Found Safe TN - Mary Catherine Elizabeth Thomas, 15, Maury County, 13 March 2017 #4

[seattlechiquita]

" Whatley said these actions were all a part of the grooming process that allowed Cummins to gain control of Elizabeth’s mind."
Sounds like an opinon to me.
My opinion is that he could of been giving her special treatment because she was so abused and depressed and he felt sorry for her.

Please say you are kidding. When a teacher is concerned about a student, he does not kiss her, pursue her, and kidnaps her. He/she seeks treatment for her, and points her to the school's counselor/nurse. Talks to the parents and finds resources to help her. I can't even.

 

[OtisC]

Many teachers befriend the students so that they behave in the classroom. Many teachers will also bully students that are being bullied by other students just so the bullys will behave in the classroom.Teachers have all kinds of techniques since each has their own experiences with the kids.

You have just described two terrible techniques that are not done by "good" teachers.

The above is my opinion only.

 

[U2forever]

I really hope that their plan wasn't too hunker down and that TC took ET out into the middle of nowhere. That they ditched cell phones and such. Then he has a heart attack and dies and she's stuck in the middle of nowhere with no knowledge how to get back to society.

Yea, but half of your post sounds good.

 

[flourish]

True, but he was also human and had emotions.

Okay. But he is technically an adult who should be able to separate his emotions from his ethical obligations. Why do I feel like excuses are being made for him?

 

[SouthernCutie]

Oh for Pete's sake. Meet for six to eight weeks with the goal of making a plan of recommendations?? And, lemme guess, then take summer vacation.

Who has a backbone in that school? Surely if they can't come up with a communications plan, they could copy a plan another school has made.

If I were a parent in this school, I'd be fuming.

jmo

They leave a lot to be desired IMO. They still have not listed ET as missing on their website. I've seen no mention of them being at the vigils. You would think they would donate to the reward fund since its only 1,000

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[SouthernCutie]

Yeah, he messed up.He was a stupid teacher.

He's a PREDATOR

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[Considering]

I find it hard to believe that shoulder rubs, hand holding and sleeping on a bed in his classroom were ignored, and that it took a student to say she/he saw a kiss and that's what it took to investigate. How could all that be happening and nothing done about it?

IMO, it's because he's slippery and slimy and has honed his "craft." He knows how to get the students to want to be around him/ in his classroom. Eventually, it doesn't seem out of the ordinary for several students to hang out in his classroom. If there was only one student hanging out there when it wasn't class time, some eyebrows might be raised but not when Cummins has had students hanging around in his room for years. "Oh, that's just Tad being Tad" might be something one would hear if the situation was questioned. "All the kids just love him, " is another. He knew exactly what he was doing. He groomed Elizabeth (and likely others). He also groomed staff and administration to believe he was a great teacher, law-abiding citizen, family man and "Jesus Freak". He's scum.

 

[forthefreefood]

I really hope that their plan wasn't too hunker down and that TC took ET out into the middle of nowhere. That they ditched cell phones and such. Then he has a heart attack and dies and she's stuck in the middle of nowhere with no knowledge how to get back to society.

I had this same thought!

 

[OtisC]

Oh for Pete's sake. Meet for six to eight weeks with the goal of making a plan of recommendations?? And, lemme guess, then take summer vacation.

Who has a backbone in that school? Surely if they can't come up with a communications plan, they could copy a plan another school has made.

If I were a parent in this school, I'd be fuming.

jmo

While students and most teachers have the summer off, most administrative positions are on a full year schedule.

The new plan has to go through many legal reviews and will be available for the next school year. Rushing into a poor plan will not change this situation.

However, I appreciate your frustration.

The above is my opinion only.

 

[Gray]

Drive a dirt road into Mexico, work your way down as fast as you can. I am not sure of the best route, but if my life depended on it, I would have a pretty good idea of where, when, and how to take the best route. I do think there is a big risk in Mexico but it is the best logical way to get out of the US without papers.

I don't think getting into Guatemala will be difficult. I don't have that experience but I can tell you that it takes little research to get between Belize and Guatemala without papers. The mountains of Guatemala can be dangerous but is a reasonable place to hide for quite a while.

The above is my opinion only.

Once the border of the USA is passed, it is easy to get into ANY country in Central America. I have been over the border in more than one country in Central America without a passport before. Once I had forgotten my passport and they just waved us through. Once, I was in the countryside and simply walked across the border. It's very, very easy. Not gonna lie, all white people look alike down there to a lot of them. I've been told I look like Britney Spears before because my hair was brown, and I look ABSOLUTELY NOTHING LIKE HER. They'll be stared at, but people will not recognize them.

 

[tresptip]

Please say you are kidding. When a teacher is concerned about a student, he does not kiss her, pursue her, and kidnaps her. He/she seeks treatment for her, and points her to the school's counselor/nurse. Talks to the parents and finds resources to help her. I can't even.

I think she kissed him off guard.It was a peck.He wasn't handling the situation well, but he may have thought he was.He was not very smart.

 

[MsMtOlympus]

This article was mentioned earlier, I was just able to finish reading it.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/new...-job-kidnapping-suspect-tad-cummins/99515186/

This stillness was just for a moment, said Freda Scott, who lives next door to Tad and Jill Cummins. Scott answered the door cautiously in her robe. For days, strangers have been knocking on doors in the neighborhood — law enforcement and reporters.
Scott said she understands all the activity.
“Nobody knows why he did it.”

BBM.

Because he is a predator with a disturbed mindset in sheep's clothing who was able to groom and manipulate a child with the ultimate goal of satisfying his own ends at any cost, per standard predator behavior and thought process.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to single out this particular person but why is it so hard for some to understand "why" he did this?

 

[flourish]

I think she kissed him off guard.It was a peck.He wasn't handling the situation well, but he may have thought he was.He was not very smart.

What, in all the information that's been provided, led you to believe that?

 

[Ontario Mom]

I agree that he is smart (not as much as he thinks) and did not anticipate that this would get the attention it has.

With the above assumptions, and knowing he has nothing to go back to, what is a reasonable thing for him to do? Make it last as long as possible. What is the best way to do that?

Thinking long-term, you need the ability to sustain the basics of food and shelter with the least amount of risk. The best solution, in my mind, is in another country. What are the options? North to Canada or south to Central America (CA). I think CA gives better options and fits his profile the best.

Then again, they could be somewhere on the Natchez Trace on a motorcycle.

The above is my opinion only.

It wouldn't be easy waltzing across the US/Canadian border. Photo ID, passports, questions about nature of relationship (they do ask, and you do have to prove it) declared destination, etc. Although, that $4,500 he took off with would be just over 6 grand up here so... who knows?

 

[tresptip]

You have just described two terrible techniques that are not done by "good" teachers.

The above is my opinion only.

I agree 100%.

 

[Deleted member 155000]

Oh man. I feel so badly reading more back and forth about his behavior. As someone in the field of education, he clearly crossed boundaries...and he was clearly not professionally or maturely managing his emotions. Sure, he may have had some shared traits with good teachers, but obviously he was crossing ethical lines and eventually went off the rails. He took a 15 year old girl on the run.

I think one of the reasons I would like to focus on places he might've gone, given whatever we can find out about his travel history, is I feel like--as an educator--his profile is a familiar one. I have known a few teachers, all male in these cases, who crossed ethical and professional lines. They often had almost the tone of a high school quarterback who was trying to sustain his popularity into his adult years. They were often motivated by wanting affirmation. And they would go to great lengths to prove their intellect/status and to disprove their critics. This is why I feel a gut instinct that this guy is going all in. That he calculated this disappearance down to minute details and that he has a somewhat logical plan for how to evade capture and start a new life elsewhere. I do feel like his arrogance may be his downfall and slip him up at some point if good people in the right places are watching.

Mexico, Panama, or Central America have been suggested due to missions work/ease of border entry.

Canada has been suggested to a much lesser extent for ease of exiting the country.

New Orleans has been suggested due to his familiarity with the area from helping with Hurricane Katrina.

Remote North Carolina has been suggested due to proximity to Decatur.

Orange Beach ties into previous posts he made about beaches and vacations.

Where else? Any specific leads on where she would want to go if he were trying to make her happy?


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[bsarlo]

I think she kissed him off guard.It was a peck.He wasn't handling the situation well, but he may have thought he was.He was not very smart.

Are you playing Devil's advocate purposfully? How does that help with sleuthing and locating this particular devil?

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[Whiteorchids]

According to the information given in his personnel file he graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School in Mt. Pleasant, TN. If I remember correctly he grew grew up in the same town as the prosecuting attorney on his case.

Yes the DA said he went to high school with him and he couldn't believe it was him at first.

 

[dyannaON]

Has anyone come across if Tad is experienced in boating?


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[OtisC]

It wouldn't be easy waltzing across the US/Canadian border. Photo ID, passports, questions about nature of relationship (they do ask, and you do have to prove it) declared destination, etc. Although, that $4,500 he took off with would be just over 6 grand up here so... who knows?

Yes, that is why I don't consider Canada as their destination.

Mexico then south to Central America (CA).

The above is my opinion only.