Missing Tennessee teen Elizabeth Thomas spotted with 50-year-old teacher in Oklahoma

NASHVILLE – There’s been a confirmed sighting in Oklahoma of a 15-year-old girl who disappeared more than two weeks ago with her 50-year-old teacher, Tennessee authorities said Friday.

Surveillance images from a Walmart in Oklahoma City show teacher Tad Cummins and Elizabeth Thomas purchasing food items in the store with cash, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said. The statement said the images captured on March 15 show Cummins had altered his hair to appear darker and Thomas may have changed her hair colour to red.

The two were reported missing on March 13 from Culleoka, a Tennessee community about 60 miles south of Nashville.

Police have issued an Amber alert for Thomas and say they have warrants charging Cummins with sexual contact with a minor and aggravated kidnapping.

Also on Friday, the teacher’s wife of 31 years filed for divorce. Court records show that Jill Cummins sued her missing husband on the grounds of irreconcilable differences and inappropriate marital conduct. The wife, who works for the Maury County school system, says she has not seen her husband since March 13. The couple has two children together.

Jill Cummins has previously publicly pleaded with her husband to turn himself and bring the girl home safely.