Tad Cummins, The Tennessee Teacher Who Kidnapped His 15-Year-Old Student And Assaulted Her For 38 Days Straight

Culleoka Unit College teacher Tad Cummins spent months harassing and assaulting Elizabeth Thomas in advance of he kidnapped her and drove her to California to make her his “wife.”

On March 13, 2017, 15-12 months-previous higher school university student Elizabeth Thomas disappeared. Soon after an Amber Inform and a 38-day lookup, she was found in northern California, in which she was currently being held by a 50-year-old married father of two named Tad Cummins, her previous wellbeing teacher at Culleoka Unit University in Tennessee.

Though Cummins’ kidnapping of Thomas was presently reprehensible, the situation was built all the much more tragic when Thomas uncovered that she had initially seen Cummins as a mentor and protecting figure — only for him to then abuse that relationship and “groom” the teen for months prior to her disappearance. Cummins even attempted to twist his actions in court, saying that Thomas had wanted to run away and he was anxious about her likely out on her possess, so he joined her.

In truth, however, Tad Cummins had been lusting after his young student. Just ahead of the kidnapping, he was suspended from his placement as a instructor just after an additional scholar noticed him kissing Thomas on university grounds. Her family members claimed that he experienced expended months pressuring Thomas into paying out time with him. Cummins eventually wound up pleading guilty to federal counts of transporting a minimal across condition traces for the goal of participating in felony sexual conduct — potentially confirming what his accurate intentions experienced been.

How Tad Cummins Groomed And Manipulated Elizabeth Thomas

On the early morning of March 13, 2017, Tad Cummins remaining a observe for his spouse in which he wrote that he was leaving to “think.” He also requested her not to phone the law enforcement. Later that identical evening, Anthony Thomas documented his daughter missing. What followed was a 38-working day manhunt for Cummins that led law enforcement to a remote cabin in Cecilville, California — a little, four-walled shack wherever Cummins experienced holed up in with his underage victim.

Despite Cummins’ initial statements during police interviews that he “never touched a further woman” in his 31 several years of marriage, investigators uncovered a sequence of surprising revelations following Cummins’ arrest.

According to The Tennessean, Cummins first established his sights on Thomas though she was enrolled in his wellbeing course.

Tad Cummins was explained as a masterfully manipulative predator, pressuring Thomas to go out with him and threatening her with repercussions at faculty if she refused. A petition filed by Thomas’ father stated that the teenager girl told buddies she was scared of Cummins and felt in above her head.

She experienced just lately started generating the changeover from homeschooling to public university. Thomas also said that her mom experienced abused her increasing up, and perhaps that is why she originally felt these a solid link to Cummins.

“He produced me feel like I didn’t have everyone else, and no one particular genuinely cared about me like he did,” she recalled to ABC’s 20/20. “Whenever I tried out to request mental assistance, he told me no. I was feeling actual low… and he instructed me no and not to do it ’cause it’d improve who I was.”

Thomas was offered a seat in the vicinity of Cummins’ desk in his course. Other students also noted viewing him initiate bodily call with her for the duration of faculty several hours, together with rubbing her shoulders and back.

At one particular level, when she was alone in the classroom with her, he advised her, “You’d look really good bare.”

Then, when a college student saw Cummins kiss Thomas at faculty, it took a week prior to the instructor was suspended. For the duration of that 7 days, he was the chaperone for a industry trip Thomas went on.

He reportedly also picked Thomas up from her home and took her out to meals, threatening her with repercussions at university if she refused.

Even soon after he was suspended, he continued to go after Thomas, displaying up at her immediately after-faculty occupation. According to court papers, she would usually cover from him and check with her coworkers to lie and say she was not at perform.

“He mentioned if he couldn’t have me, he’d get rid of himself,” Thomas recalled. “Any time he threatened himself, he’d threaten my family members.”

But Thomas reportedly felt responsible about Tad Cummins’ suspension and equally concerned that he would locate a way to punish her for it.

In a way, she was ideal, as Cummins finally showed up 1 day in his wife’s Nissan Rogue and told Thomas to get in. He certain her to operate absent with him and, as a silent menace, put a gun on the console.

“He threatened my relatives,” Thomas later on explained. “My minimal sister was there and my complete family members was there and if I did not go a thing negative would occur to them… I realized when I obtained in that motor vehicle, I wasn’t getting out.”

The Kidnapping Of Elizabeth Thomas

Tad Cummins required to be positive that he wouldn’t get caught. After he took Thomas away with him, he made her toss her cellphone off a bridge, disconnected the GPS in his wife’s car or truck, and even went as far as to unhook the radio.

Cummins drove them throughout nine states, leasing a distinctive resort room each evening, generally in rooms with only one bed. His management went further, however, as he even controlled what Thomas ate.

“He informed me he likes skinny girls,” she said. “And I ate what he explained to me to ’cause if I did not, I would not get it at all.”

“I know he’s a bad guy,” she informed 20/20. “He only made use of me for one particular factor.”

Thomas also explained that Tad Cummins had sexually abused her and that they had intercourse approximately each and every night time though they were being on the operate. Cummins also admitted to this through an interview with the FBI.

Cummins made use of his have name when booking resort rooms for the two to stay in. A Walmart security digicam in Oklahoma captured pictures of the two in the shop alongside one another, but for a time it appeared like their path experienced gone cold. Then, a different Tennessee indigenous named Griffin Barry designed a cellphone contact that led investigators right to Cummins.

Barry experienced been a caretaker for the California assets the place the cabin that Cummins and Thomas ended up keeping in was found. He acknowledged Cummins’ facial area from news reports and pictures and known as in a tip. Authorities moved in and arrested Cummins, and Thomas was flown property to be reunited with her spouse and children.

Of training course, it wasn’t effortless for Thomas to place everything driving her, and the psychological injury she experienced as a consequence of the encounter lingered for several years.

Elizabeth Thomas Describes The Abuse She Confronted At The Hands Of Tad Cummins

“What you did to me was unspeakable,” Thomas explained to Cummins in a statement for the duration of his trial. “You noticed a damaged lady, who was lonely, frightened and traumatized. You manufactured her come to feel risk-free and beloved due to the fact you saw what she desired and made her believe that you would be her ‘protector’… All you were being was a gentleman who desired sex… Tad Cummins is a ill, disgusting prison.”

Two a long time right after the abduction, when Thomas spoke with 20/20 for the first time, she detailed how the manipulation skewed her perceptions of have confidence in and really like. Other academics at the university had teased her adhering to Cummins’ suspension. Other learners bullied her. She was a female from a broken residence, striving to match in like anyone else, and as an alternative, a male she wished to trust took benefit of her.

Cummins experienced consistently explained to Thomas that “the devil made” him go after a romance with her.

“But if that is genuine, then you are the satan,” her statement continued. “Your possibilities ended up yours and yours alone. A 17-12 months-outdated woman should not have to tell a 52-12 months-aged person this, but selections have outcomes. Your alternatives destroyed not just my spouse and children, but also yours.”

Thomas also expressed anger at Cummins’ demeanor in courtroom, through which he wept and appeared to demonstrate remorse for his steps.

“Where was any of that when you directed me into your classroom closet and violated me over and in excess of again for months?” Thomas asked. “Where was any of that when you put in untold amounts of time and exertion into manipulating, pressuring, and deceiving me into imagining that you had been the only man or woman who cared about me?”

Ahead of his sentencing in courtroom, Tad Cummins the moment once again appeared psychological and apologetic.

“To the target, I want you to know: I agree. This was not your fault. You have been a child. My misguided attempt to support you went sideways,” he stated. “Anything I can do to give you closure, I stand completely ready.”

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After looking at about Tad Cummins’ despicable crimes, study the disturbing tale of Nathaniel Kibby, the New Hampshire male who kidnapped a 14-year-previous lady and held her prisoner for 9 months. Then, read through the story of Andrey Emelyannikov, the scholar who took a selfie with the entire body of a trainer he murdered just just before killing himself.