The heartbroken mother of Riley Strain has broken her silence at a news conference just hours after her 22-year-old son was found dead in a river eight miles from where he disappeared in Nashville.
In a statement, police in Nashville confirmed that a body pulled from the Cumberland River this morning was that of the missing 22-year-old.
Authorities said no trauma related to foul play was observed in Strain, who was last seen on March 8 after being kicked out of Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink.
Michelle Whiteid, Riley’s mother, spoke through tears at a news conference Friday evening.
“I’m just asking all you mommies out there to hug your babies tight tonight,” she said.
Michelle Strain Whiteid, the heartbroken mother of Riley Strain, broke her silence at a press conference just hours after her 22-year-old son was found dead in a river eight miles from where he disappeared in Nashville
In a statement, police in Nashville confirmed that a body pulled from the Cumberland River this morning was that of the missing 22-year-old.
She echoed the words of her husband Chris, Riley’s stepfather, and the 22-year-old’s father Ryan Gilbert on how much they appreciated the support from across the country.
“Please hug your babies tight tonight. Thanks again. Thank you for sharing our story.”
Despite the family’s previous criticism, Gilbert thanked the Metro Nashville Police Department for their efforts, as well as the volunteer United Cajun Navy.
“It’s just incredible what they’ve done for us,” Gilbert said.
Stepfather Chris thanked the entire Nashville community for helping him find RIley.
‘It’s been an emotional rollercoaster. We are very grateful for everything you have done for our family. The grace you have given us means much, more than you will ever know.”
He was grateful to the city, which will hold a candlelight vigil Friday evening on Gay Street, where Riley was last seen.
“To the people of Nashville, I cannot thank you enough for the support, love and encouragement you have shown myself and my wife,” Chris said.
Despite the family’s previous criticism, Gilbert thanked the Metro Nashville Police Department for their efforts, as well as the volunteer United Cajun Navy.
Stepfather Chris thanked the entire Nashville community for helping him find RIley
“You don’t understand how much that meant to us in our darkest hours.”
The Delta Chi fraternity member was in Tennessee traveling for their annual spring party when he was kicked out of the bar just after 9:30 p.m.
Earlier this week, his bank card was found near the Cumberland River and rescue teams were also seen searching a dam miles away from where he was last seen.
Strain had told his friends that he would meet them at their hotelbut was nowhere to be seen when the group returned from their night out.
His friends tried to contact him but received no response and they reported Strain as missing because they could not locate him through his Snapchat location.
At a news conference Friday morning, Chief John Drake told reporters, “This morning around 7:28 a.m. we received a call from a worker.
“While retrieving an object from the river, they saw what looked like Riley Strain appear.
“The medical examiner examined the body and confirmed it is Riley Strain.
Authorities said no trauma related to foul play was observed on Strain, who was last seen on March 8
“The family have been contacted, there are no signs of foul play at this time according to the investigation here on the riverbank.
‘Mr. Strain still had the shirt he was wearing, and the watch. “I want to say to the family that my heart and prayers go out to all of you for this very unfortunate and tragic incident.”
Surveillance footage collected by police from Downtown Smoke & Vape Shop on Church Street showed Strain near the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Church Street.
The apparently drunk student, wearing a two-tone black and brown shirt and blue jeans, fell into the trap, then quickly got back up and continued walking down the street.
Another was captured near the intersection of Gay Street and 1st Avenue North just before 10 p.m. taking long strides with his head down as he stumbled through the streets.
The student reportedly FaceTimed his mother Michelle Whiteid that evening and she said nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
His mother and stepfather Chris Whiteid have been in town since the search began, with Chris telling reporters earlier this week that the family had prepared for the worst.
Whiteid said, “Put yourself in our shoes. Everyone knows it. Everyone thinks it. Those conversations are starting to happen. It’s not what we want.
Michelle Strain Whiteid, left, and her husband, Chris Whiteid, spoke to the media at a press conference earlier this week
Strain, 22, was last seen on March 8 at Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink on Broadway, according to Metropolitan Nashville police.
Surveillance footage released by Nashville police shows him wobbling and appearing confused as he crossed a closed road near the water.
‘And I understand that people want to know what we feel. We feel frustrated, we feel hurt, we feel depressed. No one knows what happened to Riley.”
His parents previously said police had called off the investigation into his disappearance because more clues seemed to be coming from the public than from officers.
The parents’ criticism of police comes after TikTokers found a crucial piece of evidence that investigators failed to discover a week after Strain’s disappearance.
Anna Clemdening and Brandy Baenen had been searching through trash along the riverbank when they found Strain’s bank card.
“My stomach dropped,” Clendening said, describing the moment she turned the card over and revealed Strain’s name. “My innate reaction was, ‘Let’s keep looking.’
Officers have since defended their search efforts. ‘When we start a missing persons investigation, we are looking for a person. We’re not looking for small pieces of evidence,” Sgt. Robert Nielsen said this during a press conference.
‘Can we miss something? Certainly. But our main goal is to find Mr. Strain and get him home safely.
The police previously shared images on X showing Strain walking along the sidewalk past an officer, who appeared to be inspecting a car with a broken window.
Another camera was captured just before 10 p.m. near the intersection of Gay Street and 1st Avenue North making long strides with its head down
Officers had searched the Cumberland River and a dam looking for Strain
In a post to their social media on Friday morning, the United Cajun Navy ordered all personnel to “clear all channels and stand down,” shortly after news of a body being recovered broke.
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) shared a video Tuesday of one of their helicopters flying over the Cheatham Dam.
WTVF reported that officers closed the dam to inspect any debris floating to the surface, but found nothing associated with Strain.
David Flagg, director of operations for the United Cajun Navy, told the newspaper, “Somehow Riley may have fallen into the river and been swept away by the current. The current was very, very fast the day he disappeared.”
In a post on their social media on Friday morning, the United Cajun Navy ordered all personnel to “clear all channels and stand down,” shortly after news of a body being recovered broke.