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

[ChatteringBirds]

Rooting for this precious little girl to be found safe very soon.
May her family be surrounded by true support and care.

 

[Parks]

The sheriff said that she left the house and wandered off a little more than expected. It sounds like they do not believe this to be an abduction. I don’t know the technicalities of what’s needed for an Amber Alert but I believe they changed it due to the fact that she wasn’t found quickly. I keep thinking about Noah Chamberlain. I sure hope this ends up differently.

 

[rainynights]

The @TBInvestigation is asking the public to check trail cameras for any sign of 5 year-old Summer Wells, the focus of an ongoing #AMBERAlert. @SheriffLawson said the main goal is to find her soon and safe.

https://twitter.com/JoshSmithWJHL/status/1405254872996450309

Who reported her missing?

According to the press conference, she was reported missing to the HCSO by a family member at approximately 6:30pm Tuesday evening.

 

[MsMarple]

Ugh, "rough terrain," poor communication tech/reception hampering the search.

 

[Parks]

watching the livestream:

they aren't telling us why they stepped it up to an amber alert, what new "evidence" prompted them to raise their concern level.

I think they may not have new “evidence” and are being vague because they perhaps didn’t meet all the criteria for a technical Amber Alert. Regardless, I’m glad they did it because everyone around here phone’s started buzzing this morning.

 

[LietKynes]

The sheriff said that she left the house and wandered off a little more than expected. It sounds like they do not believe this to be an abduction. I don’t know the technicalities of what’s needed for an Amber Alert but I believe they changed it due to the fact that she wasn’t found quickly. I keep thinking about Noah Chamberlain. I sure hope this ends up differently.

bbm
Hoping that she didn't wander along a road where someone could grab her.
My guess is that she is believed to have walked away on her own but I fear someone could have happened on her farther away, and taken her.
It sounds like an older sibling saw her walking out the door.
Had the family taken walks to a park or somewhere close and she wanted to go off on her own walk ?
Have SAR dogs been utilized ?
Time is important and they need to be able to track Summer !
If she walked away, there should be a clear trail at least for a while.
Unless (again this is my fear) someone picked her up, then the scent trail will be much shorter.

Imo.

 

[MsMarple]

bbm
Hoping that she didn't wander along a road where someone could grab her.
My guess is that she is believed to have walked away on her own but I fear someone could have happened on her farther away, and taken her.
It sounds like an older sibling saw her walking out the door.
Had the family taken walks to a park or somewhere close and she wanted to go off on her own walk ?
Have SAR dogs been utilized ?
Time is important and they need to be able to track Summer !
If she walked away, there should be a clear trail at least for a while.
Unless (again this is my fear) someone picked her up, then the scent trail will be much shorter.

Imo.

It reminds me of little Myra Lewis. I hope Summer is found alive and safe!

 

[rainynights]

Summer Wells, 5, remains missing 21 hours after she disappeared from her home in Hawkins County.

At a press conference on Wednesday, people living in the region were asked to check outbuildings and storage sheds for the missing child.

[...]

Hawkins County Sheriff Ronnie Lawson said more than 100 first responders are combing the areas near Wells home, about 15 miles southwest of Kingsport. He said the area is “very dense, a hard area to search” with very little radio communication possible.


[...]

Lawson said multiple agencies are searching the area using every tool available, including FLIR cameras on a THP helicopter overnight.

The family is cooperating in the investigation, Lawson said, but declined to answer questions about any issues within the home.

Lawson and Leslie Earhart, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, declined to comment on the reason the Endangered Child Alert was raised to an AMBER Alert saying it is “part of the investigation.”

[...]

TN AMBER Alert: Search continues for 5-year-old Summer Wells | WATE 6 On Your Side
Posted: Jun 16, 2021 / 04:29 PM EDT / Updated: Jun 16, 2021 / 04:29 PM EDT

 

[modesty blaise]

So many questions....
Hoping they are all answered with a safe recovery.

 

[TDW59]

It is extremely remote so the chances of stranger danger are so much less than in suburbs and cities. <modsnip>
It is supposed to drop to 52 degrees tonight.
They still have nearly 4 hours of light left. It is all woods and water. With trail cameras come people who are familiar, I hope they allow them to join the search. No one knows that back area better than the folks who hunt in it. Hunting deer requires stealth and observance, I think the risk/reward ratio would allow them access very soon. I feel certain there are some excellent trackers amongst them. Letting the public in with no services would just get them lost more than likely.

 

[skibaboo]

Locals, how deep/wide is beech creek in that area? Anyone know? Is there a particular part kids swim in?

 

[razzledazzle]

How close is her house to water?

 

[Shamrock1]

I wonder what her siblings saw - looks like she has 3 older brothers.

 

[LietKynes]

I wonder what her siblings saw - looks like she has 3 older brothers.

Were both of her parents home at the time she vanished ?
Or a babysitter ?

Also wondering if the older siblings were tasked with watching her and she still managed to slip out and go walking somewhere ?
I'd think in that case she'd have come home on her own by now, though !
Imo.

 

[LietKynes]

Summer Wells, 5, remains missing 21 hours after she disappeared from her home in Hawkins County.

At a press conference on Wednesday, people living in the region were asked to check outbuildings and storage sheds for the missing child.

[...]

Hawkins County Sheriff Ronnie Lawson said more than 100 first responders are combing the areas near Wells home, about 15 miles southwest of Kingsport. He said the area is “very dense, a hard area to search” with very little radio communication possible.


[...]

Lawson said multiple agencies are searching the area using every tool available, including FLIR cameras on a THP helicopter overnight.

The family is cooperating in the investigation, Lawson said, but declined to answer questions about any issues within the home.

Lawson and Leslie Earhart, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, declined to comment on the reason the Endangered Child Alert was raised to an AMBER Alert saying it is “part of the investigation.”

[...]

TN AMBER Alert: Search continues for 5-year-old Summer Wells | WATE 6 On Your Side
Posted: Jun 16, 2021 / 04:29 PM EDT / Updated: Jun 16, 2021 / 04:29 PM EDT

Lavender bolding :
At this time the family's situation is probably irrelevant to Summer's disappearance.
I'm surprised a reporter brought it up, but maybe they're trying to cover all possibilities , based on past cases.
If older siblings were watching Summer, they may have been distracted on their phones or whatever, and spent time frantically looking for her first.
So maybe she disappeared much earlier than 6:30pm ?

Green bolding :
Re. the press conference :
If Summer isn't found by tomorrow, I wonder if the parents are going to make a public plea, to plead for her safe return ?

MOO

 

[TDW59]

Locals, how deep/wide is beech creek in that area? Anyone know? Is there a particular part kids swim in?

I have no answers. This is a speck in a vast acreage of hilly & valley terrain. If she is like my kids, she likely would have drank and waded a creek if she came to one. I am sure she is hungry by now and I worry most about the cold overnight temps. I would need to go to the courthouse and see the maps and do not have transportation.

It looks small but is an offshoot from Holston Damn. tva. Beech Creek Rd, Rogersville, TN 37857 - realtor.com® this gives photos of it.

Animals gather at water "holes", so that could raise a risk.

IMO

 

[skibaboo]

I have no answers. This is a speck in a vast acreage of hilly & valley terrain. If she is like my kids, she likely would have drank and waded a creek if she came to one. I am sure she is hungry by now and I worry most about the cold overnight temps. I would need to go to the courthouse and see the maps and do not have transportation.

It looks small but is an offshoot from Holston Damn. tva. Beech Creek Rd, Rogersville, TN 37857 - realtor.com® this gives photos of it.

Animals gather at water "holes", so that could raise a risk.

IMO

Ah that's great, that answers my question, thanks!

 

[skibaboo]

The sheriff says assistance from locals is not needed.
https://twitter.com/Anslee_WJHL/status/1405254544657981443?s=20

This worries me. I understand the terrain is rough and safety is important but it always makes me think bad things.

 

[TDW59]

The sheriff says assistance from locals is not needed.
https://twitter.com/Anslee_WJHL/status/1405254544657981443?s=20

This worries me. I understand the terrain is rough and safety is important but it always makes me think bad things.

I would think it is because of the very high risk of some of them becoming lost. They do not have decent communications. But I would let some prescreened hunters, trackers, woodsman in from neighbors, if there are any close enough. I believe that there are since they asked folks nearby to check trail cameras.

 

[Parks]

Does anyone know if the helicopter thermal imaging would work if she fell in a sink hole or was in something else that was covering her like a cavern?