Breaking News: Missing 15-year-old Student Found Safe, Ex-Teacher Arrested

Image credit: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation

Here’s some good news: the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says 15-year-old Elizabeth Thomas has been found and safely recovered. They say they have also arrested her accused kidnapper Tad Cummins, who was her teacher at Culleoka Unit School in Maury County, Tennessee.

From WHNT:

Cummins and Thomas disappeared from Maurry County on March 13. They were last seen at approximately 8:00 a.m. at a Shoney’s in Columbia, Tenn. A friend dropped her off at that time. Her parents reported her missing later that day.

Associated Press says court papers filed recently in Elizabeth’s disappearance say she was afraid of the teacher and thought she would face repercussions at school if she resisted him.

Just before noon, the TBI tweeted Cummins had been arrested and that more details would be provided soon. A press release says the pair was found at a commune. A news conference is set for 3 p.m. in Nashville.

TBI Director Mark Gwyn said in a statement:

“Our intelligence analysts and agents have worked tirelessly since issuing this AMBER Alert to process more than 1,500 leads from all 50 states. 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.”

According to TBI, Cummins is in custody in a California jail without bond, awaiting extradition to Tennessee to face charges of sexual contact with a minor and aggravated kidnapping.