Found Safe TN - Mary Catherine Elizabeth Thomas, 15, Maury County, 13 March 2017 #8

[BetteDavisEyes]

Yikes! Another new thread since I posted an Inside Edition link this morning. Here are links to three other IE reports on this case. Worthwhile articles and videos.

http://www.insideedition.com/headli...teacher-i-do-believe-he-has-some-control-over

http://www.insideedition.com/headli...d-instagram-post-every-beauty-needs-her-beast

http://www.insideedition.com/headli...disappeared-with-allegedly-wrote-love-letters

 

[JerseyGirl]

Cummins is 50 years old
Cummins married his wife in 1985
Cummins told students he was a millionaire and a CIA operative that traveled on secret missions
On January 23 a female schoolmate saw TC kiss ET on the lips in the classroom with TC's grandchild in the room
January 24th the female student confronted TC about the kiss. TC told the student he was a father figure to ET and she was a "close and best friend".
January 30th school concluded investigation, found no evidence since both ET and TC denied the kiss but ET was removed from class.
January 31 ET's father found out about kiss from Sheriff who was investigating the issue.
February 3 TC is reprimanded for having ET in his room. Another teacher said she was in the classroom for over 30mins.
"The teacher would later be reprimanded on Feb. 3 by school principal Penny Love after the girl was seen in Cummins classroom for a little more than half an hour that day. In her letter, Love said the girl being in his classroom was a violation of the principal’s order to him."
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tad-cum...ported-kissing-missing-girl-elizabeth-thomas/

February 6 TC is suspended for insubordination
March 13 ET tells her sister to call 911 if she isn't home by 6pm
http://abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-al...ry?id=46273578
Other details:
School never informed ET's father of inappropriate contact or of any investigation
http://abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-al...ry?id=46273578
ET was dropped off by friend at Shoney's on March 13th, ET asked friend to instead take her back home, friend refused.
Friend who dropped ET off is not cooperating with LE

"Employees at the Shoney's in Columbia said Thomas was waiting with her bags inside the restaurant on March 13. They said when Tad Cummins pulled up, the teen ran outside leaving her back pack behind."
http://whnt.com/2017/03/24/da-elizab...dissapearance/

School and students refuse to wear green ribbons in support of ET and ET has been called a harlot (per Sister)

TC has two guns (unknown what type) "Authorities say he is armed with two handguns"
http://www.9news.com/news/crime/statewide-endangered-child-alert-issued-for-missing-teen/423257704

ET's phone pinged in Decatur AL March 13 at 3:06pm "A spokesperson for the Decatur, Alabama, police told ABC News by phone that Elizabeth had not been physically seen in or around Decatur and that reports of their whereabouts may have been attributed to a ping from the girl’s cell phone."
http://krvn.com/abc_national/timeli...essee-student-elizabeth-thomas-abcid35882433/

ET was originally reported as a runaway, although her father early on maintained she had been abducted by TC
TC's wife reported him missing.

LE concluded 24 hours after both reported missing that TC and ET were together, so they had a 24 headstart before the Amber Alert was issued. "Thomas, a 15-year-old from Middle Tennessee, disappeared with her ex-teacher, 50-year-old Tad Cummins, on March 13. There have been no confirmed sightings since that day and an Amber Alert was issued the next day"
http://www.9news.com/news/crime/statewide-endangered-child-alert-issued-for-missing-teen/423257704

Amber Alert has not been issued nationwide.

LE believe they may be in Mexico or Central America posing as missionaries

TC took a loan for 4,500. "TBI said Cummins secured a title loan for a personal vehicle and other personal effects several days before his disappearance, netting $4,500 in cash."
http://fox17.com/news/local/tbi-rele...izabeth-thomas

TC searched teen marriages " Cummins researched 'teen marriage' just a few days before he and Elizabeth disappeared. "
http://www.9news.com/news/crime/statewide-endangered-child-alert-issued-for-missing-teen/423257704

TC searched disabling GPS on automobile "Cummins also searched whether police could track his car, a Nissan Rogue, according to TBI."
http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2017/03/amber_alert_elizabeth_thomas_a.html

TC took Nissan Rogue, leaving wife with his Jeep which she is unable to drive

TC told his wife on the morning he disappeared he was going out for a job interview.

TC has an associates degree, was a respiratory therapist, taught forensics, had an alternative certification to teach

TC's former colleague states TC was a bully and narcissist

TC's former colleague is offering a 5,000 reward

LE is offering a 1,000 reward

There have been no credible sightings of TC or ET since March 13

ET left a bag behind at Shoney's, but it was later gone. The story goes that it was left outside and picked up by someone.
Shoney's had no working surveillance camera (per Sister) and ""We believe for one reason or another she left one of these bags behind and it disappeared later that day," said DA Brent Cooper.Cooper said someone either took the bag or Elizabeth may have come back for it" http://whnt.com/2017/03/24/da-elizab...dissapearance/

ET has wheat and tomato allergies and needs an epi pen.(per Sister)

ET took her sister's bathing suit with her (per Sister)

ET hid from TC when he tried to see her at work. "One of Thomas family lawyers told WKRN that, at some point before the March 13 disappearance, Cummins came into Elizabeth's work place. The teen hid in a bathroom and urged a co-worker to tell the teacher that she wasn't there." http://patch.com/tennessee/nashville...ns-family-says (this was also confirmed by Sister)

ET had been taken from her mother's custody and her father has custody of her. ET had formerly been homeschooled, was a freshman in high school and had just started public school. TC was her teacher. ET's mother was charged with abuse and lost custody.
ET's mother gave an interview.

TC was looking for work in Decatur

TC and ET may have stayed in a motel in Decatur the first night

TC watched shows about living off the grid "Investigators also tell CBS News that Cummins appears to have been planning this for some time by watching survivalist shows."
http://www.ktvq.com/story/34952463/manhunt-intensifies-for-missing-teacher-student

TC has no criminal record in the state of TN. "Cummins has no criminal record in the state of Tennessee."
http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/34935506/teacher-student-posted-on-social-media-on-day-they-went-missing

I'll be editing this post with sources and such, but is there anything I missed?

Destany Parrish is a former student who TC may have groomed prior to ET, made alone time for the two of them and sang her a love song he'd written. He told us all one day that the office had gotten on to him and that we all had to go back to the lunch room because that's where we're supposed to be anyway," Parrish recalled. "Everybody left and I got my bag and got ready to leave, and he said the office hadn't said anything to him, he just didn't want that many kids in his room. It just ended up being he and I chilling in there. I would go there after school.”
Parrish said she would go to Cummins’ room after school and he would often take her to services at the Destiny Church in Columbia Parrish was 15 at the time, in 2011 she was his student.
http://www.wsmv.com/story/34977042/t...p-with-teacher

"One day, Parrish said Cummins arranged for them to be alone and he sang the lyrics he had written.
One of the lyrics read, "I could swim for a thousand miles in the oceans inside your eyes and never reach the side."
"It was just me and tad. We were in the music room. It was right next to his classroom, and I had learned a new song on the piano," said Parrish. "I was gonna go show him, but he sat down first and played that song, and I started recording a little bit in.
When asked if she felt the song was for her, Parrish said she didn't assume, but looking back, things seem different."
http://www.newschannel5.com/news/for...er-a-love-song

Interview with Thomas family attorneys by Nancy Grace: https://www.podcastchart.com/podcast...-at-school/pop

Do you need to add any of this information? Lots of info there.

http://www.ktvz.com/news/national-w...-from-kissing-allegation-to-manhunt/408254685

 

[JerseyGirl]

I've got that one and it mentioned the email was attached to. Their report, but I didn't see an email from him.

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see the lawyer's letter to the school superintendent dated February 6th, I forgot that's where i got my info that the principal never contacted ET's father/family:

https://mgtvwkrn.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/thomas-packet-to-media.pdf

 

[MCElizabethsSISTER]

They would have to contact child protective services if there were allegations of abuse. Child protective services and the police should be very familiar with her situation because of the charges from the mom and the kids being given to the father.

There would have been numerous investigations into the father from child services because of this.

I'm not buying this.

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I don't know what you don't believe but it's the truth.

 

[KKearns]

Is there a way to re-post the second Redacted so that it could be downloaded? I cannot download from scibd.com. Thank you.

If you get the app, you can save it to your library. The app is free.

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[MsMtOlympus]

At this stage and with as little that we know with regards to a region to focus on (his head-start being what makes this extra difficult to pinpoint), I personally believe that it is time to re-focus the effort on publicly pleading with TC to let Elizabeth go with turning himself in as well being ideal, but secondary (similar to the goals of a hostage negotiation).

Don't get me wrong, we still need be vigilant and it only takes one person to spot them but until we have more to go on, it's 320 million Americans in the US alone that we're trying to sort through and match up. I'm convinced they are holed-up for the time being and that trips to the store aren't yet necessary and won't be for a while. This plan was designed to have as few eyes as possible on TC and ET for months and it's unfortunately working.

The wife, the DA, the state representative/family friend - TC is laughing at the thought of anything they have to say being persuasive to him in any way whatsoever. He probably holds his middle finger up to whatever screen he's watching them on. Suggestion: get his adult children begging, CRYING if they must while holding one of his grandchildren - oh, I know what you're thinking; dragging a grandchild further into this mess is a low-blow but I honestly feel that whatever modicum of empathy that this monster has involves his grandkids. Barring exploiting them, have the adult children hold family pictures up while they publicly address TC.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

In case you missed the Inside Edition report on the previous thread, here's the link:

http://www.insideedition.com/headli...-lyrics-to-another-student-in-unearthed-audio

 

[KKearns]

see the lawyer's letter to the school superintendent dated February 6th, I forgot that's where i got my info that the principal never contacted ET's father/family:

https://mgtvwkrn.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/thomas-packet-to-media.pdf

I got all that. The issue is on the school's report they say in the last page an email from TC is attached. I haven't seen an email TC wrote in response to the school investigation.

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[KKearns]

I don't know what you don't believe but it's the truth.

No.. I'm not buying what the poster said about a reason CPS wouldn't be contacted and the father not being contacted. I was explaining why they would have to be contacted.

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[MCElizabethsSISTER]

The school should have been very familiar with the abuse issue and custody issue also.

Maybe Kat can fill us in on how all this happened. Who contacted LE and when and what happened when LE contacted ET's dad.

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I'm unsure who contacted LE. When we were contacted by LE ET's father immediately canceled everything for the rest of the day at work. He called his attorney. He then met with Detective Albright the same day.

 

[KKearns]

I don't know what you don't believe but it's the truth.

This is what I'm not buying, the post I quoted here.

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[Whiteorchids]

I was hoping for a sighting today [emoji19]

Has it crossed anyone's mind that she might be having a good time? No matter what we need to find her ASAP

 

[birdsmomma]

I'm having a hard time with it being reported that ET asked the friend to take her home (2nd thoughts). If this is the case, why did ET go out to the car? Couldn't she hide in the bathroom and call someone to come get her later?

I'm in NO WAY trying to blame ET for being taken. I'm just really puzzled as to why she went with him if she were having 2nd thoughts. Also, where did the info that she asked the friend to take her back home come from? I've only read that the friend is not being cooperative so it does not make sense to me that she would share this info in the first place?

 

[KKearns]

I'm unsure who contacted LE. When we were contacted by LE ET's father immediately canceled everything for the rest of the day at work. He called his attorney. He then met with Detective Albright the same day.

That would be interesting to know who contacted LE. Was the LE investigating more than just the kiss at school? A couple of things made it sound like a very different investigation than the kiss investigation.

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[policyoftruth501]

folks, she was a new student with a very sad background. for all the school and LE knew, there were other abuser(s) in the home. they had to tread very softly in order to protect her from what could've been potential backlash (further abuse). not that any of this was the case, but they didn't know that at the time. would easily explain why they didn't rush to tell her parent(s) when they were still investigating how or what exactly happened on school grounds.

Having a child that was labeled by school administration, I feel somewhat personally connected to ET. My daughter was misdiagnosed with ADHD when she was in kindergarten. By 4th grade she was having serious problems acting out at school because of the medications for ADHD she had been on for so long and that she never should have been taking. She was extremely petite and weighed only about 50 pounds at the time, but was on the strongest dose of every ADHD medication on the market (not all at once and not Ritalin - but every single other drug for ADHD).

Despite these efforts she was increasingly combative at school and at home - certainly not the age for teenage defiance when she was only at only 8 or 9 years old. Instead of getting help from her school's administration and counselor she and I both constantly got blamed for her behavior. I even had a vice principal from her elementary school call me and counsel me on how I to need to put my child in medication if she has ADHD. I counseled him on how it is a violation of state law for him to even hint at that suggestion and then reported him to the school principal the very next day. Her response, "Well, I know he's a problem, but he's retiring at the end of the school year". I minored in psychology in college and even studied child psychology, but my repeated request asking that my daughter's psychiatrist and therapist do additional testing fell on deaf ears.

By the time she was in 8th grade I grew disgusted that no one would listen to what I had to say (I personally believe they, the psychiatrist and therapist, believed what I had to say about additional testing but didn't want to lose the money they had coming in from twice a week therapy sessions and once a week psychiatrist sessions), so I eventually took it upon myself to ween her off of the cocktail of drugs they had her on (about 4 drugs that included ADHD meds, anti-psychotics, mood stabilizers, and ability - just for starters). In a matter of a month her behavior improved substantially. By the end of that semester her behavior problems at school completely stopped. The next year her grades improved from nearly flunking out of school to being an A, B, and occasional C student.

The point of the story is she and I (especially her) were in desperately need of help. We went though a list of doctors so long it's hard to recall exactly how many there were (my best recollection was 6). We even begged for help with the school counselor, but they deemed it all my daughter's problem. My point is, in my experience the school administration could care less about helping a child in need. They want the kids that act right and therefore make the lives of the teachers and administrators easier and the kids that don't fit this mold get labeled, sometimes permanently, and are never given the attention they need to figure out what the real underlying problem is to give them the opportunity to succeed in life.

My daughter got extremely lucky with the middle school counselor she had. This woman had done specialized studies and research into adolescents and teens with ADHD and knew from the first session with my daughter that she didn't have ADHD. She said that the medications my daughter had been prescribed were entirely too strong for my child, who was extremely small for her age and only weighed about 70 pounds at the time causing the behaviors of ADHD, a classic sign of someone who doesn't have ADHD (if you have ADHD the drugs calm the hyperactivity, if you don't have it the drugs cause behaviors that are similar to ADHD).

Even though the specifics are different, I get the impression there are similarities to what happened with ET and is now what is happening to her siblings. The school knew there were problems with ET's home life, but instead of giving her the help and support she truly needed they instead labeled her as a problem. And then TC came into the picture and took advantage of a young girl with a bad home life and family problems. He took advantage of a kid in need who no one else would listen to or lend support to and she was so grateful for someone in a position of power (in her eyes) to listen to her story and treat her with respect that she probably didn't even notice or care when things started to move in the wrong direction.


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[staunchcharacter]

Thread #8. This is going to be a long, long wait folks. Doesn't seem the TBI has much to go on (or they are keeping it close to chest). My bet remains with ET getting tired of living in the lam with no internet access.

She could likely have a device that she is connecting to wifi with, but even if she has a device she can use, what good is it to a teen who can't text, email or message anyone or go and share social media posts and Snapchats with her friends? Giving that up cold turkey for teens, who studies show are addicted to the validation they receive when someone likes or comments on their posts, could be very difficult for a teen today.

 

[GigTu]

In repsonse to Laffy Taffy's post in Thread #7, post #771:

Sunday, March 26, 2017 6:30 pm
Outside temp was 80 degrees
Everyone was wearing shorts, tank tops, etc.
We were heading to Louisiana from Houston. We stopped in Baytown,TX for gas.
While in the store I saw this man walk in from the LEFT side entrance. The moment I laid eyes on him my stomach felt as though someone punched me.
(I instantly thought ... that's him! That's the guy that kidnaped the 15 year old girl)
As he walked in he never looked around. Keeping his focus on the bathroom. All I could think of was getting in a position to take a picture and follow him out to see what he was driving.
He did not shop around. He entered the restroom and exited about 2 minutes later.
He kept the same focus, same pace as when he entered. As he exited the restroom I believe we made eye contact, (through his glasses) my body language was as though I had just seen a ghost. I could tell he was aware I was looking at him and had an uneasy feeling. He never showed any emotion. (Never said excuse me while walking through people etc)
He continued to the exit. He looked to the left at the exit and saw a fully dressed security guard in uniform. He then walked out of the RIGHT side exit. He walked around the vehicles in the parking lot to get to his vehicle at the gas pump.
As we were walking to our vehicle he was pulling away from the pump. I didn't realize it was him until he was passing us because he had already changed his clothes!
He was wearing an Olive green crew neck t-shirt and those same sunglasses. He was driving a van/bus/camper. It was black or Dark Grey and had a Louisiana plate on it. One you can live in that doesn't have any windows.
I immediately contacted TBI, 911, FBI etc.
It may just be a coincidence but let me point a few things out:
-Beanie Hat in 80 degree weather
-A military style outfit that doesn't match in color and looks homemade.
-sunglasses
-never purchased a thing or even looked around for that matter
-driving a camper/bus/van
-undressed and removed his top shirt and beanie the moment he got in his vehicle
-very obvious detour away from the security guard

I'm sharing in hopes of getting your honest thoughts and opinions. What are the possibilities that he looks like this now?

I think this is a very distinct possibility. If they are living in a vehicle like this it would explain why there have been no sightings. Where would they park to sleep? KOA campgrounds? Truck stops? Camping sites? Roadside rest areas? I really want to see the pictures Laffy Taffy took, I wish they hadn't been removed.

In Thread #2, post #737, on 3/22/17 at 8:00 am MotherOcean mentioned a possible sighting of Elizabeth and Tad in a similar RV vehicle way out in a Walmart parking lot in the same week Tad kidnapped Elizabeth. She spotted them the same week a Corpus Cristi sighting was called in. Maybe that Walmart area is when and where they ditched the Rogue.

The Walmart is just a few minutes of the I-65, about 10-15 miles from where the I-65 connects to the I-10, which would place it around Mobile, Alamaba. Later MotherOcean assured us that she called this in to the 800-TBI tip line. I hope TBI and FBI revisit this sighting and check those Walmart video cameras. We need a Lousiana license plate number of that ERA RV!!!

It would be interesting to find out who recently sold one of those RVs between Columbia and Mobile.

Hi, everyone! I apologize for just jumping right into this thread but I have a few questions. I am at work right now so I can't spend much time reading, googling, etc.

Can anyone tell me when the possible sighting of Cummins and Elizabeth in Decatur, AL occurred?

Also, has there been any report that Cummins may be traveling in a vehicle other than the Nissan Rouge?

I am really freaking out here! One day last week, I drove past a Wal-Mart in our town and I saw an older man and a teen-age girl walking through the parking lot where they were getting into a strange looking vehicle. They appeared so odd, so out of place, but I thought I was just crazy for having a weird feeling come over me. In fact, I even picked up my cell phone to call the police but I did not call.

We live in an area that gets a lot of traffic moving through with tourists and immigrants from all over the world. Our town is small but busy.

What grabbed my eye was that the girl had a hoodie on her head and she was pulling it down very tightly with her hands. All of her clothing was bright pink. I am 99% sure she is a teen ager. The man was older and it was during the mid morning when most kids would be in school. He was walking quickly to the vehicle which was parked at the far side of the parking lot by itself with no other vehicles anywhere around it. The girl was walking behind him and slowly.

I swear, my first thought was... that girl does not want to be with that man! I had not heard anything about Elizabeth at that time, but if I had, I would have called the police for sure.

Their body types meet the descriptions of Cummings and Elizabeth perfectly.

The vehicle was very odd. It was something between a small van and an RV. It was squarish, sort of like an old military vehicle of some sort. Honestly, I couldn't tell what it was. It was all one color, black. I am pretty sure that the windows were darkened to the same color as the rest of the vehicle, so it was just a bland, dull, black all over.

I just found out about Elizabeth! We are 300 miles from Decatur, AL.

 

[KKearns]

I'm having a hard time with it being reported that ET asked the friend to take her home (2nd thoughts). If this is the case, why did ET go out to the car? Couldn't she hide in the bathroom and call someone to come get her later?

I'm in NO WAY trying to blame ET for being taken. I'm just really puzzled as to why she went with him if she were having 2nd thoughts. Also, where did the info that she asked the friend to take her back home come from? I've only read that the friend is not being cooperative so it does not make sense to me that she would share this info in the first place?

That was in a podcast interview of the attorney. Evidently she told police that much in the beginning.

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[Irishboy]

I'm having a hard time with it being reported that ET asked the friend to take her home (2nd thoughts). If this is the case, why did ET go out to the car? Couldn't she hide in the bathroom and call someone to come get her later?

I'm in NO WAY trying to blame ET for being taken. I'm just really puzzled as to why she went with him if she were having 2nd thoughts. Also, where did the info that she asked the friend to take her back home come from? I've only read that the friend is not being cooperative so it does not make sense to me that she would share this info in the first place

BBM Tried to say this upthread you said it better.
There are two parts to that first statement - that ET wanted to turn around and the friend could not because she would be late for work. Why say any of that?

 

[Kakidoll]

While the goal is most definitely to find ET, by whatever means necessary, I think it's very important to remember to take some of these stories with a grain of salt. IE and others may be sensationalizing things and putting them out there out of context for ratings and/or fame. We all know how sometimes these stories pull people out of the woodwork for their 15 minutes and for MONEY! Lets just keep that in mind. I know i take EVERYTHING Nancy Grace says with a few grains, as she jumps the gun and puts her own spin on things. and that can point people in the wrong direction for finding this girl. Just as paid interviews will pull out people that exaggerate and add to a 2 minute conversation into a full blown 'affair'.

I really really wish the girl who dropped ET off at Shoneys would talk to police. I think if ANYONE has more information on her mindset that day, its her. And if she is worried about protecting her from someone, or herself from getting into more trouble, that needs to be relayed to her that she is NOT at fault for dropping her friend of. THAT is where we need info to come from. I fully believe she knows more than she is saying. I don't think she is frightened of TC, and honestly i don't think he is dangerous in that type of way. Even for the past coworker who said he was a bully, it sounds more like arrogance and attitude than physical violence. He seems to me to be the type that if you push back, he would back down. Guns don't mean a thing, imo. WAY too many people have them, and whether it is for personal protection or to sell down the road, I do not believe he intends to hurt ET. We haven't heard a LOT about his personality, or how he would react in certain situations, except by people who say they can't imagine him ever doing this. So we DON'T know what he will do if cornered. But when people are backed in a corner, most do come out fighting. I'd much rather see him drop her off, or her get tired of this and leave voluntarily.