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A controversial children’s educator and YouTube star is weighing in on the investigation into Nolan Wells’ mysterious death, with a now-viral social media post pointing to unsupported allegations that race played a role in law enforcement’s handling of the case.
In a post shared on Instagram, Ms. Rachel — a popular content creator whose real name is Rachel Accurso — appeared to question the case surrounding Wells’ death, suggesting the investigation would have played out differently had the races been reversed.
“We know the investigation and everything that followed would have been different if Nolan Wells were white and his friends were Black,” Accurso wrote in a post on Monday. “Nolan and his family deserve justice.”
SEARCH CALLED OFF AFTER BODY MATCHING MISSING TEEN NOLAN WELLS FOUND OFF MISSISSIPPI COAST
Ms. Rachel is pictured during an appearance on the “TODAY” show on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
Wells, 18, vanished while on a July 4 boat trip with a group of high school friends to Horn Island, a barrier island located roughly eight miles offshore from Mississippi’s Gulf Coast.
His remains were found on the northwestern tip of the island by a National Park Service ranger just two days later, with his friends returning to shore on the evening of his disappearance without him.
An independent autopsy later commissioned by Wells’ family labeled his manner of death to be “undetermined” pending further investigation.
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Nolan Wells, 18, disappeared July 4 after a boat trip with friends to Horn Island off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. His body was found two days later by a National Park Service ranger. (Christine Wonsley/Facebook and Jackson County Sheriff’s Department)
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who was hired to represent the Wells family, revealed the findings last week at the annual NAACP National Convention in Chicago, according to the Associated Press.
Crump reportedly pointed out that the autopsy report showed no evidence of fractures or deep tissue injuries, and labeled a “red discoloration” located on the back of Wells’ skull as “inconclusive” — meriting further investigation.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell reportedly wrote that, without the additional information, he was unable to rule out the possibility that “non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death.”
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The United Cajun Navy shared a video of the search Monday morning on Facebook. (United Cajun Navy via Facebook)
The results of a second autopsy, commissioned by the Mississippi medical examiner, have yet to be released. Additionally, authorities have not announced charges stemming from the case.
The case has sparked questions surrounding the circumstances of the 18-year-old’s death, with rampant online speculation pointing to the fact that Wells was Black and his friends are white.
Following Accurso’s Instagram post, hundreds of her followers took to the comments to echo their support for her suggestion that the investigation into Wells’ death would have played out differently had the group’s races been reversed.
“If Nolan was white, the friends would have been arrested the day of, no questions asked,” one commenter wrote. “Now all these ‘friends’ and their parents have had more than enough time to destroy and hide any potential evidence that would have proved that Nolan was murdered.”
Another follower shared the same sentiment, commenting, “The stuff coming out about the case is so crazy, but it all sounds about white also. I just hope they are actually held accountable for once.”
However, former Palm Beach County, Fla., State Attorney Dave Aronberg cautioned against online personalities, such as Accurso, jumping to conclusions surrounding race in such sensitive — and ongoing — investigations.
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“I’ll be the first to tell you that the investigation into the tragic death of Nolan Wells needs more transparency,” Aronberg told Digital. “His family deserves answers.”
“But jumping on social media to race bait — without a shred of evidence — that law enforcement is covering up a murder is not helping,” Aronberg continued. “But she always has to throw gas on a fire.”
“Ms. Rachel is at it again. Whether it’s injecting division into domestic tragedies or spreading toxic, antisemitic rhetoric in her posts about the Middle East, she constantly pushes narrative over facts,” Aronberg told Digital, adding, “We need real investigative transparency [in the Wells case], not popular children’s creators using tragic deaths and foreign policy to divide us.”
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Accurso’s comments come on the heels of similar posts made to her Instagram account, in which the viral children’s educator fired back at critics who suggested she “stay in [her] lane” when speaking on hot-button political issues.
In one recent post, Accurso shared a carousel of images showing her response to criticism she has received surrounding her decision to be politically outspoken.
“I liked you better when you just sang on YouTube,” one slide read.
“Ok. I never just sang on YouTube though. I’ve always cared about how children around the world are treated,” Accurso responded.
She also recently made headlines after she posted a video to Instagram pushing back against President Donald Trump for sharing a viral video showing several children wearing hijabs at a Minnesota kindergarten graduation.
Digital reached out to Accurso, Crump and the Mississippi Department of Public Safety for comment.
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Digital’s Madison Columbo and Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
