Did Utah football player's mom Amber Wright kill her ex-boyfriend? Viral confusion debunked

Amber Wright fell under intense criticism last week after sharing on Instagram a celebratory moment with her 16-year-old son, Brixton, following a high school football game in Utah on August 18. The video went viral on the internet far beyond her wildest imagination.

She was seen wrapping both of her arms and legs around her son while filled with excitement. The video garnered negative feedback from some Instagram users who have raised questions or made comments about the nature of the relationship between the mother and son.

With her name going viral in the online world, a couple of people mistook her identity for a namesake who was involved in a murder.

In 2011, 15-year-old Amber Wright was convicted for her involvement in the brutal murder of her ex-boyfriend Seath Jackson, along with her new boyfriend, stepbrother and a female friend.

Mother and son hug

What led to the identity confusion?

It's not uncommon to see people make identity mistakes, especially when names are similar. The coincidence in both of their names, Amber Wright, led many to believe the mother of the 16-year-old football player was the "Amber Wright" who allegedly murdered her boyfriend.

Following the death of Seath Jackson, Amber was found guilty of first-degree murder for her involvement and was sentenced to life in prison in 2012 by Circuit Judge David Eddy. She is presently serving her sentence at the Homestead Correctional Institution in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Evidently, there was no way she could have been at a high school football game in Utah last month and she conceived no child before finding herself behind bars.

Notably, She's currently in her 20s while Amber, the mother of Brixton Wright, is believed to be in her 40s.

Amber Wright defends her action

In the wake of the criticism following the way she embraced her son, Brixton, after his school won a football game, Amber defended her actions, explaining them in an interview with “Today":

I was so proud. ... I was a proud mom hugging her kid. I never expected it to turn into something where people are like, ‘You’re sexually abusing him! You're grooming him! I’m calling child protective services.' He was feeling emotional, and I think as his mom, I’m his safe space.”

Wright mentioned that the hug lasted a bit longer after the game because it was a special and emotional moment for Brixton. It marked his first time wearing a jersey that included his late father's death date. The father was said to have died in early April.