AMBER ALERT TN - Summer Moon-Utah Wells, 5, Rogersville, 15 Jun 2021 #27

[MsBetsy]

I do wonder about the current state of the W home. All of the children are gone. What is CBW’s purpose? She is not working; is she meeting with officials working Summer’s case? She isn’t posting on social media, which she did spend time doing before. DW seems to have found a bunch of others to talk to online and I think he may believe this could be a future endeavor for him. He’s wrong. I’m not sure if he is still attending church or getting assistance from them in his daily life. Is he doing drywall finishing still? How are they spending their days?

From what we've heard from DW it doesn't sound like she's doing very well. She's been a mother to four young children for the last 13 years and now all of them are gone.

I'm sure, or at least I would hope, that CPS is providing services for them and if so, they can focus on doing whatever they have to do to get the boys back home.

I think DW also said they weren't getting along very well. A tragedy like this can put a huge strain on a marriage. It may not last, depending on whether or not Summer is found and what the circumstances are.

I wonder if LE has been conducting searches that we haven't heard about. With CARD and the FBI involved they must be exploring every scenario. Imo

 

[Allabouttrial]

This has been hashed out before in previous threads but I'll say it again.

IF the boys were removed for their safety then why did CPS take them? Surely having lost their daughter they would do everything in their power to keep the remaining three?

Why not take the boys and go stay with a family member like Gma has?

IF DW was the sole reason the boys were taken. Why doesn't he remove himself from the house so the boys could stay?

It doesn't fit whichever option you choose. So no I don't believe the boys were taken for their own safety to protect them from outsiders.

 

[razzledazzle]

She worked hard to give the impression that her daughter slept in her room. Why?

In case CPS was listening? JMO

 

[hdo82]

JMO IMO

I believe Candus is broken. I think her world has caved in around her and she isn't capable of pulling herself out of this mentally/emotionally without real professional help.

ALL MY OPINION

 

[dacjess]

I get stuck on the initial disappearance and the parents’ reaction because looking at the property, I’m surprised everyone’s first reaction wasn’t that she ran off to the creek or was in the woods, or even was playing and fell. She’s a child and there’s so much to explore on that property, it seems natural that, if she was by herself, she could get lost. That’s nobody’s fault, IMO. Children get distracted and run to explore places. It surprised me that both parents were adamant she was “gone” and abducted to the point where DW even apologized to the people searching his property. Even if my toddler/child stayed glued to my side on a daily basis, if we were in a wooded property, my first reaction would be that she wandered off. I’m trying to understand how the parents both discounted that so immediately without knowing what has happened to Summer. JMO.

 

[SMK777]

I wanted to jump in first thing and say that I am sorry that I did not respond to questions late yesterday. I have been diagnosed with BPPV, Positional Vertigo and the condition and the medication is really messing with me. Scrolling down threads sometimes sends me into spin mode. Going to a specialist next week to see if it is only BPPV which may resolve, or if it's Meniere's Disease.

…………

Forgive me if I don't respond to further questions quickly as I work through my current situation. I will post as often as able.

Good lord, please rest and get better. Both my mother and brother-in-law had this— it can be really awful.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Acc to DW, CW tested positive for cannabis. He states he tested negative.
I'm not sure there was any serious substance abuse happening in that home.
He was holding down a job of hard physical labor, she was caring for 4 small children.
I would like an insight into their day to day lives as a family but I guess that will not happen..
If she had not purchased the milk that day, would he have brought it home?
Did she travel to shops frequently or did he do all that?
Were they happy together or just getting on with it?

Did they share the love for animals or was that just her and he tolerated it? Or vice versa?

Did they have any health problems?

This is none of my business and will certainly not help find Summer! I'm missing a clear picture that is within my frame of reference.

People can and do function while abusing substances. Sometimes they can go on like that for years. But while they might be able to maintain a job or getting supper on the table, typically the children suffer a great deal. Their emotional needs are rarely well met.

 

[Mountain_Kat]

@Mountain_Kat

I once found an interesting set of fox tracks (similar behavior between fox and dog) and decided to follow them. Once in a while I would see a curious mark next to the fox tracks, but nothing more. After about a mile I saw a drop of blood here and there next to the tracks and occasional mark. I finally ended up at the fox den where there was blood and feathers all over creation. I backtracked the trail to a farm and informed the farmer that one of his laying hens had been abducted and killed by a fox. There was about a mile between the farm and the fox den. Just like any other scene of an "event", sometimes there is a lot of evidence, sometimes there's not and you have to follow the trail to figure out what happened.

A chicken is not a 40 lbs child.

But you did help illustrate my point. There was SAR with dogs over a 5 mile radius of Summer's house. If there had been any kind of animal attack, there would have been evidence of it, imo.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

I get stuck on the initial disappearance and the parents’ reaction because looking at the property, I’m surprised everyone’s first reaction wasn’t that she ran off to the creek or was in the woods, or even was playing and fell. She’s a child and there’s so much to explore on that property, it seems natural that, if she was by herself, she could get lost. That’s nobody’s fault, IMO. Children get distracted and run to explore places. It surprised me that both parents were adamant she was “gone” and abducted to the point where DW even apologized to the people searching his property. Even if my toddler/child stayed glued to my side on a daily basis, if we were in a wooded property, my first reaction would be that she wandered off. I’m trying to understand how the parents both discounted that so immediately without knowing what has happened to Summer. JMO.

Exactly. Why they didn't scour those woods again and again and again and instead suggest a kidnapping is beyond me. JMO

 

[MsBetsy]

I'm fine with speculating. Kids are removed from their parents' care because they are not being cared for. Period.

We don't know the specific reason since CPS records are confidential. When the West boys went missing the other four siblings were removed immediately. The sheriff said it was standard procedure when a child goes missing.

In this case the boys remained in the home for about six weeks before they were placed in foster care. If there were clear signs of abuse I can't imagine CPS allowing them to stay that long.

Don claimed he relapsed and started drinking again. We don't know exactly what happened but it may have been very scary for the kids. Both parents may be emotionally unhealthy since Summer's disappearance and are unable to care for them adequately. If they want to get custody back they probably have quite a bit of work to do.

IMO

 

[Mountain_Kat]

Just to be fair to DW and CW, neither of them appear to be in proper physical condition to hike this terrain. And I highly doubt that either of them has the kind of experience in this kind of environment that would be needed to provide a reasonable measure of safety. I'm glad they aren't out scouring the woods.

That said, what they could be doing is going on national TV, holding up pictures of their daughter and asking anyone with information to call TBI. Not <modsnip> 24/7 to youtubers defending themselves against social media posts and rumors .

JMO

 

[Sillybilly]

Exactly. Why they didn't scour those woods again and again and again and instead suggest a kidnapping is beyond me. JMO

CW had been searching in the woods. She sent the boys to search in the woods. By the time DW arrived home, LE and others had arrived and presumably were searching in the woods. Dogs were brought in and searched the woods without result.

Given that searches of the area were not producing any results, I don't find it unusual that the parents might then think their daughter had been taken.

 

[TTF14]

We don't know the specific reason since CPS records are confidential. When the West boys went missing the other four siblings were removed immediately. The sheriff said it was standard procedure when a child goes missing.

In this case the boys remained in the home for about six weeks before they were placed in foster care. If there were clear signs of abuse I can't imagine CPS allowing them to stay that long.

Don claimed he relapsed and started drinking again. We don't know exactly what happened but it may have been very scary for the kids. Both parents may be emotionally unhealthy since Summer's disappearance and are unable to care for them adequately. If they want to get custody back they probably have quite a bit of work to do.

IMO

DW also told CM he doesn't drink at all - doesn't even touch a beer!

 

[TTF14]

I get stuck on the initial disappearance and the parents’ reaction because looking at the property, I’m surprised everyone’s first reaction wasn’t that she ran off to the creek or was in the woods, or even was playing and fell. She’s a child and there’s so much to explore on that property, it seems natural that, if she was by herself, she could get lost. That’s nobody’s fault, IMO. Children get distracted and run to explore places. It surprised me that both parents were adamant she was “gone” and abducted to the point where DW even apologized to the people searching his property. Even if my toddler/child stayed glued to my side on a daily basis, if we were in a wooded property, my first reaction would be that she wandered off. I’m trying to understand how the parents both discounted that so immediately without knowing what has happened to Summer. JMO.

BBM. Key phrase. It is an odd reaction if you don't know what happened to your child.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

I've been pondering this for weeks trying to find a scenario that works with the little bit of info we know. I'm not saying this is exactly what happened, just trying the theory on for size. Let's say everything happens exactly as CW said. During the call from DW he realizes she's with H. Jealousy seems to play a large role in their relationship. Maybe in his mind H is a romantic rival and now he's angry so he tells her about some guy in the area trying to mess with kids, figuring she'll get rid of H and rush home. He stews for a little bit and then decides to see if she did that so he goes home but parks down from the house where the car won't be seen. When he gets there he sees SW in the yard alone and now gets even more mad because he's told CW to watch her closely. SW spots him and runs down to meet him. He asks her where H is and she tells him they dropped him off. Now he knows he's not there so he doesn't have to go to the house to check. He decides to give CW a good scare by taking SW back to work with him. They get there and he now has to work fast and make up time so he's not paying close attention to SW. She wanders away and either gets lost, injured or abducted from THAT site. CW calls him in a panic and he says he'll be right there. He now realizes SW is gone. Now it's his turn to panic and he tells her to call 911 and maybe or maybe not he does too but then he spends time frantically looking around the job site for her. At that time of day most of the other contractors/subs would be gone as they start very early so no one would see him looking. Now he realizes he has to get home and go along with the missing from home scenario. The 5:30-6:30 thing may come in as he lost time looking around the job site. He can't admit that he took her to work so he's just going along like she's missing from home because that puts the suspicion on CW who absolutely is telling the truth except for how long SW was out of her sight because she was probably impaired and doesn't want to admit it due to CPS involvement.

I think the first part of your scenario is very plausible, not so sure he took her back to job site though. JMO

 

[BunnyRabbit]

ALSO.. "someone grabbed Summer and put her into her car and drove not too far away." So we have a "her" from Don. JMO but it was said.

He was driving “her” car.......

 

[kittythehare]

I just got this weird sense of the whole thing being solved and us all being here arguing the same old points for years and nobody noticing...
I'm sure somebody would notice... I hope.
I might not, though..
If there is a break in the case, how will it be announced?
My fantasy about the FBI choppers and flashing lights zooming down on a property and whisking her out alive and happy is fading..

 

[AbbeyBabbey]

A chicken is not a 40 lbs child.

But you did help illustrate my point. There was SAR with dogs over a 5 mile radius of Summer's house. If there had been any kind of animal attack, there would have been evidence of it, imo.

I think the point was missed and it's a very important one and deserves to be re-posted and highlighted:
"Just like any other scene of an "event", sometimes there is a lot of evidence, sometimes there's not and you have to follow the trail to figure out what happened."

 

[AmyE]

so the tree trimmers would not have put them off?
Makes sense.
TES mentioned they had seen a bear up close in one of their interviews. I'm trying to recollect whether they , too , mentioned feral dog packs.. I'll do a hunt and revert if I can confirm.
~
@AmyE is local, she may well know.

YES. We refer to them as coyotes here, but they are exactly that, feral dogs.
I have lost MANY pets to them, they are highly dangerous and VERY ACTIVE HERE IN VERY HIGH NUMBERS. They are in every area of East TN and Virginia. Virginia even has a season and pays a bounty for each one killed.
In case you aren't aware, it's a 30 or 40 min drive to Virginia from this region.

 

[kittythehare]

YES. We refer to them as coyotes here, but they are exactly that, feral dogs.
I have lost MANY pets to them, they are highly dangerous and VERY ACTIVE HERE IN VERY HIGH NUMBERS. They are in every area of East TN and Virginia. Virginia even has a season and pays a bounty for each one killed.
In case you aren't aware, it's a 30 or 40 min drive to Virginia from this region.

Thanks Amy.