The parents of Nolan Wells, the 18-year-old who was found dead after going on a July 4 boat trip to a Mississippi barrier island, made an unexpected appearance with their family attorney in Cincinnati.
Christine and Elmore Wonsley spoke alongside civil rights attorney Ben Crump at the Omega Psi Phi Grand Conclave's Community Rally event at Fountain Square.
Crump told the crowd of close to 100 people that he had brought Christine and Elmore Wonsley to speak about their son's death, while also bringing attention to the deaths Daniel Erving and Tyler Smith, two other Black 18-year-olds who "lost their lives in similar circumstances."
The Wonsleys said that they wanted to keep local authorities "accountable" and ensure an unbiased, thorough investigation
of their son's death.
"This loss has been tough. We never imagined losing our children at a young age, but in this time of feeling hopeless, sadness, despair, we have to take a moment to always thank God for the blessing. Thank him for the 18 years that we were able to be his parents, to love and nurture him," Christine told the audience.
What happened to Nolan Wells?
Wells' story captivated national attention because much of the circumstances leading up to his disappearance and death remain unknown.
Wells had taken a July 4 boat trip to Horn Island with White friends, who returned to the mainland without him. Two days later, his body was found by a park ranger. Officials in Jackson County have said they have not found signs of foul play but are continuing to investigate.
Wells' death has sparked discourse among Black parents on the safety of their children in predominantly White spaces. Christine said that parents needed to have "tough conversations" with their families.
"We do have to be, unfortunately, more careful, more observant, more discerning when we are in spaces with others who do not look like us," Christine told the crowd. "And that is something we spoke to our children about regularly."
Wells' family have since launched their own independent investigation, citing a lack of trust in law enforcement and Mississippi's history of racial injustice.
"Black lives matter, and Nolan's life matters," Crum said to the crowd today. "We're gonna fight to get to the truth of what happened to Nolan Wells."
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Nolan Wells' parents speak at Omega Psi Phi rally at Fountain Square
