Tennessee sheriff on Summer Wells: ‘Everybody’s still a suspect, person of interest, however you wanna put it’
Summer Wells was last seen at her home in Rogersville in June
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tennessee investigators vowed this week that the search for missing Rogersville 5-year-old Summer Wells is not over – almost two months after her mother reported her missing from her own home.
Hawkins County Sheriff Ronnie Lawson said in a newly released video that his department is still actively working to find the missing girl.
"I understand people’s curiosity about where we’re at in the case, as far as the investigation, I know people speculate, and I understand that," Lawson said. "But they have to understand our No. 1 goal from day one is to find Summer."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tennessee search and rescue teams aren’t giving up in the hunt for Summer Wells after the 5-year-old disappeared almost two weeks ago, but crews are "scaling back" the efforts. "Search efforts will continue on a more specialized team basis as needed and directed from local, state and federal agencies," Timothy Coup, the incident commander of search operations, said in a statement Sunday night. (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)
TBI RELEASES MISSING SUMMER WELLS UPDATE ON ALLEGED FUNDRAISERS, VEHICLE PHOTO
And although investigators have not said who they believe is responsible for the girl’s disappearance, Lawson had a message for whoever is responsible.
"Everybody is still a suspect, person of interest, however you want to put it," Lawson said. "And we’re still very intensely looking into it."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Last week, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation gave its first official update on the case in nearly a month – but only to announce that law enforcement was not responsible for an image of a purported vehicle linked to the case circulating on social media – nor requests for fundraising assistance.
MISSING TENNESSEE GIRL SUMMER WELLS' PARENTS BOTH HAVE CRIMINAL RECORDS
Investigators have been searching for a 1998 to 2000 model year maroon or red Toyota Tacoma with a full-sized ladder rack and white buckets in the bed that may have been near the Wells’ home at Beech Creek Road and Benn Hill Road on June 14, 15 or 16. The driver has been described as a possible witness.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}An Amber Alert remains in effect for Summer.
She is about 3 feet tall and weighs around 40 pounds. At the time she went missing, she was wearing gray pants, a pink shirt and may have been barefoot. Her blonde hair is believed to be shorter than it appears in most of the pictures of her that authorities have circulated to help the search.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Her three brothers have been removed from their parents’ home and placed in custody of the state’s Department of Child Protective Services.