The crews reported searching more than 1,000 acres for Summer by the end of the day Friday. According to officials, the search is still on. Speaking with command staff, speaking to subject matter experts that were involved from other agencies out of state, getting together every day, putting all these things together to make the decision- I can say made the decision easier but it didnt.. Is this considered a cold case? June 15, 2022 marked one year since the Hawkins County girl went missing. Then Don Wells, Summer's dad, released a statement to the local WJHL-TV condemning "negativity" on social media that he said isn't helping anyone find the missing girl. pic.twitter.com/gd4rGS9Mcd. Find out more about how we use your information in our privacy policy and cookie policy. The pickup is possibly a 1998-2000 maroon or red Toyota Tacoma, with a full bed ladder rack along with white buckets in the truck bed. Officials with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said authorities have received more than 560 tips as of Monday afternoon. While the search continues, Rader warns of shady characters trying to capitalize on sympathy in the midst of tragedy. Teams have been assisted by AT&T and Verizon cell signal boosters to combat communication issues experienced in the area. We continue to urge the public only to share information from official sources. Additionally, a dive team with the Sullivan County Sheriffs Office assisted in searching a body of water. Thursday, Don Wells, the father of the missing child told WVLT CBS affiliate WJHL in a written statement that he believed Summer was kidnapped while playing outside. #TNAMBERAlert: New information and growing concern about the well-being of Summer Wells has us now issuing a statewide AMBER Alert. Summers case took the country by storm, inspiring state and volunteer search efforts and an ongoing investigation. Statistically speaking, theres a good chance shes already dead, Don Wells told the Kingsport Times News. Is the FBI involved? If it means me paying out of my pocket to make sure these trucks are going on calls, Ill do it.. That center, in essence, serves most of the lower end of Hawkins County in our area, and actually that center was utilized during the search, he said. ", Tennessee investigators again pushed back against social media rumors Wednesday in the case of missing Rogersville 5-year-old Summer Wells, who vanished from her home in mid-June. Everyone continues to ask if she wandered off, why did somebody not see her, said Church Hill Rescue Squad Captain Tim Coup. Weve been made aware of several individuals who appear to be using Summers disappearance for their own personal gain. All rights reserved. Wednesday, Dec. 15, marks six months since her disappearance. Yes. Yes. TBI officials said the agency continues to work alongside the Hawkins County Sheriffs Office and the FBI to search for answers in the case. KNOX COUNTY - A joint investigation by special agents with the Drug Investigation Division of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Knoxville Police Department, and the 5th Judicial District Drug Task Force has resulted in the indictment of four people in two counties on drug charges related to fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. When you dont have a suspect or you dont have a defined this is what happened, there was definitely an abduction, or this child definitely wandered off I think it really hangs a cloud of suspicion because youre like could someone in our community be responsible for this? Gray said. #TNAMBERAlert: Missing five-year-old Summer Wells may now have shorter hair than that pictured in our earlier alerts. pic.twitter.com/BOR5GhrUAM. No. We would like to speak with you to confirm this information and ask what you may have heard or seen at the time. We want to urge you only to share information from official sources. Summer Wells three brothers were removed from the Wells household by the Department of Child Services, according to a new report. In the letter, Don Wells states that the familys lives have all changed since the disappearance, and he asks those responsible to return the girl to the authorities. Summer Wells has now been missing from the Beech Creek community in Hawkins County for two weeks and two days. MORE: https://t.co/aezCJ2Qhhm pic.twitter.com/PF14VTzoI2. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Officials also confirmed that the search is still ongoing, and that Agents with the TBI and Hawkins County Detectives are still working to find the missing 5-year-old. The TBI said it is unable to identify the driver of the truck, so it is asking the public to help. Officials said that Summers AMBER Alert is still active and her case is not considered a cold case. The truck, described as having white buckets and a ladder in the bed, has still not been identified, according to TBI officials. Her grandmother also resides on the property where the 5-year-old went missing. We are not going to stop until we find Summer, Sheriff Lawson said. Bly told WJHL that she believes Summer was abducted. The Hawkins County Sheriffs Office announced it will send officers to assist any residents who arent able to search those spaces themselves. We have not stopped, Sheriff Lawson said. " Yes. Its the first official update in nearly a month. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Investigators have been searching for a 1998 to 2000 model year maroon or red Toyota Tacoma with a full-sized ladder rack and white buckets in the bed that may have been near the Wells home at Beech Creek Road and Benn Hill Road on June 14, 15 or 16. Officials with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation provided an update into the investigation and search for Summer Wells Thursday. Tuesday, 35 agents and officers with Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Hawkins . As this is an ongoing investigation, we are limited to the details we can provide. The TBI continues to encourage people to submit any credible tips they may have in the case. Yes. "We are also aware of individuals asking for donations from the public under the pretense that they are assisting law enforcement in the search for Summer," the TBI statement continued. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. Today, teams continued to search the rugged terrain in the Beech Creek area of Hawkins County. Family members told authorities it is not common for the 5-year-old to wander off. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation officials held a press event at 11 a.m. to mark the anniversary. WATCH LIVE: Murdaugh trial prosecutor gives closing arguments, Public File: publicfile@wsmv.com - 615-353-2260. Ashley Bohle is live now in Hawkins County to catch us up to speed. Have you questioned the parents? He addedit was too early to tell if there was any foul play involved in the childs disappearance. Copyright 2021 WVLT. Additionally, the entire area was canvased in an effort to locate any residential cameras that werent voluntarily reported. Will additional searches be conducted? Officials with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation gave an update into the ongoing search for Summer Wells Wednesday. (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation). The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed the investigation is still active and ongoing Wednesday with no new developments after the search of previously identified points of interest in February. As this is an ongoing investigation, if you see any of our teams out and about, please do not convey via social media or other outlets where you may have seen our searches taking place. Saturday, the TBI asked for the publics assistance in locating a potential witness in the disappearance of Summer Wells. Every detail is important. An alert @tnhighwaypatrol trooper called in the TBI Human Trafficking Unit when he became suspicious during a traffic stop in Hickman County, this week. HAWKINS COUNTY The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues to work alongside the Hawkins County Sheriffs Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, and numerous other local and state agencies to locate 5-year-old Summer Moon-Utah Wells, who became the subject of a statewide AMBER Alert on Wednesday, June 16th. In order to preserve the integrity of the investigation, we're not able to provide specifics. Those with any information on the case are asked to contact 1-800-TBI-FIND. Have you searched the phones and computers belonging to the Wells family? The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. ROGERSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) More than a week after she went missing, the circumstances of 5-year-old Summer Wells' disappearance are still unclear. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation provided another update on Thursday afternoon in the search for 5-year-old Summer Wells. pic.twitter.com/jn86GvReIE. None have resulted in a significant . Friday will mark four months since Summer Wells first went missing. CHURCH HILL, Tenn. (WJHL)- Its been more than four weeks since five-year-old Summer Wells was last seen at her home on Ben Hill Road in the Beech Creek Community of Hawkins County. Search crews have searched 2,400 acres of land since Summer was reported missing. Unreliable cell service and difficult terrain was an obstacle for crews searching and the TBI asked that civilians leave the search to professionals to ensure the safety of everyone. The team has covered a lot of area, Rader said. TBI agents, working alongside the Hawkins County Sheriffs Office and the FBI, have conducted nearly 170 interviews during the investigation. WVLT News spoke with YouTuber Marissa Zdazinsky; Candus Bly filed a trespassing complaint against her in December. In addition to air and land searches, ponds and creeks are also being checked. Tips can be emailed to TipsToTBI@tn.gov. Both have been questioned. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed the agency has received 715 tips in the search for Summer Wells. If youre a Christian God says you dont go there, period. Our hope was that the individual might have information that could help the investigation. However, we are also aware that some individuals are using this case for their own personal gain by spreading false information on social media posed as facts. #TNAMBERAlert: 5-year-old Summer Wells went missing from this property.Anyone w/ information regarding her disappearance is asked to call 1-800-TBI-FIND.Every detail - no matter how insignificant you think it may be - is important. In January, as [] Wells told the Kingsport Times News on Monday, LIVE: The Search for Summer Wells - Community Reactions. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Monday marks 600 days since an Amber Alert was issued for Hawkins County child Summer Moon-Utah Wells, and investigators are still trying to find out what happened. Officials are also still on the lookout for the 1998-2000 maroon Toyota Tacoma truck that was possibly spotted in the area near the time Summer went missing. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, That does not count the hundreds of phone calls made to follow up on tips reported to law enforcement that were the result of non-factual information posted on social media. Three large-scale searches have occurred. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The individual stated that the truck might have been parked in the area of Beech Creek Road and Ben Hill Road in the late afternoon to early evening on either Monday, June 14th, or Tuesday, June 15th. Call 1-800-TBI-FIND! Officials said there have been a tremendous amount of hours spend searching the area and investigating her disappearance.. His rescue squad is also in charge of the reward fund for Summer. Its been the goal of this team since day one to find Summer, he said. 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The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has responded to "an uptick in misinformation being spread online" about Summer Wells, who went missing earlier this year. However, we want to reassure the public that TBI agents and Hawkins County detectives are looking into all possibilities in an effort to determine what happened to the 5-year-old. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues to work alongside the Hawkins County Sheriff's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Hig. Don Wells, the father of missing Summer Wells, released a letter to the girls kidnappers at midnight on Tuesday. I hate to think that. An AMBER Alert was issued for Summer the following day, and while investigators have not publicly shared theories about what. We werent covering 4.6 square miles or 3,000 acres of land of treacherous land, steep inclines, steep terrain, treacherous terrain. Physical and emotional challenges continue for crews searching for Summer Wells over the past several days. Im not going to go there.. "People on social media are only adding to the pain the family is going through," he said. ROGERSVILLE, TN (WSMV) - Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents and Hawkins County Sheriff's Office deputies participated in a "planned search" for Summer Wells on Monday. WATCH: We thought we'd take a few minutes to update you on the search for Summer Wells, the five-year-old from Hawkins County who was reported missing on June 15th and remains the subject of a #TNAMBERAlert.Bottom line: We haven't given up, and we won't. TBI urged property owners in the Beech Creek area to once again check barns, crawl spaces and other areas a child could hide. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. She was last seen wearing a pink shirt and grey shorts and may have been barefoot at the time. https://bit.ly/3jQCsh2. The AMBER Alert lists the following details for Summer: Join News Channel 11 on Thursday for in-depth coverage of where the Summer Wells case stands, along with coverage of Don and Candus Wells appearance on the Dr. Phil Show Nov. 11-12. It has been brought to our attention that a photo of what the truck may look like has been circulating on social media, along with claims that the vehicle has been located. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has received more than 750 tips but none have resulted in a solid lead in the case. Hawkins County Sheriff Ronnie Lawsonsaid more than 100 first responders were combing the areas near Summers home, which is about 15 miles southwest of Kingsport. The sheriffs office announced more than 106 agencies across six states have joined the search for Summer, covering more than 3,000 acres of land. Have you questioned the parents? Should we develop information that she was abducted and have suspect and vehicle specifics to provide, we will share it with the public immediately. Juanita for one. At a media briefing, Hawkins County Sheriffs Office officials said investigators had not identified any suspects or vehicles of interest. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. As this is an active and ongoing investigation, we cannot share specifics. 9 Summer is pictured with her mother Candus Credit: Facebook / Donald Wells 9 Within the next two weeks, Coup is hosting an incident debrief with counselors on hand for all who were on the ground looking for Summer. We're continuing to follow every lead and won't stop working alongside the @HawkinsCountySO until we have an answer about what happened to the five-year-old.Do you have information that might help? Four people have been indicted as part of an ongoing investigation targeting those bringing dangerous drugs into Knox County and surrounding areas from Detroit, MI. Church-goers at the Kingsport Seventh-Day Adventist Church are keeping the family in their thoughts, Ryder said. Officials involved in the ongoing search for Summer Wells told WVLT News Tuesday that while search efforts are not being scaled back any further than they already have been, the process for searching is changing slightly. Most of the questions have been asked by local media agencies covering the case from the beginning and have been answered by authorities throughout the investigation. 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