(NEW YORK) — A Mississippi community is mourning the death of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells, whose body was believed to be recovered after going missing over the weekend.

Wells vanished after going on a boat trip with friends on the 4th of July, officials said. He was last seen on Horn Island, a barrier island about 10 miles from the Gulf Coast, officials said.

“[The friends] left [Horn Island] and went back without Nolan,” Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said. “From what we understand, he chose to stay there.”

Wells’ mother reported him missing and took to social media, pleading for help.

The sheriff’s department said it launched a search on Horn Island with officials from the Coast Guard, Department of Marine Resources and Gulf Islands National Seashore.

A body was later recovered. On Monday, Ledbetter told ABC News the coroner is still waiting on a DNA test, but said the body matches the description and is likely Wells.

Authorities said they suspect Wells drowned, but are still investigating.

The sheriff said investigators do not suspect foul play.

“There’s no information that we have right now that would lead us to believe that a crime has occurred,” he said.

Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, wrote on social media on Monday that she was “absolutely devastated.”

“My heart is broken for our sweet son who was always willing to cheer and uplift others,” she said. “Nolan was a special soul.”

The Ocean Springs School District said in a statement that it’s “shocked and heartbroken.”

Wells graduated last year from Ocean Springs High School, where he was a multi-sport athlete, and he went on to play football at Southwest Mississippi Community College, the district said.

“We are devastated by Nolan’s passing. He was the kind of son, teammate, friend, and student that every coach hopes to have in a program,” the high school’s football coach Jake Bramlett said in a statement. “Nolan was so much more than an outstanding football player. He carried himself with humility, treated others with respect, worked hard, and led by example. His character spoke louder than his accomplishments, and he was loved deeply by his teammates and coaches.”

Principal Jacob Dykes added, “He will be remembered as an extremely kind and hardworking young man who left a lasting impression on his teachers, coaches, teammates, and community. Our thoughts are with his family and the many people he made a lasting impact on.”

ABC News’ Mark Guarino and Joy Piazza-Ruppert contributed to this report.

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A 2-year-old girl has died after being left in a hot minivan while in the care of a babysitter, police in Florida said.

Officers found the little girl when they responded to a home around 1:35 p.m. Sunday in Hallandale Beach, about 20 miles north of Miami, Hallandale Beach police said.

The heat index – what the temperature it feels like with humidity – soared to 101 degrees on Sunday in Hallandale Beach.

The 2-year-old was taken to a hospital and later declared dead, authorities said.

It’s not clear how long she was in the car. Police said prosecutors are reviewing the case and “no charging decision has been made at this time.”

“This is a heartbreaking loss, and our thoughts are with the child’s family, and everyone affected by this tragedy,” the Hallandale Beach Police Department said in a statement. “We also want to use this moment to remind every parent, guardian, and caregiver in our community: Always check the back seat before locking your vehicle and walking away.”

This is at least the 10th child to die in a hot car in the U.S. this year, according to national nonprofit KidsAndCars.org. Last year, at least 37 children died in hot cars across the country, KidsAndCars.org said.

Click here for what to know to keep your children safe from hot car dangers.

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(NEW YORK) — Health officials in New York City said they are investigating a cluster of Legionnaires’ disease.

As of July 6, 23 cases of Legionnaires’ disease have been confirmed in two of Manhattan’s Upper East Side neighborhoods, according to the New York City Department of Health. So far, no deaths have been associated with the cluster.

In a notice to the two neighborhoods — Carnegie Hill and Yorkville — the department said it believes the likely source of the bacteria is a cooling tower in the area, which sprays a mist that contains the bacteria.

The health department said there is no issue with any building’s plumbing system and that residents in the affected areas can continue to drink tap water, bathe, shower, cook and use their air conditioners.

“All cooling towers in [the] area are being sampled and tested in the NYC Public Health Lab,” Mark Levine, the city’s comptroller, wrote in a post on X on Sunday evening. “It unfortunately takes several weeks for cultures to grow.”

Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by inhaling the Legionella bacteria in small droplets of water mixed in the air or contaminated water accidentally going into the lungs.

The bacteria are found naturally in freshwater but amounts generally don’t lead to disease. The bacteria typically grow best in warm water and in warm to hot temperatures, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The disease does not generally spread from person to person, but infections can occur if the bacteria get into a building’s water supply, including in shower heads, sink faucets, hot water tanks, heaters, cooling towers and other plumbing systems.

Legionnaires’ disease has increased in prevalence over the last decade, reaching a peak of 2.71 cases per 100,000 in 2018, the CDC said. Cases dropped during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and then rebounded in 2021.

Although most people recover from Legionnaires’ disease with antibiotics, certain patients — including those who are immunocompromised or who suffer from chronic lung diseases — can develop complications that can be fatal.

About one out of every 10 people who develop Legionnaires’ disease will die due to complications, according to the CDC. Among those who develop Legionnaires’ disease during a stay in a healthcare facility, about one out of every four people will die, the federal health agency added.

The NYC health department said anyone who lives or works in the affected areas — or has visited since late June — and is experiencing flu-like symptoms should contact a healthcare provider immediately. The ZIP codes for the areas are 10028, 10128, and 10075.

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