The sister of Tad Cummins, the 50-year-old former teacher accused of abducting a 15-year-old girl in Tennessee, says her brother doesn’t believe he kidnapped the teen.
“I asked him why ― why would he do this ― and the answer he gave me is that she wanted to run away ... and he didn’t want her to go alone,” Cummins’ older sister, Daphne Quinn, told NBC News in an interview that aired Monday on the “Today” show. “And so, he went with her so that he could know that she was safe.”
Advertisement
Authorities issued an Amber Alert for the teen after her parents reported her missing on March 13. At that time, authorities said they suspected Cummins, a former Culleoka Unit School health science teacher, had abducted her.
In addition to state charges, which include aggravated kidnapping and sexual contact with a minor, Cummins faces federal prosecution for transportation of a minor across state lines for the purpose of criminal sexual intercourse.
Advertisement
The charges filed against Cummins “could keep him behind bars for many years,” according to Mark Gwyn, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Cummins’ wife filed for divorce earlier this month, amid the nationwide manhunt. Quinn said her brother has yet to grasp the gravity of the situation.
“He’s repentant sounding and I think he would like to get his family back, but I think it just hasn’t hit him yet that that’s not going to happen,” Quinn said on NBC. “He’s just going to have to learn a new normal ... and he’s just going to have to deal with it.”
The girl’s disappearance, according to police, came more than a month after a student reported seeing Cummins kiss her. When school officials questioned the girl about the incident, she allegedly denied that it happened. School officials waited until February to suspend Cummins. He was formally dismissed the day after the teen was reported missing.
Advertisement
More disturbing allegations in the case surfaced on Friday, when authorities released a copy of Cummins’ criminal complaint.
According to the investigative document, Cummins filled two prescriptions for erectile dysfunction medications before fleeing with the girl, and while on the run, purchased “commonly used lubricant for sexual intercourse.”
The affidavit further alleges investigators believe Cummins and the teen were “involved in a sexual relationship and traveled in interstate commerce to continue their relationship and to engage in unlawful sexual activity.”
Cummins is scheduled to appear in court Monday to face the federal charges. It remains unclear whether he will enter a plea during the proceeding.
Advertisement
“He’s done this horrible thing that he has to pay for, but he’s still my brother and I love him,” Quinn said on NBC.
The victim in the case has since been reunited with her family.
“She is being evaluated and treated by mental health experts specializing in trauma,” family attorney Jason Whatley said in a Friday statement. “There is no doubt that she has suffered severe emotional trauma and that her process of recovery is just beginning.”
Whatley said he was taken aback by the girl’s appearance, which he said greatly differs from earlier photos that had been released to the media.
She “is a little child,” he said. “She could easily pass for 12 ... She is a little girl in every sense of the word. This was the abduction of an impressionable, little child.”
Advertisement
David Lohr covers crime and missing persons. Tips? Feedback? Send an email or follow him on Twitter.
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.