AMBER ALERT TN - Summer Moon-Utah Wells, 5, Rogersville, 15 Jun 2021 #4

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That terrain!!! I’m not even sure how they get in and out of their home to the main road, it’s so remote. A beautiful location to raise a family peacefully, but my goodness those poor searchers and volunteers. They, along with her family must be incredibly exhausted.
I do not believe for a second that this family harmed this little bean, nor do I believe an accident occurred. With 3 minor siblings present, I find it doubtful that such a secret could be kept. I do believe that she either wandered into the vegetation (perhaps following one of her puppies) and got lost; OR she was abducted and it was a matter of coincidental timing. In the event of an abduction, my assumption would be that the perp would be someone local and familiar with the area / family. This may also be why the family dogs never alerted to danger. A dog becomes familiar with certain individuals and vehicles. A vehicle that regularly travels the road near the family home might be a part of that familiarity.
I always think of the Rhoden family murders. They had multiple dogs that never alerted due to that same type of familiarity.
 
Regarding the family dogs- it’s hard to say if they reacted to anything out of place. I don’t think every family dog would follow a child off the property or bark out of concern. It’s also possible if the dog(s) barked it got the attention of adults or the brothers, but the dogs bark often and it’s background noise. Again hard to say without the family commenting on the dogs normal behaviors.
IMO
 
<modsnip>
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I got really upset when I realized my post could be taken in a different light. I had zero intentions of ridiculing anyone, quite the opposite. For some reason, I believe her parents and feel so awful for them. My family grew up like this, rurally, working in agriculture, not having much, I loved going to visit my grandparents and aunts because my cousins ran around barefoot, splashed in the river all day. So I feel some connection to this family because my family is just like them. I didn’t get to live that childhood, but was able to enjoy it from time to time and it was great.
 
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Maybe people are jaded after all these years seeing case after case of children going missing only for it to be at the hands of a family member. Statistics don't lie, so we can't rule anything/anyone out.
 
I'm a newbie to this case. The logistics really caught my eye. The area is densely wooded, and there is a creek very close to the residence. If this was an intentional abduction, it had to be someone very familiar with the area and the family, IMO.
My heart goes out to this family and community. I do hope there is a speedy resolution, and hopefully a good one too.
This article interviewing a native of the community was helpful to me in understanding the terrain, and the situation the community finds themselves in.
Tri-Cities residents doing “anything we can” to assist search for Summer Wells | WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather
 
I am genuinely curious why the parents/child's social media accounts pictures and videos can not be discussed. I completely understand not discussing rumors or comments. Just personal accounts of the parents or the child.

WS only allows the discussion of Social Media that belongs to a Victim or named POI/Suspect. This is an effort to protect the privacy of individuals that have not been named a POI/Suspect, and to adhere to being a victim friendly discussion forum. These are important steps that have been taken to set WS apart from other discussion platforms.
 
Relying on kids to give accurate info is iffy…relying on three kids in front of YouTube is impossible. We are no tv/gaming on weekdays, so Saturday morning they are parked in front of every screen they can find. I just offered ice cream and Christmas and no one blinked.
 
<modsnip - quoted post removed>
By "media stories", do you mean FB comments? Social media?
TBI: No evidence linking Summer Wells’ disappearance with that of her aunt’s | WKRN News 2


Thank you!!!

What I've not seen covered by TBI or media is.....registered sex offenders and those on video that traveled the area have ALL been interviewed but TBI has NOT stated they have been cleared or ruled out as a person of interest. Moo...and dislike for one sided media.

Moo....If FBI, TBI has any lead, evidence this family was involved, the kids would be removed immediately.

They had 400 tips and NOT one creditable lead, bet 90% are F B members, that don't even live in the area. The family has been an open book, well, the father. I feel sure if mother or grandmother appeared on TV, the reporter would bring up and push for answers on the missing sister. But yet, the PUBLIC demands she be interrogated on live TV. Theses so called interviews with the father, the reporter has NOT focused on Summer, but criminal history from years ago. Moo...

I'm 100% confident, if FBI wanted to, or maybe already has, researched their property and would be allowed to bring in any equipment. When I heard they went to Putt Putt for the afternoon, I wondered if the FBI was researching and the church took the kids out to try and prevent more trauma.

Several points ...
  • Family has NOT lawyered up
  • Family has NOT shut down social media. To spite all the horrible comments made.
  • They have allowed TV into the property to photograph the home, several times, leading to more condemnation.
  • Father has answered questions on live TV concerning his past and that at of his son.
  • Cooperated with TBI per Leslie, coming to command anytime ask.
  • The kids remain at home, under the watchful eye of DSS.
  • Their church is staying and providing support.
Please, someone share what evidence they believe leads to nefarious actions from the family?

All respectfully based on my personal opinion
 
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Dogs…
Assuming the dogs would always give an “intruder” bark (and that’s a big assumption), there are reasons why they wouldn’t bark. If she was abducted by a regular visitor is one example. But what if it was someone well-known to the dogs, but not the family? My dogs don’t bark at our regular mail carrier - they see him every day, but he’s a stranger to me. Dogs might not bark at someone like that - doesn’t even have to be a uniformed person on set rounds! Could be a person who walks in the area.

If someone beckoned Summer from a car, the dogs may not have even seen another person and this has no reason to bark.
 
Relying on kids to give accurate info is iffy…relying on three kids in front of YouTube is impossible. We are no tv/gaming on weekdays, so Saturday morning they are parked in front of every screen they can find. I just offered ice cream and Christmas and no one blinked.
I have 2 grandson, they are the same. They have limited video time but during Covid, mom did allow more. That's the only reason we purchased headsets so they could verbally interact during lockdown.

I come to visit and they have on headsets, talking to their friends, and saving the world from some horrible monster. Its always, just a minute grammie, we're about to kill, what ever monster or bad guy. They are zoned out in the moment.

I'm confidence the FBI has secured ALL electronics, phones, computers and by now has a compete timeline of who was called, on a computer or video game.
Moo...
 
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Speaking of family dogs, I am reminded of our local case of baby Myra Lewis. She was 2 yrs old when she went missing 7 yrs. ago, her dog Midnight would also disappear in the days following but always came back.. until one day she didn't. Sadly, we did not know this until much time had passed..but it has always been a thought that Midnight was MAYBE going to where "her" baby was. I say all of this to say, I hope they are paying attention to the family dogs and their comings and goings.
 
Thank you!!!

What I've not seen covered by TBI or media is.....registered sex offenders and those on video that traveled the area have ALL been interviewed but TBI has NOT stated they have been cleared or ruled out as a person of interest. Moo...and dislike for one sided media.

Moo....If FBI, TBI has any lead, evidence this family was involved, the kids would be removed immediately.

They had 400 tips and NOT one creditable lead, bet 90% are F B members, that don't even live in the area. The family has been an open book, well, the father. I feel sure if mother or grandmother appeared on TV, the reporter would bring up and push for answers on the missing sister. But yet, the PUBLIC demands she be interrogated on live TV. Theses so called interviews with the father, the reporter has NOT focused on Summer, but criminal history from years ago. Moo...

I'm 100% confident, if FBI wanted to, or maybe already had, researched their property and would be allowed to bring in any equipment. When I heard they went to Putt Putt for the afternoon, I wondered if the FBI was researching and the church took the kids out to try and prevent more trauma.

Several points ...
  • Family has NOT lawyered up
  • Family has NOT shut down social media. To spite all the horrible comments made.
  • They have allowed TV into the property to photograph the home, several times, leading to more condemnation.
  • Father has answered questions on live TV concerning his past and that at of his son.
  • Cooperated with TBI per Leslie, coming to command anytime ask.
  • The kids remain at home, under the watchful eye of DSS.
  • Their church is staying and providing support.
Please, someone share what evidence they believe leads to nefarious actions from the family?

All respectfully based on my personal opinion
In your opinion do you think she wandered off? I'm only giving this option because if you believe TBI are laying all their cards on the table, then abduction is out also.
 
Thank you!!!

What I've not seen covered by TBI or media is.....registered sex offenders and those on video that traveled the area have ALL been interviewed but TBI has NOT stated they have been cleared or ruled out as a person of interest. Moo...and dislike for one sided media.

Moo....If FBI, TBI has any lead, evidence this family was involved, the kids would be removed immediately.

They had 400 tips and NOT one creditable lead, bet 90% are F B members, that don't even live in the area. The family has been an open book, well, the father. I feel sure if mother or grandmother appeared on TV, the reporter would bring up and push for answers on the missing sister. But yet, the PUBLIC demands she be interrogated on live TV. Theses so called interviews with the father, the reporter has NOT focused on Summer, but criminal history from years ago. Moo...

I'm 100% confident, if FBI wanted to, or maybe already had, researched their property and would be allowed to bring in any equipment. When I heard they went to Putt Putt for the afternoon, I wondered if the FBI was researching and the church took the kids out to try and prevent more trauma.

Several points ...
  • Family has NOT lawyered up
  • Family has NOT shut down social media. To spite all the horrible comments made.
  • They have allowed TV into the property to photograph the home, several times, leading to more condemnation.
  • Father has answered questions on live TV concerning his past and that at of his son.
  • Cooperated with TBI per Leslie, coming to command anytime ask.
  • The kids remain at home, under the watchful eye of DSS.
  • Their church is staying and providing support.
Please, someone share what evidence they believe leads to nefarious actions from the family?

All respectfully based on my personal opinion

I wish I could like this post a thousand times. These parents are doing everything they are supposed to do. Mom is probably blaming herself since she was home, so I can see why she wouldn’t want to talk to the media. I probably wouldn’t either because I would cry the whole time and I don’t want to be on tv crying. Dad is talking to the media so I don’t think it’s weird that mom isn’t. They have a family spokesperson. People can be so judgmental.
 
Just chiming in about the dogs because I had wondered about this from the beginning.
Regarding the family dogs- it’s hard to say if they reacted to anything out of place. I don’t think every family dog would follow a child off the property or bark out of concern. It’s also possible if the dog(s) barked it got the attention of adults or the brothers, but the dogs bark often and it’s background noise. Again hard to say without the family commenting on the dogs normal behaviors.
IMO

I think it’s so important to remember that dogs, like us, can all be very different. I didn’t see what dog(s) the family has, but I actually happened to have a related conversation yesterday about the dog in my avatar/profile pic on here.

My mother took the dog to come give me a ride yesterday. She is a GSD and is schutzhund trained by original owners overseas (I don’t know if this matters here, so just mentioning)... the back windows were rolled down for the dog, and when we were parked and I stepped out of the car for a few minutes, she did not even raise from her laying position to look out the window for me. Nothing. I returned to the car and my mother went to step out of the car. As soon as her door opened, the dog sat up and was at attention. 10 seconds into my mother’s absence, and the dog was very clearly unsettled. She is overwhelmingly protective of mom & will follow her everywhere, unprompted—but does not do that for anyone else in the household to that degree. At home, she barks for anyone who gets to the front door, even if it is one of us.

with that being said, I do wonder if sometimes dogs just follow whoever they are bonded to most? Which I would assume would be an adult, provided that is who in the home does the feeding, walking (if they are not allowed to roam freely in the yard, or something) etc...but then again, all dogs are going to behave and react differently, so I think it’s impossible to predict. Just thinking out loud, as I did have a conversation with mom yesterday about doggo’s habits and told her about this case.

Edit to add: something I saw from another poster just reminded me of something. In high school, my best friend’s family dog would follow/accompany her on her 10-15min walk to school ... and then the dog would return home right after. That dog wasn’t particularly protective or bonded, and there were maybe 5 people in the home. My friend was the lucky one who got the escort to school, lol.
 
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Just catching up but glad to see the 911 dispatch was finally mentioned in MSM.

I suppose it's possible that the dispatch operator just condensed some details and the flower planting story is actually true. Likewise, it's also possible the mother did actually go for a walk and when she got back, Summer was gone. Although, this whole last seen early afternoon and last seen "not 2 minutes later" just before the 6:30 911 call doesn't add up.

I guess it's also possible that these conflicting details explain earlier comments from LE about the "circumstances surrounding her disappearance" not being clear (paraphrasing).

I'd really like to hear the 911 call, as that might clear some things up.
Or, it might not. o_O

jmo
 
I wish I could like this post a thousand times. These parents are doing everything they are supposed to do. Mom is probably blaming herself since she was home, so I can see why she wouldn’t want to talk to the media. I probably wouldn’t either because I would cry the whole time and I don’t want to be on tv crying. Dad is talking to the media so I don’t think it’s weird that mom isn’t. They have a family spokesperson. People can be so judgmental.
Not judgemental just taking a look from all angles. We've seen this a thousand times before with horrific uncomprehending outcomes.
 
@Mountain_Kat, here's a link to some info about the karst topography, there are over 10,000 caves in TN, basically there's a natural basement under the state. This is why the locals talk about her disappearing this way. The limestone bedrock can break through and form a fissure, a larger break forms a sinkhole. A person can slide through a fissure, especially a small person, but ever finding them is unlikely unless someone saw it happen and had the gear to get to them and bring them back up, if they lived through the fall.
Geologic
There are caving societies that explore entrances to secret caves in TN, but they are like fight club, the first rule is don't talk about where the caves are, it's to keep inexperienced and unprepared people from exploring. You need to be able to get back out, not get lost, and not die of hypothermia because its cold underground and there's no cell service.
Here's a story about a huge one discovered by a 13 year old boy who crawled 300 feet to get in. After they opened up the entrance, they discovered ancient jaguar and elk bones that had slid down fissures and died down there.
There are some really nice big ones in TN that tourists pay for guided tours, with stairs built in and trippy lights and velvet ropes so you don't touch the stalactites and stalagmites and tear things up.
It's worth paying to see, especially on a hot day. One even has opened back up to putting on really cool underground concerts.
Discovering Tennessee’s Lost Sea - The Boston Globe
 
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This is my first post so forgive me if I misstate anything. If Summer is in the wooded area would the search dogs have picked up her scent by now? (I know nothing about search dogs.) Is it still possible she could be in the wooded area or is there little or no possibility of that now?
 
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