Found Safe TN - MCET, 15, Abducted by Teacher, in Maury County, 13 March 2017 #16 *ARREST*

[Alethea]

Well, could be he was a long-suffering, optimistic soul...but also could be because mom currently isn't allowed contact with the daughter he just got back and wants to keep. One take on this move by him now might be that he is fighting to keep custody of his kids and not have them end up with social services; this break from his wife draws the line in the sand for them concerning the safety of the kids. Frankly, it is also true that he will likely fare better in a divorce situation now due to the association being made between the mother's alleged abuse and her daughter's situation with TC. The wife is in a far more defensive position, now, with her own abuse charges pending. The bargaining chips will be in his favor, so to speak. That's just an objective observation-- and like the person posting upthread, I'm not going to be assuming one parent is the villain, the other the angel, here. Their parental rights will ultimately be sorted out by examining all the evidence in a court of law.

Good point. Also, divorce can be expensive. Many people live separated for years and don't file for official divorce until someone wants to get remarried down the line. As long as both parties are in agreement on living/children/etc., there's no real reason to.

 

[Alethea]

Nothing has been mentioned about it by any family members.

I think they will sue, and should. I have a feeling how much will likely be determined by the attorney more than anyone. Totally JMO, but I don't think they will sue for as much as people might assume.

This is going to sound really cynical but the way their lawyer is working the media circuit and his new best friend Nancy Grace, the lawyer is definitely looking to make a pretty penny suing everyone involved.

 

[J4cknsal1y]

BBM

I've thought about this comment I'm about to make for days. I'm reluctant because I believe I will get flamed BUT I am wondering if anyone else has had questions about this.

On several news stories about ET's mother abusing the children, it says that the abuse started in November 2014 and the father took the children and left on November 2015. So is everyone else understanding this like I am? That the abuse went on for a year, with the father in the house and he didn't notice?
I'm having a real problem with this and am wondering if maybe this "neglect" contributed to ET's situation as the abuse from the mother did?

Flame away......

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2017/04/26/missing-student-tennessee/100921288/

No flames from me. I have a weird feeling about this, too [emoji51]


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[TigerLilly]

As a victim of sexual abuse as a young child from a trusted older family member, a couple comments/suggestions are making me upset. I am not going to go into details, but let me say this: abuse changes your entire psyche. I never told my mother because her love was also very conditional. I seriously doubted she would believe me, probably blame me or accuse me of making it up, or abandon me. So I kept it to myself and suffered tremendously as a child. At one point the offender outright asked me if he had ever assaulted me because other family members were saying he assaulted them. My mom was watching so I said no. I so badly wanted to be loved. I wanted to please. I dealt w it all alone and very poorly.

To try to make any sort of analogy that ET is in any way at fault really irks me. If she had never been shown proper boundaries and love how would she be able to make an appropriate choice at 15 when a creepy 50 year old ADULT is feeding her all the right lines? Just because she went without kicking and screaming doesn't mean she wasn't conflicted, scared, and confused about what was happening. An abused mind is not equal to a healthy mind and a child mind is not equal to that of an adult. TC is the only one responsible for his actions and to even hint otherwise is frankly, repulsive to me.

I have reported my posts and asked that they be deleted. People are putting there own a spin and words to my posts. I clearly said she isnt to blame in any way. Im sorry you were a victim and I didnt tend to offend. Im a victim also and for that reason think all sides of these crimes should be discussed so people can understand certain things make certain crimes easier for the perpetrator. My parents ignored the signs in ME because they didnt recognize them. How I wish they had seen that my ongoing "crush" on an older male was a result of his manipulation and abuse. Maybe they could have intervened before it was too late.


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[Safeguard]

As a victim of sexual abuse as a young child from a trusted older family member, a couple comments/suggestions are making me upset. I am not going to go into details, but let me say this: abuse changes your entire psyche. I never told my mother because her love was also very conditional. I seriously doubted she would believe me, probably blame me or accuse me of making it up, or abandon me. So I kept it to myself and suffered tremendously as a child. At one point the offender outright asked me if he had ever assaulted me because other family members were saying he assaulted them. My mom was watching so I said no. I so badly wanted to be loved. I wanted to please. I dealt w it all alone and very poorly.

To try to make any sort of analogy that ET is in any way at fault really irks me. If she had never been shown proper boundaries and love how would she be able to make an appropriate choice at 15 when a creepy 50 year old ADULT is feeding her all the right lines? Just because she went without kicking and screaming doesn't mean she wasn't conflicted, scared, and confused about what was happening. An abused mind is not equal to a healthy mind and a child mind is not equal to that of an adult. TC is the only one responsible for his actions and to even hint otherwise is frankly, repulsive to me.

Well said. So sorry you had to live that.

IMO it's a terrifyingly common situation. Seems like every other family has a Woody Allen in it somewhere.

 

[thorpedo]

No flames from me. I have a weird feeling about this, too [emoji51]


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From what I understand, in an interview with a family friend, it was explained that ET's dad traveled for work a lot and did not know what was going on. When the children confided in him, charges were brought against their mother, and he's been taking care of the children alone since. JMO,

 

[WideOpen]

As a victim of sexual abuse as a young child from a trusted older family member, a couple comments/suggestions are making me upset. I am not going to go into details, but let me say this: abuse changes your entire psyche. I never told my mother because her love was also very conditional. I seriously doubted she would believe me, probably blame me or accuse me of making it up, or abandon me. So I kept it to myself and suffered tremendously as a child. At one point the offender outright asked me if he had ever assaulted me because other family members were saying he assaulted them. My mom was watching so I said no. I so badly wanted to be loved. I wanted to please. I dealt w it all alone and very poorly.

To try to make any sort of analogy that ET is in any way at fault really irks me. If she had never been shown proper boundaries and love how would she be able to make an appropriate choice at 15 when a creepy 50 year old ADULT is feeding her all the right lines? Just because she went without kicking and screaming doesn't mean she wasn't conflicted, scared, and confused about what was happening. An abused mind is not equal to a healthy mind and a child mind is not equal to that of an adult. TC is the only one responsible for his actions and to even hint otherwise is frankly, repulsive to me.

I am so sorry this happened to you. Your words took my breath away. How very painful and graphic your expression.

JMO

 

[Karinna]

Interestingly, in the Mary K. Letourneau. case, Her 12 yr old victim sued and lost. The details in that case just blow my mind:
(Snipped) http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20020521&slug=vili21m

"A King County jury yesterday rejected claims that school officials and police were negligent in not recognizing a sexual relationship between 12-year-old Vili Fualaau and his sixth-grade teacher, Mary K. Letourneau."

"The relationship shattered both their lives. Fualaau says he has suffered from ridicule, depression and drug and alcohol abuse. His attorney said he is unemployable and was asking for nearly $2 million for him and his mother, Soona, from the Highline School District and the Des Moines Police Department."

"Letourneau, the married mother of four, had two children by Fualaau, who is now 18. She is serving a 7-½-year prison term for child rape."

"The verdict, which came after a 9-½-week trial and nearly three days of deliberations, meant only Fualaau, his mother and Letourneau were to blame."

"The school-district attorney, Patterson, and lawyer Bremner, who represents the Des Moines police, portrayed Fualaau as a sexually precocious youngster who used to watch *advertiser censored* with his grandfather. They claimed he aggressively pursued his teacher and bet other students that he could have sex with her."

ETA: "Ten votes were necessary for a verdict. Of the 12 jurors who heard the case, two found the Des Moines Police Department negligent in failing to protect Fualaau. One juror found the school district negligent, and another abstained."

Hi Safeguard. In this case with TC though, can the school be sued if once the school was aware of the kissing incident they told TC he was to have no contact with ET. The school also fired TC and i imagine authorities were alerted to TC if he was already under investigation by authorities before he kidnapped ET?

 

[LaneGirl]

This is going to sound really cynical but the way their lawyer is working the media circuit and his new best friend Nancy Grace, the lawyer is definitely looking to make a pretty penny suing everyone involved.

Perhaps I'm wrong and I can totally admit it, but I think a pretty penny is earned for some of what has happened in this case.

 

[Doghairrules]

Hi Safeguard. In this case with TC though, can the school be sued if once the school was aware of the kissing incident they told TC he was to have no contact with ET. The school also fired TC and i imagine authorities were alerted to TC if he was already under investigation by authorities before he kidnapped ET?

I don't believe the school did everything they could. They didn't suspend him right away, they don't appear to have offered any services to ET, they didn't investigate properly imo and they failed to tell ET's father about the allegations.


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[Karinna]

Perhaps I'm wrong and I can totally admit it, but I think a pretty penny is earned for some of what has happened in this case.

I would rather see the perpetrator convicted of his crimes so he can have no further victims. Maybe they should sue TC for bringing all this down upon an innocent teenager.
Whatever else happens after that who knows?

 

[Karinna]

I don't believe the school did everything they could. They didn't suspend him right away, they don't appear to have offered any services to ET, they didn't investigate properly imo and they failed to tell ET's father about the allegations.


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I guess they will work that out if they are investigating the school? I really don't know?

 

[Karinna]

(quote)
SBM
Over a month before Maury County teen Elizabeth Thomas is believed to have been abducted by Culleoka Unit School teacher Tad Cummins, another student witnessed what appeared to be a kiss between Cummins and Thomas and reported the incident to school administration, according to a timeline released by Maury County Public Schools on Tuesday.

The report also shows that Cummins remained employed at the school for two weeks as school officials worked to verify the incident.
The release of the timeline and a report on the school’s investigation into the incident follow the actions that led to Cummins’ suspension and eventual termination on March 13, when Thomas, 15, and Cummins, 50, were reported missing.
According to the report, a female student was walking back into Cummins' classroom on Jan. 23 to retrieve a bag she left there when the student says she witnessed Cummins kissing Thomas.

“In her written statement, Student 1 states ‘It wasn’t like a make out kiss, just a peck on the lips,' ” the report says.
http://www.tennessean.com/story/new...ore-elizabeth-thomass-disappearance/99445678/

 

[Safeguard]

Hi Safeguard. In this case with TC though, can the school be sued if once the school was aware of the kissing incident they told TC he was to have no contact with ET. The school also fired TC and i imagine authorities were alerted to TC if he was already under investigation by authorities before he kidnapped ET?

Hi Karinna,
I don't think the school did all they should have, until their back was against the wall. I think they spent the "two weeks" investigating how to minimize the situation (CYA). If I recall correctly, they even suspended ET for insubordination, after finding her in Cummings classroom, after she was instructed to never go there.

The kiss should have necessitated a meeting with her parent, the following day. Not two weeks later. I think they have a strong case. TC was fraternizing with students to a degree that I as a parent might be uncomfortable with,and then he kissed one of them. And they want to know, what kind of kiss it was? TC should have been on suspension from day 1 until they finished their "investigation". imo.

 

[Karinna]

Hi Karinna,
I don't think the school did all they should have, until their back was against the wall. I think they spent the "two weeks" investigating how to minimize the situation (CYA). If I recall correctly, they even suspended ET for insubordination, after finding her in Cummings classroom, after she was instructed to never go there.

The kiss should have necessitated a meeting with her parent, the following day. Not two weeks later. I think they have a strong case. TC was fraternizing with students to a degree that I as a parent might be uncomfortable with,and then he kissed one of them. And they want to know, what kind of kiss it was? TC should have been on suspension from day 1 until they finished their "investigation". imo.

Yes i agree. I was just trying to find info. on what actually all happened regarding the school and how they handled the matter and couldn't find much.

 

[Safeguard]

Well here's what I do know...
The kiss was reported Jan 24. Cummings was suspended Feb. 6 .
Somethings not right, right there.
http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/...but-reported-seeing-him-kiss-elizabeth-thomas

 

[Irishboy]

This is going to sound really cynical but the way their lawyer is working the media circuit and his new best friend Nancy Grace, the lawyer is definitely looking to make a pretty penny suing everyone involved.

Sorry IMO wrong. The lawyer has been working with the family pro bono (no fee) just to help get her back, when there was no one helping. There are ethical people who want the best result even without benefit. He stood there there no one else was, including her "friends" and the school stonewalling LE. Hope he/family continues to press the school/teachers as they stated before the ET was recovered to change the system as they stated.

 

[LaneGirl]

I would rather see the perpetrator convicted of his crimes so he can have no further victims. Maybe they should sue TC for bringing all this down upon an innocent teenager.
Whatever else happens after that who knows?

Not sure anything I said would imply I don't agree that TC shouldn't be convicted of his crimes!

BUT I do think that some are culpable and therefore a lawsuit has merit.

 

[Irishboy]

Well here's what I do know...
The kiss was reported Jan 24. Cummings was suspended Feb. 6 .
Somethings not right, right there.
http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/...but-reported-seeing-him-kiss-elizabeth-thomas

Right it's called teachers protecting their own

 

[gngr~snap]

http://wkrn.com/2017/04/25/amber-alert-case-to-bring-changes-to-maury-county-schools-policy/


[h=1]AMBER Alert case to bring changes to Maury County Schools policy[/h][FONT=&quot]IMO, there is merit and they KNOW it![/FONT]