Nearly two weeks after the body of 18-year-old college student Nolan Wells was discovered following his disappearance while celebrating the Fourth of July on Horn Island, Mississippi, his mother, Christine Wonsley, revealed that the family has received anonymous hate mail.
However, the grieving mother refuses to remain silent or be intimidated by insensitive threats, taking to Facebook with a bold message for the incognito sender.
“Whoever sent this to my home, may the good Lord have mercy on your soul,” she captioned the post alongside a picture of the alleged hate mail, which shows her at a news conference with her husband, Elmore Wonsley, the Rev. Al Sharpton, and attorney Ben Crump.
The photo shows Sharpton and Crump comforting her as she sobs with their hands on her shoulders. The sender drew arrows coming from the eyes of both civil rights activists, pointing toward multiple dollar signs on both sides of Wonsley.
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Nolan’s body was discovered two days later and identified using dental records although the group of all-white friends he was partying with returned from the island without incident.
“Bold enough to send this crap but not bold enough to list your return address,” Wonsely defiantly wrote. “This is America where a grieving mother and father have to deal with this type of behavior because we asked a simple question of what happened to our son and accepted all the help we could get to find answers. Please go touch some grass. #JusticeForNolanWells#Forever18.”
“Is there any way the cops can get finger prints or dna from the stamp,” asked one user in the comments, while another advised, “It looks like it came from Denver Colorado, that’s what that postage stamped on the top says.”
“Sometimes what we see as an insult may very well be a warning to keep our eyes open at all times even through our pain,” expressed another, adding, “I’m so sorry Mama that this has happened to you and your family. Nolan did not deserve any of this. Sending love, healing and protection energy to you and your family [bandaged heart emoji].”
The Jackson County sheriff and some of Nolan’s friends said that he decided to stay on the island without his phone after meeting a young woman, but his family has questioned that account.
Previously, Crump questioned why a teenager would put a phone down, while Wells’ parents have said their son leaving his phone on the boat is very uncharacteristic.
Initially, investigators said they saw no signs of foul play; however, Wells’ parents believe the circumstances surrounding their son’s death may be more nefarious. Both an official and an independent autopsy are still pending, including a toxicology report.
“If he’s drowning, nobody sees him drown? Nobody offers assistance? Nobody tries to help?” questioned Crump last week.
