Riley Strain’s Mom Shares Text Messages Before Son’s Death

Riley Strain’s mom, Michelle Whiteid, is sharing the ultimate text messages she exchanged with her son before his loss of life last month.

“He experienced sent me a text and stated he was drinking a rum and coke and it didn’t style superior,” Whiteid explained to NewsNation all through a Tuesday, April 16, interview. “And I explained, ‘Well, you likely shouldn’t drink it then.’ And he goes, ‘It preferences like barbecue’ and I go, ‘Well, that seems awful’ and he explained, ‘It sounds superior, but it is not.’”

When questioned why she thinks the rum and coke, which generally has a “consistent taste,” experienced a diverse taste, Whiteid confessed that she thinks a little something may have been placed in the cocktail that is related to her son’s demise.

“Maybe there was some thing in it that shouldn’t have been,” she advised the outlet.

Strain 1st went missing on March 8 after getting found at a restaurant in Nashville. He was out on the down with his Delta Chi fraternity brothers for their College of Missouri spring formal. He afterwards exited the establishment alone, for each protection footage, prior to producing a switch absent from his hotel.

Further safety footage confirmed that Strain also walked alongside a homeless guy through the evening, as well as interacted with a police officer at around 9:52 p.m. on the night of his disappearance, system cam footage confirmed.

Pressure was later on found lifeless in the Cumberland River eight miles from the city’s downtown space on March 22. At the time, the Metro Nashville Police Section confirmed to area ABC affiliate WKRN that Strain’s demise appeared to be “accidental” with no foul-lay trauma. He was 22.

Riley Strain’s mom states he texted her right before disappearing that his rum and coke did “not taste fantastic.”
It’s a single of the new pieces of our job interview airing tonight on @NewsNation at 10pmET.
Also — why Riley’s family members is very let down in his fraternity. All of it at 10. pic.twitter.com/jSwK98ba6l

— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) April 16, 2024

Days just after his death was ruled an incident, nonetheless, Strain’s household asked for a next autopsy right after the coroner found there was no h2o in his lungs.

“One point that threw the household for a loop was the coroner heading on file with a news human being in Nashville stating about the absence of h2o in his lungs,” household mate Chris Dingman informed NewsNation final month. “It raises a lot more concerns. I’m not a crime drama person by no suggests but ordinarily h2o in the lungs signifies that, you know, they had been alive when they went into the water.”

He extra, “The relatives justifies more solutions than we have.”

Despite the fact that autopsy benefits have yet to be concluded, the household held a Celebration of Existence funeral service for Strain in his hometown of Springfield, Missouri, on March 29, according to an on-line obituary. Attendees had been asked to have on a little something inexperienced to honor one of Strain’s favorite phrases — “Green helps make you search good” — and Strain’s most loved tracks, together with Zach Bryan’s “Something in the Orange,” were being played at the provider. A private burial will come about at a later on day, ABC documented.

“Riley embraced outside adventures, irrespective of whether it was searching, fishing or simply just taking pleasure in the serenity of the lake,” Strain’s obituary mentioned. “Riley’s competitive spirit shone as a result of in tennis matches and his budding desire in the discipline of Jiujitsu. Over all, Riley cherished time used with spouse and children, developing long lasting reminiscences.”

The obituary continued, “Riley Strain’s presence will be profoundly missed, but his joyous method to lifestyle and the contentment he brought to those people about him will permanently be remembered.”