described by his coach as a "happy-go-lucky kid", had gone missing after he did not return on the evening of 4 July. Authorities discovered his body off the coast of the island on 6 July, following a search that included multiple local, state and federal agencies. National Park Service described Horn Island as having "no staff, drinking water, shelter, facilities, or communication".
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FRI · 2026-07-10 · 15:50 GMTBRIEF NSR-2026-0710-91989
NSR-2026-0710-91989·
Nolan Wells' family demands answers about US teen's death after boating trip
Wells' body was found in the water near Mississippi's Horn Island days after he went on a boating trip there with friends.
9 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleBrandon DrenonBBC News - WorldFiled 2026-07-10 · 15:50 GMTRead · 1 min
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