Nolan Wells‘ mom, Christine Wonsley, denied reports that her 18-year-old son was drinking heavily during a 4th of July celebration on Horn Island.
Nolan celebrated Independence Day with friends before his body was found near the Mississippi island on July 6.
Christine told Don Lemon she spoke with someone who saw Nolan on Horn Island — and he wasn’t acting like someone who was intoxicated.
Witnesses told law enforcement they saw Nolan on the island and he was drinking heavily, according to TMZ.
But Christine says the witness report doesn’t add up since Nolan was not a heavy drinker.
“If you were in our situation, how would you feel if there were millions of people who were saying, ‘Oh, hey, well, he was at an island. He was heavily drunk,'” she told Don.
The legal age for drinking alcoholic beverages in Mississippi is 21 years old. However, a person who is 18-21 can drink beer in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.
Mississippi officials completed Nolan’s autopsy and the findings will be turned over to a grand jury.
Nolan’s family attorney, Ben Crump, ordered an independent autopsy that was inconclusive because the Mississippi medical examiner’s office kept his major organs as part of its investigation.
Another family attorney associated with Crump notified Nolan’s friends of their intention to sue them.
Nolan’s friends raised nearly $100,000 for their legal expenses on GiveSendGo.
Christine said the family will continue to push for justice for Nolan.