The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed that Cummins and Elizabeth Thomas are hiding somewhere between Tennessee and Alabama.
We regret to inform you that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation still has no palpable leads on the whereabouts of ex-teacher Tad Cummins and Elizabeth Thomas, the 15-year-old student abducted more than 13 days ago. Although the authorities confirmed that the abductor and his victim are hiding somewhere between Tennessee and Alabama, there are still no leads to pinpoint their exact location. The authorities are now offering a $1,000 reward for any piece of information that may lead to the arrest of Tad Cummins.
As the search for 50-year-old Tad Cummins and 15-year-old Elizabeth Thomas intensifies, the school Thomas was attending recently declared in a press statement that a new task force had been created, one that will better handle similar incidents. According to the Culleoka Unit School, the task force’s mandate is to identify any incidents between the students and faculty members and to inform the parents.
The school’s decision of assembling this special task force comes in the wake of Thomas’s decision to sue the school board since he wasn’t informed about the inappropriate relationship between Cummins and Elizabeth, his daughter.
According to Thomas’s attorney, on the 23rd of January Tad Cummins and Elizabeth Thomas were seen by a student kissing in the classroom. However, the girl’s father was not informed about the incident. As for the school board, since it was only an ‘innocent’ peck on the lips, the only disciplinary measure taken against Cummins was ordering him to cease all contact with Elizabeth Thomas.
Thomas Senior found out about the incident a couple of days later from a police officer who came to investigate the girl’s disappearance. Although Cummins was suspended on the 3rd of February, he is still seen inside the classroom talking to Elizabeth Thomas.
According to the official police report, the man was fired from the school on the 14th of March, one day after he was officially accused of kidnapping young Elizabeth Thomas. Police officials believe that Cummins used his silver Nissan Rogue to kidnap the teen. To this end, the authorities are asking the public to keep an eye out for the car (tag 976-ZPT) and to search any secluded areas like camping grounds, parks, parking lots, and even garages.
In addition, the TBI said that the public should exercise extreme caution if they spot Cummins, as the individual owns at least two firearms.
Image courtesy of: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation