Cover-up? Did kidnapper’s wife, an admin assistant at school office, know of pervy husband’s indiscretions with student?
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AMBER Alert teen, 15-year-old Elizabeth Thomas, is still missing and likely with her former teacher, Tad Cummins, 50. Jill Cummins, Tad’s wife, was apparently working an administrative assistant at the school district’s central office when her husband was reprimanded for having an inappropriate relationship with Elizabeth.

Jason Whatley, lawyer for Elizabeth’s father, Anthony Thomas, revealed that even after Tad Cumming was written up for having an inappropriate relationship at school with Elizabeth, he continued to work at the Culleoka Unit High School for a few weeks after. Anthony, who was never alerted about the ordeal until his lawyer had a letter hand-delivered to the school, thinks that the district may have tried to cover up the entire thing.

The ordeal happened in January, when a student saw Elizabeth and the former teacher kissing. The incident was reported and recorded into the district’s official school records; records that Jill Cummins may have possibly known about prior to her husband’s disappearance.

The Seuss crew: Director Eddie Hickman, Amy Hinson, Jill Cummins, Elementary Supervisor Dr Debbie Wiles.

Posted by Maury County Public Schools on Tuesday, February 26, 2013

 

A school investigative report on January 30 shows that both Elizabeth and the former teacher denied kissing each other, but Tad Cumming said that they were close friends, and he knew how to “calm her down.”

Tad was allowed to remain at the school as long as he had no contact with the victim. Yet, on February 3, he was reprimanded again when another teacher saw Elizabeth in his classroom for over half an hour. Again, Tad was still allowed to teach after the 2nd warning.

“I have determined to issue a formal OFFICIAL REPRIMAND for the following Code of Conduct violation. On Jan. 31, you were instructed not to allow Thomas into your classroom,” Culleoaka Unit School principal, Penny Love, wrote. “On Jan. 31, Thomas was instructed not to be in your classroom and to seek counseling from the CUS High School Guidance Counselor, Alison Reischman, if needed…..On Feb. 3, Thomas was in your classroom from 12:11 p.m.-12:44 p.m. This was a violation of my directive to you on Jan. 31.”

Jill Cummins has neither confirmed nor denied that she knew of the incident, but there’s been much speculation on social media that while working in the central office as an administrative assistant, she likely knew of her husband’s infractions and kept it hidden.

Last week, she made a plea to her husband to come home, stating that his actions were not the Tad that she knew, but she never mentioned anything about his troubles at school. Efforts to reach Jill Cummins were unsuccessful.

“Tad, this is not you. This is not who you are. We can help you get through this. No matter how far you’ve gone or what’s happening right now, God’s grace is sufficient for you and He wants you to come home. Your family wants their Papi back. Please do the right thing, and turn yourself into the police and bring Beth home.”

Meanwhile, police urge the public to keep an eye out for Tad Cummins and Elizabeth Thomas. They were last seen on March 13, in Columbia, Tennessee.

Cummins is a white male who stands 6 feet tall with brown hair and brown eyes. He weighs around 200 pounds. Elizabeth is a white female who stands feet-five inches tall, weighs around 120 pounds, and has blond hair and hazel eyes. They may have altered their appearance to avoid detection.

The ex-teacher was last seen driving a silver Nissan Rogue with Tennessee license plate number, 976-ZPT. He may have ditched the car by now and exchanged it for a different vehicle.

Cummins may have guns in his possession. Investigators urge the public to not approach him. Instead, contact the Maury County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office at (931) 375-8654 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.