Update (04/20/17 10:45 a.m.) – The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released additional details after a nationwide search for a missing student who was allegedly kidnapped by her teacher.
According to TBI, authorities rescued Elizabeth Thomas and arrested Tad Cummins after the pair were found at a commune in Cecilville, California on Thursday.
Cummins surrendered without incident, according to police in Tennessee. He is currently in custody in Siskiyou County facing charges of sexual contact with a minor and aggravated kidnapping.
Authorities are working to reunite Thomas with her family.
“Our Intelligence Analysts and Agents have worked tirelessly since issuing this AMBER Alert to process more than 1,500 leads from all 50 states,” said TBI Director Mark Gwyn. “What happened in California this morning, however, proves it only takes one person to lead to a successful end. We are extremely thankful the hard work of all partners in this search has paid off. We’re also grateful for the public’s support and vigilance throughout this search effort.”
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Siskiyou County, Cal.- A television station in Tennessee is reporting the vehicle used by a Tennessee teacher accused of kidnapping his 15-year-old student has been found in Siskiyou County.
According to WKRN-TV, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the Nissan Rogue used by Tad Cummins and Elizabeth Thomas was found in the county. The station also reports the license plate had been removed from the car, which was confirmed to belong to Cummins through the VIN number,.
It is not known at this time if there have been any new sightings of either Cummins’ or Thomas.
Cummins, 55, is accused of kidnapping Thomas, 15, on March 13 in Columbia, Tennessee. They were captured on surveillance two days later at a Walmart in Oklahoma City but haven’t been seen since.
Thomas is a 15-year-old white female, with hazel eyes, who stands 5 feet tall and weighs 120 pounds. She was last seen wearing a flannel shirt and black leggings.
Cummins is a white male, who stands 6 feet tall, weighs approximately 200 pounds, and has brown hair and eyes.
At this time, Cummins faces a kidnapping charge in the AMBER Alert case and is also charged with sexual contact with a minor after he allegedly kissed Thomas at school earlier this year.
If you have information on Thomas or Cummins, call police.
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