An 18-year-old Mississippi football player rejected multiple desperate pleas to board a failing boat before vanishing on a remote barrier island — and the district attorney says the investigation into his death is far from over, raising hard questions about what institutions were tracking this group of teens and what broke down in the hours before anyone called for help.

Nolan Wells disappeared July 4 on Horn Island, roughly 10 miles off Mississippi's Gulf Coast. His body surfaced two days later on the island's northern tip. Now Warren Hudson, who calls himself Wells' best friend, is filling in the gap between the last sighting and the discovery — and his account, given to conservative YouTuber Brandon Tatum, paints a picture of a teenager who made a fatal choice to stay behind.

Hudson says the boat the group arrived on took on roughly six inches of water after a bilge pump failed, a problem worsened by overcrowding. Once the vessel was bailed out and towed from the island around 4:30 p.m. — confirmed by GPS data obtained by CBS News — friends says they pleaded with Wells to climb aboard. According to Hudson, one friend yelled, "Nolan, get on the boat, get on the boat, we're leaving. If you're coming, you gotta come now." Another reportedly shouted, "Nolan, get the F on the boat, we're leaving, the boat's having issues."

Wells refused. Hudson says the teen chose to stay on the island with a young woman identified only as Katie, planning to catch a ride back with other friends later. "Nolan made a decision to stay out on his own," Hudson told Tatum.

What happened between that moment and the discovery of his body remains unknown. Hudson says Katie confirmed she last saw Wells when the boat was leaving and he declined to board.

The timeline of the response raises its own questions. After returning to the mainland, Hudson says the group continued celebrating the Fourth of July — pool time and fireworks at a girlfriend's house. It wasn't until roughly 11 p.m. that someone mentioned Wells, prompting Hudson to contact Wells' mother, Christine Wonsley, and then call the Coast Guard. That's roughly seven hours after the boat left the island. Hudson told the Coast Guard he gave them a full summary — clothing, last location, water conditions — but the gap between departure and the distress call is the window nobody has adequately explained.

Wells' family has additional concerns. Wonsley said getting her son's phone and car keys back from his friends felt like a "runaround." When the phone was returned, the family found no pictures or videos on his Snapchat, suggesting possible deletion. Hudson countered that nobody carries a phone in waist-deep, murky water, which is why devices stayed on the boat.

Atlanta Black Star noted Hudson's firm rejection of online conspiracy theories about race playing a role in Wells' death. "Absolutely not. I would never look at Nolan any other way than I would any of my other friends. I mean, he's like a brother to me," Hudson said. The New York Post, by contrast, led with the profane quote and framed the story around the family's suspicion, noting attorney Ben Crump is representing the Wonsley family and did not comment on Hudson's claims.

Wells was laid to rest Monday. The DA's office says the investigation continues. The open question isn't just what happened to Nolan Wells on that island — it's why no system, no adult, no authority caught a stranded teenager before it was too late.