Andy

so this 18yo boy went out boating with his “friends” ystday. everyone made it back safely except him.. & y’all know exactly which one it is. yes, the only black boy. ts don’t even add up to me.

Katie McCormack, the young woman Nolan Xavier Wells had just met, is now cooperating with investigators. At the same time, reports indicate that two of the young men, Wyatt Pyron and Warren Hudson, have retained attorneys, and Ashlee Cole, the judge's wife/ stepmother connected to the family, has reportedly deactivated her social media.

Mother of one of the young men pictured on the boat with Nolan Wells issued a statement. Ashlee Cole is a Chancery Court Judge. Her statement- “Our family, along with the community, grieves the loss of Nolan Wells. Our thoughts and prayers are with Nolan's family. Our son, Warren, loved Nolan dearly. Unfortunately, I feel that it is appropriate for our family to dispel some rumors with facts based upon the social media attention that is being diverted away from the Wells family and their loss. Yes, I deactivated my Facebook. Given the very heightened emotional state of social media right now, I fear for the safety of my child and my children. My husband and I have six children and we covet their privacy. We do not believe it is appropriate for our minor children's photographs to be circulated throughout the Internet, presenting potential threats to their safety. I graduated high school with Christine Wells-Wonsley. We are from the same community. I have the utmost respect for her and all of the Wells family. We mourn the loss of Nolan with them. Our prayers have been and will continue to be with them. My husband and I were not at Horn Island at any point on 4th of July. No one in our family is trying in any way to impede with the investigation by law enforcement or to otherwise hamper the family and law enforcement's quest for answers. Warren was interviewed by the Jackson County Sheriff's Department and cooperated fully. He saw Nolan last at around 3 pm on July 4th. They left around 4:30 pm when the boat was taking on water and they had an issue with the bilge pump. Nolan made a decision to stay on the island and return inland later with another group of friends. Yes, I am a judge. I also value transparency. I apologize if anyone was offended that I deleted my social media. There were no nefarious motivations in my deleting my social media. Social media has a lot of positives, but a whole lot of negatives. We live in a world of click-baiting. Sad, but true. My family is hopeful that this information will help to redirect the attention to the Wells family, their grief, and their need for our community's support.”