The Mississippi Board of Nursing has closed the anonymous professional misconduct complaint that was filed against Christine Wonsley, the mother of Nolan Wells.

“The complaint against Christine Wells Wonsley has been closed, and it should never have been filed in the first place. It was frivolous, it was unfounded, and it was never about patient care. It was an attempt to distract a grieving mother and intimidate her into silence, filed by someone who would not put their name on it. That effort failed,” civil rights attorney Ben Crump said.

“Christine is not going to spend her energy on whoever did this,” Crump added. “She is focused on getting her questions answered, the same questions she has had since the day she lost her son. Those questions did not go away when this complaint was filed, and they do not go away now that it has been closed. What Christine still does not have is the truth about her son. We intend to get it.”

Crump went on to say that Wonsley has cared for patients in Mississippi throughout her career without a single complaint to the Board of Nursing.

“As she continues to grieve her son and seek answers about what happened to him, she is now also forced to defend her professional record,” he said. “No family should accept that, and no institution should tolerate it.”

Wonsley also shared the update Wednesday in a Facebook post, saying the professional misconduct case had been closed.

“Update: The professional misconduct case that was opened due to an anonymous complaint has been CLOSED by the MS Board of Nursing. Thank you to all of those who have constantly kept us in your prayers,” she wrote. “This definitely has added more hurt to an already devastating time because I love my job and I love my patients. NOLAN’S CASE IS STILL ONGOING. Again the question is: WHAT HAPPENED TO NOLAN?”

Wonsley, a family nurse practitioner at Memorial Health System, said in a statement Tuesday that she wanted to make clear she remains employed.

“Memorial Health System has been incredibly accommodating and supportive during this difficult time as I navigate the trauma of losing my son, along with the public scrutiny I have been experiencing,” she said. “For that, I am sincerely grateful.”

Wonsley’s son, Nolan, 18, went missing after a July 4th boat trip with friends to Horn Island off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. Wells, who was Black, had traveled to the island with a group of high school friends, all of whom are white. His body was found on July 6.

Shortly after his body was found, Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said Wells’ friends are cooperating, that there was no sign of foul play at the time, and that the investigation is ongoing, according to the Clarion Ledger. 

Some of Wells’ friends said they left the island that afternoon without him because he chose to stay. But Wells’ parents have publicly questioned those accounts, saying their son would not have voluntarily separated from the group.

Wells’ family is still demanding answers about what happened and has hired Crump to lead a private investigation, including a second autopsy. Investigators are also continuing to seek information on what happened in the hours leading up to Wells’ disappearance and death.

Wells’ family has received threats and been targeted for harassment as they search for answers about his death. People have also reportedly left Wonsley and her workplace one-star reviews.

“This is intimidation. This is a warning shot meant to silence a grieving mother who is simply asking what happened to her child. We will not let it stand,” Crump said. “Christine had part of her identity stolen from her the day Nolan died. Now, someone is trying to take another piece of it. This cruelty knows no bounds.”