TBI investigating father’s claims that Summer Wells was kidnapped

ROGERSVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Officials with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office said during a media briefing Friday that they are now investigating Summer Wells father’s claims that the 5-year-old was kidnapped.

Don wells told WVLT’s CBS affiliate WJHL in a written statement Thursday evening that he believed Summer had been kidnapped because she would never " leave our hill”.

“I think that someone snuck up on her and grabbed her. I don’t think she’s in the area because the dog goes down to the road and that’s the end of the trail, but I don’t know that for a fact. The way that she just disappeared, she would never do that,” Wells said in the statement.

During the Friday press conference on day three of the search for Summer, a TBI spokesperson said all avenues are under investigation in the disappearance of the 5-year-old and if they receive credible information to show the child was abducted, the media would be the first to know to help get the word out.

Since Summer went missing on Tuesday, crews have covered 688 acres of terrain surrounding the home where the child was last seen. A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said 1,000 acres of land would be covered by the end of the day Friday. Steep and dangerous terrain continued to be an obstacle for the crews.

A Dive team has also been implemented in the search and will be checking streams, creeks and ponds Friday.

Sheriff Lawson reiterated that the crews don’t need help from civilians during the search and to please leave efforts to the trained professionals to ensure the safety of everyone.

“We are not going to stop until we find her...we will leave no rock unturned and no area unsearched,” Lawson said.

A spokesperson for the TBI reminded people to please only report credible tips. Any rumors being spread on social media or hearsay is not a credible tip and only further bogs down law enforcement.

Anyone with any information is asked to call 911 or the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

Copyright 2021 WVLT. All rights reserved.