Summer Wells Was First Reported Missing a Week Ago — What Happened to Her?
Jun. 22 2021, Published 12:25 p.m. ET
The search for Summer Wells continues.
The 5-year-old from Beech Creek, Hawkins County, Tenn., was first reported missing at around 6.30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. An AMBER Alert was issued on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. Despite the continued efforts, the blond, blue-eyed girl is yet to be found.
Here's what happened to Summer Wells.
Summer's father, Don Wells, said that Summer was last seen on the family property on Ben Hill Road, Beech Creek, Hawkins County, Tenn. As Don explained, she was helping her mother and grandmother plant flowers before heading inside and telling her brothers that she wanted to play with her toys in the basement.
But her mother, Candus, couldn't find her when she went back inside. According to Don, the basement door was unlocked, and while it wasn't unusual for Summer to be outside, this time she wasn't.
It's understood that Candus called 911 to report her as missing soon afterward. Don started looking for his daughter when he got back from work.
"When I got home, I drove to the bottom of the property and I realized that all my neighbors and stuff were combing the woods looking for her, and I realized right then and there that she was not there," Don told Kingsport Times-News, as per The Charlotte Observer. "I knew right then and there that she was gone — because she would never leave there on her own. Somebody had taken her."
Don's comments led some people to suspect that Summer may have been abducted.
"Our law enforcement is a joke. This little girl has been missing for 7 days. No one has been interrogated. But abduction hasn't been ruled out," tweeted @msdrama0119.
It's understood that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is yet to rule out abduction.
Summer Wells' mother, Candus, used the past tense to describe her daughter on TikTok.
Summer's mom, Candus, reportedly used the past tense in a discussion about her daughter on TikTok.
"She was a very happy little girl," Candus ostensibly wrote in a comment. "We miss and love her so much."
The supposed remark, much like Don's comments on Summer's potential abduction, garnered some scrutiny.
"I don't think she just wandered off. There are too many holes in this story that doesn't add up," tweeted @Stephan87785611.
Nearly 70 agencies have joined the search efforts so far.
As an announcement issued by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation states, the 5-year-old girl was wearing gray pants and a pink shirt at the time of her disappearance. She may have been barefoot. She has short, blond hair, is 3 feet tall, and weighs around 40 pounds.
K9 and specialized search and rescue groups have been busy wading through more than 2,400 acres of land since the news about Summer's disappearance got out last week. It's understood that nearly 70 agencies from Tennessee and nearby states such as Georgia and North Carolina have joined the effort.
Those who have seen Summer or possess information about her current whereabouts are encouraged to call the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office at 423-272-7121 or the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND.
