I don't think the tree was misinterpreted or somehow lost in translation, because according to the narrative in the background at the :37 mark in this video
https://www.google.com/amp/kfor.com...ide-in-middle-of-the-night-as-punishment/amp/
... "Officer Savage asked Wesley Mathews to take him to the location where he last saw his daughter"
So not only did Wesley say he put her behind the fence in the 8:12 am 911 phone call, he then told Officer Savage and Officer Scroggins he put her by the tree. Then also took Officer Savage to that location.
I don't think anything was lost in translation, if she wasn't ever put by the tree it would be because he lied about it, not because he was misunderstood 3x.
Just my 2 cents.....