Two weeks since authorities issued an Amber Alert for a Tennessee girl 'manipulated' and 'kidnapped' by her former teacher, a District Attorney General is urging the public to share the alert information with friends and family south of the border.
There have been 1,100 tips but no confirmed sightings of 15-year-old Elizabeth Thomas and 50-year-old Tad Cummins since their disappearance from Middle Tennessee. State and local authorities are urging the public to remain on the lookout and to call 911 immediately if you see the suspect vehicle, a silver Nissan Rogue with Tennessee tags 976-ZPT.
Thomas and Cummins were last seen on Monday, March 13. An Amber Alert was issued the following day.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation previously admitted that the pair could be anywhere.
District Attorney General Brent Cooper brought up the possibility during Tuesday morning's briefing that Cummins essentially had a 24-hour head start, easily enough time to make it to Mexico.
He added that there's a chance Cummins could even be playing the role of a missionary.
The TBI has also translated its Amber Alert into Spanish in an attempt to reach more people.
We've translated our #TNAMBERAlert information into Spanish in an effort to reach even more people. Feel free to pass this along! pic.twitter.com/7bIa7fjW2M
— TBI (@TBInvestigation) March 29, 2017
Authorities have shared the Amber Alert information with Mexican authorities as well.
A TBI spokesperson further explained that they're exploring all possibilities including that they could be hiding off the grid or in Mexico, but have received no information to confirm either.
"It takes just one lead, one tip, one person seeing them to turn this thing around," TBI spokesperson Josh DeVine said.
TBI Director Mark Gwyn stressed that this case is and was in no way a romance, it was manipulation.
"She is 15, a child. He is 50. A grown man. She's a high school freshman. He's a former teacher. This is and was not a romance. This was manipulation solely to benefit Tad Cummins. This is not a fairy tale. This is a case of kidnapping," Gwyn said.
Investigators have previously revealed that Cummins researched 'teen marriage' just a few days before he and Elizabeth disappeared.
Director Gwyn also addressed Cummins in saying it's not too late to do the right thing and bring Elizabeth home.
"We will keep doing anything and everything we can to bring Elizabeth home and pursue justice for Tad Cummins," Gwyn explained.
TBI's spokesperson said they remain "absolutely optimistic" that they will find Elizabeth.
Cummins was a teacher at Culleoka Unit School, where Elizabeth went to school. District Attorney General Brent Cooper has said that Cummins is also wanted in connection to an alleged sexual interaction between Cummins and a minor. The school district suspended him when those allegations surfaced and he was fired on the day authorities issued the Amber Alert.
Since their disappearance, Cummins was added to TBI's Top 10 Most Wanted List and is wanted for aggravated kidnapping.