Riley Strain’s heartbroken mother has broken 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, Nashville police confirmed that a body pulled from the Cumberland River this morning was that of the missing 22-year-old.
Authorities said no foul play-related trauma was observed on 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 press conference Friday night.
“I’m just asking you moms out there, hug your babies tight tonight,” she said.
Michelle Strain Whiteid, Riley Strain’s heartbroken mother has broken her silence at a press conference hours after her 22-year-old son was found dead in a river eight miles from where he disappeared in Nashville
In a statement, Nashville police 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, how much they appreciated the support from across the country.
“Please, for me, just hug your babies tight tonight. And thank you 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 all-volunteer United Cajun Navy.
“It’s just unbelievable what they’ve done for us,” Gilbert said.
Stepfather Chris thanked the entire Nashville community for their help in trying to find RIley.
‘It has been an emotional rollercoaster. We are very grateful for everything you have done for our family. The grace you have given us, it means a lot, more than you will ever know.’
He was grateful to the city, which will hold a vigil on Gay Street, where Riley was last seen, Friday night.
“To the people of Nashville, I can’t thank you enough for the support, the love, the encouragement that 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 all-volunteer United Cajun Navy
Stepfather Chris thanked the entire Nashville community for their help in trying to find RIley
“You don’t understand how much it meant to us in some of our darkest hours.”
The Delta Chi fraternity member was in Tennessee on a trip to their annual spring party when he was kicked out of the bar just after 1 p.m. 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 from where he was last seen.
Strain had told his friends he would meet them back 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 when they couldn’t find him through his Snapchat location.
At a press conference Friday morning, Chief John Drake told reporters: ‘This morning at approximately 7:28 we received a call from a worker.
‘As they were removing an object from the river, they noticed what appeared to be Riley Strain appear.
‘The medical examiner examined the body and confirmed that it is Riley stock.
Authorities said no foul play-related trauma was observed on Strain, who was last seen on March 8
‘The family has been contacted, there is no sign of foul play at this time according to the investigation here on the river bank.
‘Sir. Strain was still wearing the shirt he was wearing and still had the watch. I want to say to the family that my heart and prayers go out to you all for this very unfortunate and tragic incident.’
Surveillance footage collected by police from the Downtown Smoke & Vape Shop on Church Street showed Strain near the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Church Street.
The apparently drunk student was wearing a two-tone black and brown shirt and blue jeans and took a tumble, then quickly got back up and continued down the street.
Another camera captured near the intersection of Gay Street and 1st Avenue North just before 10 p.m. him taking large strides with his head down as he stumbled through the streets.
The student reportedly FaceTimed his mother Michelle Whiteid that night, and she said nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
His mother and stepfather Chris Whiteid have been in town since the search began, and Chris told reporters earlier this week that the family had begun preparing for the worst.
Whiteid said: ‘Put yourself in our place. Everyone knows it. Everyone thinks so. Those conversations are starting to happen. This is not what we want.
Michelle Strain Whiteid, left, and her husband, Chris Whiteid, speak to the media during a press conference earlier this week
Strain, 22, was last seen March 8 at Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink on Broadway, according to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department
Surveillance footage released by Nashville police shows him staggering and appearing confused as he crossed a closed road near the water
‘And I understand that people want to know how we feel. We feel frustrated, we feel hurt, we feel depressed. Nobody knows what happened to Riley.’
His parents have previously said police have butchered the investigation into his disappearance as more leads appeared to have come from the public than officers.
The parents’ criticism of police comes after TikTokers found a crucial piece of evidence that investigators failed to discover more than a week after Strain disappeared.
Anna Clemdening and Brandy Baenen had been rummaging 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 to reveal Strain’s name. ‘My innate reaction was to be like, ‘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, says Sgt. said Robert Nielsen during a press conference.
‘Can we miss something? Of course. But our primary goal is to find Mr. Strain and bring him home safely.
Police previously shared footage on X showing Strain walking along the sidewalk past an officer who appeared to be inspecting a car with a broken window.
Another camera captured near the intersection of Gay Street and 1st Avenue North just before 1 p.m. 22, while he takes large steps with his head down
Officers had searched the Cumberland River and a dam in search of Strain
In a post on their social media Friday morning, the United Cajun Navy ordered all personnel to ‘clear all channels and stand back’ shortly after news of a body being found broke.
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) shared a video on Tuesday showing one of their helicopters flying over Cheatham Dam.
WTVF reported that officers had the dam shut down to inspect debris that floated to the surface, but found nothing related to Strain.
David Flagg, director of operations for the United Cajun Navy, told the magazine: ‘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 Friday morning, the United Cajun Navy ordered all personnel to ‘clear all channels and stand back’ shortly after news of a body being found broke.