KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On June 15, 2021, the Hawkins County Sheriff's Office said authorities were looking for a young girl who disappeared from her home on Ben Hill Road. It said she was around 4 feet tall with blonde hair and was wearing a pink shirt with gray shorts at the time.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said authorities are still searching for Summer Wells 3 years later. She was around 5 years old when she disappeared, and the TBI issued an AMBER Alert and spent months scouring the Beech Creek community and beyond for any sign of her.
On Friday, the bureau released a video describing the case as investigators continue working on it into June 2024.
"We don't have the evidence in this case to know for sure whether or not Summer was abducted, or whether or not she walked away from her home and became lost. It's really important to us not to focus all of our efforts on just one of those two. We think the only way we'll be successful in finding Summer is to continue to walk both of those investigative paths, to ensure that we don't become focused on one area alone and miss something that's crucially important," said Josh Melton in a video release, the assistant director of TBI's Criminal Investigation Division.
He said Summer Wells' case has not yet gone cold. He said cases usually go cold when they lack any leads or investigative effort, but tips and leads have continued to be reported by the public. He said the bureau continues to focus on ground search efforts and is continuing to interview people who may have information about vehicles that went through the area.
"Children are our top priority at TBI. They are the most vulnerable population that we have, they are the most precious things in our world," said Melton. "We look for children when most people aren't, and this case is just one that we've not been able to overcome, and it's troubling."
The case quickly caught the attention of communities across East Tennessee, as the search spread out into the mountains and thick brush of Hawkins County. Crews from across East Tennessee joined the search, forming teams that marched through the area to try to find Summer Wells.
In the video release, Melton said many people have speculated about the case. But, he said investigators avoid speculating so they don't miss out on vital information.
"Until we find the evidence that points in the direction that we know is the right direction, we will continue to be comprehensive, we will continue to explore every option that can be out there, and we will continue to ask for the public's help in doing so," he said.
He said typically, a couple of agents are assigned to investigations. In the case of Summer Wells, he said over 6,500 tips and leads have been reviewed by the TBI so far, and the bureau continues to receive them. He said it has brought in subject matter experts from across Tennessee to investigate and has approached the tips strategically.
"It is a monstrous task, but it's one that's not overwhelmed us," he said.
The TBI urged anyone with credible information about Summer Wells' disappearance to reach out. People can call 1-800-TBI-FIND, or 1-800-824-3463, to give information.