Elizabeth Thomas is in a ‘safe location’ getting mental health treatment, says family lawyer

“Elizabeth is a little child. She could easily pass for 12.”

Elizabeth Thomas is safe with family a little over a month after she was reportedly abducted from Columbia, Tennessee, by former teacher, Tad Cummins.

Jason Whatley, family attorney for the Thomas family, met Elizabeth, 15, for the first time today. He was taken aback at how small and childlike she was, a side of her that the public didn’t see while she was under Cummins’ control.

“On a personal note, I met Elizabeth for the first time. I was taken aback by who she really is,” Whatley said. Elizabeth is a little child. She could easily pass for 12. The primary photo used and reprinted so many times by law enforcement, the media, and even our office, is inaccurate. This was the abduction of an impressionable little child.”

Whatley also touched on Elizabeth’s emotional and mental health. The Tennessee attorney said that the teen was severe traumatized emotionally, but is in the process of an evaluation and treatment.

“She is being evaluated and treated by mental health experts specializing in trauma. There is no doubt that she has suffered severe emotional trauma and that her process of recovery is only just beginning. The family is extremely grateful for the thoughts and prayers of the nation and asks sincerely for those continued prayers as Elizabeth becomes able to process the last 39 days.”

Meanwhile, Cummins remains behind bars in California, awaiting extradition to Tennessee. He’s facing numerous charges, including a federal charge of “transportation of a minor across state lines to have sexual intercourse.”

The story is still developing. Check back with Crime Online as additional information becomes available.

[Feature Photo: Family Handout]