1 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: Elizabeth Thomas is being welcome home to Columbia, Tennessee with 2 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 1: signs and banners. Her family says she is comfortable and resting, 3 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: but has suffered severe emotional trauma. I'm just so overjoyed 4 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: to have her home, that she's safe. This is hard 5 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: Stories with Nancy Grace. The fifteen year old and her 6 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: former teacher were found more than two thousand miles away 7 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: in a remote cabinty in northern California with no electricity 8 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:34,519 Speaker 1: or running water. He said they're from Colorado and then 9 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 1: said he had a house fire. He pulled me aside 10 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 1: at one point and made a statement that he was 11 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: glad that this was all over. His sister says he 12 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: doesn't believe he kidnapped Elizabeth. I asked him why, why 13 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: would he do this? And the answer to dankening is 14 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:51,919 Speaker 1: that she wanted to run away, and she wanted to leave, 15 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: and he didn't want her to go along, so he 16 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: went with her son, who did Now that she was safe, 17 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: this is crime Stories. I'm Nancy Gray, thank you for 18 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 1: being with us. We have just obtained court documents in 19 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:10,480 Speaker 1: the divorce proceedings of kidnapped girl Elizabeth Thomas parents and boy, 20 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: what a bombshell document. This is. Now we understand why 21 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 1: Elizabeth Thomas mom has been out of the picture. She 22 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: was forced out. What we are learning and this divorce 23 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 1: complaint filed by her father is incredible. They divorced basically 24 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 1: on the grounds of irreconcilable differences. That is the basis 25 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 1: of the divorce and that's pretty standard across the country. 26 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 1: But now we realize what has happened in the background. 27 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: We find out that the mom has been charged with 28 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: or accused of stalking the children. This is after she 29 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: has been accused of beating Elizabeth during the homeschooling for 30 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: owing her downa basement, hitting her in the head with 31 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 1: a wash machine agitator, and forcing her to undress in 32 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:09,799 Speaker 1: front of friends. Those are the accusations that she denies, 33 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: and these bombshe old court documents we find out even 34 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: more her father, Anthony, is claiming that because of the 35 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: way her mother treated her, it's set Elizabeth up, basically 36 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:29,399 Speaker 1: grooming her to be assaulted, grooming her to be a victim. 37 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: This is what we know. The oldest minor child, who 38 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: is Elizabeth, who was just turned fifteen, has been the 39 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: focus of a nationwide missing child hunt prior to her disappearance, 40 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 1: her dad did not know all of the abuse was 41 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: going on in the home, and paragraphs seven of this 42 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: he claims that Tad Cummings, the Purvy High School teacher, 43 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 1: used his position of authority as a teacher at Elizabeth 44 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 1: School to prey upon her groom her entice her to 45 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: run away with him. And this is because of the mother, 46 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: because of her acts of abuse. Elizabeth was and is terrified, 47 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 1: but didn't know what else to do because that was 48 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:18,360 Speaker 1: her learned behavior. With me, of course, is the Duke 49 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: Alan Duke. In paragraph nine Alan, it says the court 50 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: ordered the mother to have no contact whatsoever with the children. 51 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: That order is in effect right now to this very minute. However, 52 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: even after the court ordered that, the mom took many 53 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: many actions, as they say, to toe the line, put 54 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: her tone, put her toe on the line of the 55 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 1: court's order. That she would drive to the children's home, 56 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 1: to their schools, to their friends home, when the children 57 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: would be there, waiting until one of the children was outside, 58 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: then stare at them angrily and drive off. They reported. 59 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: The children reported that made them so scared, very fearful 60 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: of their own mother. The father is saying that now 61 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: Elizabeth is home, she's expected to undergo lengthy and intensive therapy. 62 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: She just can't have any more incidents like this happened. Alan, 63 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 1: Do you see paragraph nine of this document. I'm looking 64 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,479 Speaker 1: right at it. This mother is a piece of work. 65 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: If all of this is true. Not only is she 66 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,159 Speaker 1: do in court May twelve for those really horrendous charges 67 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,920 Speaker 1: made in the indictment in Columbia, but she's on notice 68 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: to be in court May on this, including the restraining order. 69 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 1: This is why they had to have the restraining order 70 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: along with the divorce violing. Besides the stalking, they had 71 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: information that Kimberly Thomas had recorded the video interview. The 72 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: mother had recorded an interview with a news network and 73 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:53,359 Speaker 1: it was going to air over this past weekend April twenty, 74 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 1: but they were able to get it canceled. What would 75 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: happen if the mom went on national television and talking 76 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 1: about Elizabeth and Elizabeth saw it. The damage that would 77 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 1: be done to that child piled onto what she's already been. 78 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:08,920 Speaker 1: You know what I want to tell you something, Alan. 79 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: I know it's hard for people that have not been 80 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 1: a crime victim to get this, but when you have been. 81 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: You have such You may be a brave person, but 82 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: you have such dread in seeing your attack or it's 83 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:28,360 Speaker 1: a sickening feeling. And that's why a lot of people 84 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,919 Speaker 1: block out the memory of the crime. And for the 85 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 1: longest time, Alan, I didn't believe that. But I can 86 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 1: state with firsthand knowledge that the time just before and 87 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:46,479 Speaker 1: for a couple of years after Keith's murder, people ask 88 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 1: me all the time, do you remember X? Do you 89 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 1: remember why? And I don't and I can't help it, 90 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 1: And honestly, I haven't tried to remember. I don't want 91 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 1: to remember it. And that's me as a grown woman. 92 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:03,480 Speaker 1: Imagine a child having your mother make you undress in 93 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:06,479 Speaker 1: front of other people, or throw you down the stairs, 94 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,479 Speaker 1: lock you in the basement, beat you with something. These 95 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 1: are allegations that she denies, but that sets the child up. 96 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:18,279 Speaker 1: And I've had so many statutory rape and child lest 97 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 1: station cases. And I remember one little I guess she 98 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:26,479 Speaker 1: was about eight years old girl that her father had 99 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: been just full on raping her for years. I think 100 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 1: it's strong when she was about three and they would 101 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 1: come to court and she'd run up to him to to, 102 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:37,719 Speaker 1: you know, get love from him. It beats everything I 103 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: is a lay person can understand, but I've seen it 104 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:45,480 Speaker 1: over and over and over with children. They don't understand 105 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: why this happened to them. As they grow older, they 106 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:52,720 Speaker 1: feel sick, helpless, and nobody was there to save them 107 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: or help them. It's a feeling of powerlessness. It's a terrible, 108 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 1: terrible feeling, and it's six with you the rest of 109 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: your life. And I know it took me a long time. Allen, 110 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, but I think now, if these claims are 111 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: true about her mother, that set her up to just 112 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: follow along with what Tad Commins told her to do. 113 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 1: And that's what the dad's claiming in these documents. Alan, 114 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: the father is alleging that if Elizabeth sees her mother 115 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 1: in a television interview and they do say that, they 116 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:28,560 Speaker 1: expect other national media to try to contact the mother. 117 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 1: If they do that, she will quote most likely suffer 118 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: psychological harm to her already compromise mental state if she 119 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 1: sees the defendant her mom appear on television or on 120 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 1: the internet and make any remarks about Elizabeth's recent traumatizing 121 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: circumstances or her family circumstances in general. And let me say, 122 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: we have reached out to the public defender for Kimberly 123 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: Thomas and have not had a response yet. It's a 124 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: mental thing that he's alleging. And he's right if these 125 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 1: allegations was against the mom are true, and she had 126 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 1: been beating and abusing and exploiting Elizabeth for any period 127 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: of time, Elizabeth was set up to go along with 128 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 1: an abuser. He claims that she beat the girl locked 129 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 1: from the basement before she was snatched by Tad Cummings 130 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 1: freaky purv that she was easy prey for Cummings. He 131 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 1: also says she abused some of their ten kids, not 132 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 1: just Elizabeth all right, that she hit, pushed down steps, 133 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: locked in basement and it made Elizabeth to be vulnerable 134 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 1: to Cummins. That the girl would go to Cummons to 135 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 1: get help for panic attacks she was suffering because of 136 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: her mother, and now that she's back, she's had still 137 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 1: having the panic attacks. The mother, her own mother, is 138 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: banned from seeing the children because of this ongoing abuse case. 139 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 1: Experts and I can tell you this say kids are 140 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: that are have been to be used, see adults in 141 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 1: position of power and they seek them out. Now again, 142 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: the mom denies all of this. Now, tell me when 143 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 1: did you say this is going to court? The restraining 144 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 1: order and the divorce petition are scheduled for a docket 145 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 1: on the twenty second of May. But the indictment, the 146 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 1: criminal indictment, there is a twelfth hearing set for that. 147 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: Why would you lock your child in the basement? I mean, 148 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 1: it was all I could do to make look. I 149 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 1: swat to Lucy on the rare end. Of course at 150 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 1: that point it was through a diaper, and so she 151 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: just basically ignore me. And then I thought, okay, that 152 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:46,320 Speaker 1: didn't do anything. I'm going to next time give her 153 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 1: time out. It was all I could do to keep 154 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:50,959 Speaker 1: it would be a matter of seconds, So okay, go 155 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 1: to stand in the bathroom. We're shutting the door because 156 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: you've been naughty, naughty, naughty. I could barely keep her 157 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:57,839 Speaker 1: in there. We had to count the second, so it 158 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 1: would be like twenty seconds and she would and she 159 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 1: would come out. Okay, I mean, but can you imagine 160 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: throwing your child down the basement steps and locking her 161 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 1: down there. First of all, all all you gotta do now, 162 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 1: and I've got grandkids is take their iPads away from them. 163 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: That's my new thing. I thought, I was so smart. 164 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 1: So you do that too. Oh yeah, that's that's all 165 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:23,079 Speaker 1: you gotta do. Take the iPads away. They can't watch 166 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 1: the videos and they're done. Here's another thing. Another thing 167 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:30,240 Speaker 1: is threatened to type the iPad away. There's the threat. 168 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 1: There's a threat. Okay, but you have to go through 169 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 1: with it every once in a while, just to you know, 170 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: show you it's a real threat. Now, hold on, catch 171 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: this if you keep reading this. Kimberly Thomas is at 172 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: this juncture. She's also accused of abuse on other children. 173 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:53,080 Speaker 1: That she hit them until they bled not one daughter 174 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: unconscious with a wooden board, and threw a chair at 175 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 1: another daughter brew seeing her leg smacked a child in 176 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 1: the head for injecting herself with the brother's EpiPen. The 177 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:11,959 Speaker 1: children wrote letters to de Facts Department Children's Services about 178 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 1: the abuse before mom was arrested. Now that is according 179 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 1: to one of the team's relatives. Okay, that's not in 180 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: the document. Now. Anthony Thomas was living at home during 181 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 1: this time. They separated in November two thousand fifteen, and 182 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 1: he took soul custody and he's claiming disabuse as a 183 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 1: reason for the doors. Now, according to the Crimes against 184 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: Children Research Center and a University New Hampshire. Abuse at 185 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: home makes children susceptible to manipulation by adults. They're vulnerable 186 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 1: to grooming by predators that act like they care about 187 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 1: the child. Daniel Thomas, who is Elizabeth's sister in law, 188 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: claims Cummings knew the girl had been abused and took 189 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 1: advantage of that, and he probably did alan all those 190 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: long intimate talks they would have in the classroom. I'm 191 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: sure she told him what was going on at home. 192 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yeah. I'm looking at the list of the 193 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 1: kids here. We're talking about the four that are under age. 194 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:16,640 Speaker 1: They range in age from six to fifteen, you know. 195 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:21,079 Speaker 1: By the way, Elizabeth Thomas, who also I found out today, 196 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 1: likes to be called Mary Catherine. By the way, although 197 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: her name is Mary Catherine Elizabeth Thomas. She will be 198 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 1: sixteen on May seventeenth, so she's got the birthday coming up, 199 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:34,200 Speaker 1: still under age. Nanita was born in two thousand and three, 200 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 1: so she's fourteen. Joshua he's twelve, and Rebecca is six. 201 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: So that's the range of these children. And this abuse 202 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: allegedly happened three years ago, so they were even younger. 203 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:53,680 Speaker 1: Then another thing. According to this sister in law, who 204 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:57,959 Speaker 1: we believe to be Danielle Thomas, she says Elizabeth has 205 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:02,880 Speaker 1: been saying curled up in the middle of the floor, crying, shaking, 206 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 1: having panic attacks since she came home, and that that 207 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 1: just makes me so sad thinking of this child curled 208 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 1: up in a ball, crying and shaking after she got home. 209 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:19,319 Speaker 1: From what she's been through. I mean, this child has 210 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:24,840 Speaker 1: been basically statutorily raped repeatedly, over and over and over. 211 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: I'm just sick about it. You know, school administrators told 212 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: Elizabeth she needed to go to a school counselor for 213 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:36,560 Speaker 1: anxiety issues, and they ordered tech commons to stay away 214 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:40,320 Speaker 1: from her. Well, obviously he disobeyed the order. We know 215 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: that he was brought into court in the last twenty 216 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 1: four hours wearing prison orange in cuffs. He was told 217 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:50,680 Speaker 1: in court he would be returned to Tennessee to stand trial. 218 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 1: He faces a minimum mandatory sentence of ten years on 219 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: the federal charges alone. You know, I just her life 220 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 1: is forever changed. And to thank your own mother is 221 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 1: responsible for some of this, I mean awful. The good 222 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: news is she is getting help now, she's home. After 223 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 1: that nightmare for five weeks, and according to this she 224 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: is getting intensive therapy with numerous mental health professionals. We 225 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: also know the FBI has some specialists who are talking 226 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 1: to her, but that is preparing for the criminal case 227 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 1: and the federal charges against Tag Cummins. You know, this 228 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 1: is amazing that Tag Cummins lawyers say she went willingly 229 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 1: and was not forced, threatened, or coerced he was having 230 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: sex with her. She's fifteen. Just and you know another 231 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:44,960 Speaker 1: thing that where where the school dropped the ball? Apparently 232 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 1: the teacher wasn't fired until a month after suspension, a 233 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 1: day after he the girl's kidnapped. You have to wait 234 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:55,280 Speaker 1: that long for Pete's sake, one kiss on the mouth, 235 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 1: he should have been gone out of there right. Absolutely, 236 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 1: got an ethical question to ask you. This isn't a 237 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 1: legal question, It's an ethical question. Hit me as a journalist. 238 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: It is close to me. It in this request for 239 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:14,240 Speaker 1: a restraining order, says it's highly likely many other news 240 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: networks will attempt to contact the defended the mom, or 241 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: that she will try to contact them for interviews. I'm 242 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 1: asking myself, now, you've been in this business all the time. 243 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 1: Get it out, Alan, please is it ethical to put 244 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 1: an interview from Kimberly Thomas on the air if you 245 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 1: know that it's going to harm this child. I do 246 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:39,760 Speaker 1: not think it's ethical. But the legal issue is that 247 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 1: he can put she is a party to court proceedings 248 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 1: criminal and civil, criminal and civil, the abuse claims and 249 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: the divorce claims and her parental rights which is civil, 250 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 1: and the judge can put a gag order on her. 251 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: And if she violence a gag order by giving interview 252 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 1: her framework kill land right in jail. Can't do that 253 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 1: to a journalist. I'm surprised that her criminal defense lawyer, 254 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 1: who I've tried to reach and to get on this show, 255 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 1: I'm surprised she would allow her to even record an 256 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,680 Speaker 1: interview about that. That's kind of kind of dangerous. If 257 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,800 Speaker 1: you've got a woman who's accused of abusing a child 258 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 1: or several children, why very serious charges, Why are you 259 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:25,760 Speaker 1: gonna let them go on national television to talk about it? 260 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:28,760 Speaker 1: Corey Ritchie special guests joining us right now, who has 261 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 1: represented Anthony Thomas, Elizabeth Thomas's father during this ordeal. As 262 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 1: her father moves forward with a divorce against the mother, 263 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: they claimed the mom has horribly abused these children more 264 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 1: than just Elizabeth, but specifically we're talking about Elizabeth today, Corey. 265 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 1: Thank you for being with us, Corey. What took the 266 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 1: Dance so long to file for divorce for Pete's sake? Well, 267 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 1: Mr Thomas had made up his mind about filing the 268 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 1: divorce a long time ago. Frankly, it was not long 269 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: after her it became known what Ms Thomas was doing 270 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 1: to these children, and we of course had that litigation 271 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: concerning custody of these children in lately, and he was 272 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:17,119 Speaker 1: prohibited from doing it, you know, financially and otherwise. It 273 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 1: just was a fight he was not able to sustain 274 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 1: at that point in time. And you know, then of 275 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:27,439 Speaker 1: course all the dominoes fell with the Tad Cummins investigation, 276 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:30,439 Speaker 1: first as it began at the school, and then as 277 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:35,720 Speaker 1: it of course progressed to Mr Cummins kidnapping Elizabeth and 278 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:40,000 Speaker 1: and running off with her. Honestly, Mr Thomas was going 279 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:43,199 Speaker 1: to file for divorce. It would have probably been this 280 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 1: week anyway, maybe even last week if we you know, 281 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:48,199 Speaker 1: could have arranged everything even if Elizabeth hadn't turned up. 282 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:50,879 Speaker 1: He was just ready to do it. Then. Of course, 283 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 1: with everything that happened, and now all of a sudden, 284 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 1: everything's moving very quickly. Elizabeth's back and she's getting therapy, 285 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 1: and she's you know, all the attention is to acted 286 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: at getting her to a better place. That one of 287 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: the biggest concerns he had when Elizabeth returned was that 288 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:11,719 Speaker 1: the mother Ms. Thomas, would take to the media again 289 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:16,439 Speaker 1: and start talking. And Elizabeth is terrified. All of the 290 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:20,359 Speaker 1: children are terrified of this woman. And we do not 291 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 1: want there to be any problem whatsoever with Elizabeth recovering. 292 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 1: And if she has any exposure to the media. You know, 293 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:30,520 Speaker 1: she was in a remote area where I think she 294 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 1: had no access to the media and the internet, and 295 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 1: now she's at the very epicenter of it, and she 296 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: is the focus of it. It's going to be probably 297 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:40,919 Speaker 1: impossible to completely shield her from it. And so if 298 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:42,679 Speaker 1: she has any exposure to her mother, it's going to 299 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:46,200 Speaker 1: cause serious problems. And so of course made Mr Thomas, 300 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 1: weare of his options in terms of, you know, the 301 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:52,399 Speaker 1: relief he could seek either temporarily or permanently with filing 302 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 1: for divorce and protecting the children. It became all the 303 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 1: more urgent to do it when Elizabeth returned. You know, 304 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 1: I was shocked Corey that he says them on would 305 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 1: stalk the children and stare at them angrily and make 306 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: them feel terrible. What bothers me more is throwing allegedly 307 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 1: throwing the girl down the steps and locking in the basement, 308 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:14,159 Speaker 1: hitter or in the head. What were the circumstances surrounding 309 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 1: those events that are alleged, Well, I don't know each 310 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:22,400 Speaker 1: one of the specifics. Ms Thomas has some very serious 311 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 1: problems and has had very serious problems for a long 312 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 1: time and has not been able to handle those problems, 313 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,919 Speaker 1: at least in productive ways. You know, I don't recall 314 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:36,119 Speaker 1: exactly what the specifics were, but it reached, you know, 315 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:40,960 Speaker 1: the point with these children that they were absolutely horrified. 316 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:43,399 Speaker 1: And in fact, as I recall, it was the children 317 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 1: themselves who had reached out to professionals and social workers 318 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:50,880 Speaker 1: wrote to them and said, get us out of here. 319 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:55,880 Speaker 1: We are terrified, and and that's that's That's the most 320 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 1: that I know about it. It was a it was 321 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:00,880 Speaker 1: a history of abuse that progressive. It got worse with 322 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:03,359 Speaker 1: the children and it went on unchecked. It was in 323 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 1: the home, and the girls were very scared to even 324 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:09,000 Speaker 1: come forward with the information to their father for fear 325 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:10,480 Speaker 1: of what their mother might do to them, and then 326 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:13,320 Speaker 1: enough was enough at one point, And and that's really 327 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 1: what what taught us where we are. How long had 328 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 1: the mom homes schooled them? I'm not exactly sure it 329 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:23,520 Speaker 1: was a substantial period of time. I know that not 330 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:26,439 Speaker 1: all of the children there are ten now, six of 331 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 1: whom are adults. The next oldest to Elizabeth just turned 332 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:34,439 Speaker 1: eighteen about a month ago, and some of them had 333 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:37,399 Speaker 1: been homeschooled for longer than others. I don't recall the 334 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 1: specifics there, honestly, and that I do recall that it 335 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:44,200 Speaker 1: was relatively new endeavor getting Elizabeth and maybe some of 336 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: the other children into the school where they went where 337 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:51,080 Speaker 1: where they still go now, But I don't know the 338 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: exact time period. And tell me the train of thought, 339 00:20:54,800 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 1: the thinking behind the assertation that the mother's edged abused 340 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 1: on Elizabeth made her right for Tad Cummins to snatch her. 341 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:12,240 Speaker 1: What's that thinking? Mr Cummins, I'm know was aware of 342 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 1: the problems that Elizabeth had at home with her mother, 343 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:20,880 Speaker 1: and you know that. Of course, I'm no psychologist. I've 344 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 1: dealt with many psychologists in my practice, and many other 345 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 1: men on health professionals. And I don't even think, frankly 346 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:29,480 Speaker 1: takes a psychologist to tell you that if you have 347 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:33,159 Speaker 1: a child who's being severely mistreated and it is being abused, 348 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 1: especially a young lady, I think that's going to cause 349 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:40,480 Speaker 1: a lot of problems mentally. That's going to perhaps make 350 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:43,840 Speaker 1: a a child a lot more vulnerable than they would be. 351 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 1: And that's that's, you know, number one. And the number 352 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:49,800 Speaker 1: two is if you have someone like Mr Cummins who 353 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:53,680 Speaker 1: understands that and attempts to exploit it and take advantage 354 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 1: of it for his own personal gain. You know, he 355 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 1: he understood that and he used it his advantage, I 356 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 1: think to the extent that he could to get her 357 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 1: to to believe what he wanted her to believe and 358 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:07,480 Speaker 1: to do what he wanted her to do. And I 359 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:09,920 Speaker 1: think that played a very big role in in this 360 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 1: case and in the circumstances under which Elizabeth was ultimately 361 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:17,560 Speaker 1: taken by Mr Cummins out West. When does the mom's 362 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:21,000 Speaker 1: criminal case go forward? There is a criminal case, right this, 363 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 1: if it's true, is child abuse? Yes, there is a 364 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:28,680 Speaker 1: criminal case. Ms Thomas was initially set for trial earlier 365 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:32,520 Speaker 1: this year, but I understand that it got postponed because 366 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 1: there were some discovery issues between her attorney and the prosecutor. 367 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,200 Speaker 1: I do not know where that stands. I do know 368 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:44,640 Speaker 1: that May twelve, I believe, is the that that day 369 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 1: it's set for a just what we call a review 370 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 1: or maybe a settlement date, where the goal there is 371 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:55,080 Speaker 1: to if there's not going to be any agreement worked 372 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: out to settle her case, and I don't think there is. 373 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 1: I think that that would have already happened before reset 374 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:02,440 Speaker 1: for trial the last time, and if there is no agreement, 375 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 1: then her case gets reset for trial. She'll be tried 376 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 1: on the five counts that I believe are against her, 377 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: child abuse four of them, or misdemeanors one of them 378 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 1: as a felony. But we should know more about that 379 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: on May the twelve. How can you stop her, short 380 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:23,560 Speaker 1: of a gag order, from going on TV and blabbing, well, 381 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:26,399 Speaker 1: that's just it. I don't know that. I don't know 382 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: that we can. I know that there are First Amendment implications, 383 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:34,359 Speaker 1: as in any situation where someone's asking for a gag order, 384 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 1: But the compelling interest here is that any exposure that 385 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 1: this lady has to the media is going to most 386 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:47,840 Speaker 1: assuredly have a profound impact on Elizabeth, who was already 387 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:50,600 Speaker 1: in a very vulnerable mental state. And now she's back 388 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:53,280 Speaker 1: and there's lots of attention on her and her recovery. 389 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:56,160 Speaker 1: She's all the more sensitive to those types of things. 390 00:23:56,240 --> 00:24:00,119 Speaker 1: And so a gag order as it's informally called, or 391 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:04,600 Speaker 1: Thomas believed, was appropriate to keep a MS. Thomas from 392 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:09,159 Speaker 1: having any interference whatsoever with a very uh sensitive and 393 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:14,880 Speaker 1: very delicate mental health recovery process. Not to mention Ms Thomas. 394 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:18,160 Speaker 1: As you mentioned earlier, Nancy had towed the line, as 395 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 1: I said in my pleadings, that she had towed the 396 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 1: line with this no contact order that was already in place, 397 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:26,280 Speaker 1: not supposed to go around the children, not supposed to 398 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:28,639 Speaker 1: talk to them, and here she is driving by and 399 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:31,080 Speaker 1: giving them menacing stairs and it and it scared them, 400 00:24:31,119 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: you know. They they saw her, and not just one 401 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:36,200 Speaker 1: of the children, but multiple children saw it on different occasions, 402 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 1: and they said, we're scared, Dad, you know, we were scared. 403 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 1: We wanted there to be no more question anymore, that 404 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 1: she's not allowed to do that, that she's not allowed 405 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 1: to go by any place where the children might happen 406 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:50,560 Speaker 1: to be now. The order that's in place at this moment, 407 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,680 Speaker 1: it's a temporary order. It's designed to expire by its 408 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:57,320 Speaker 1: terms or to be reviewed, I should say, on the 409 00:24:57,560 --> 00:24:59,880 Speaker 1: hearing date, which I believe is made the twenty two, 410 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 1: And on that day we're going to ask the court 411 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:04,679 Speaker 1: to enter the order on a more permanent basis. And 412 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:08,119 Speaker 1: then that order, of course includes the gag order as well. Corey. 413 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:10,760 Speaker 1: Thank you for being with us. Thank you, Nancy. Glad 414 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:13,120 Speaker 1: to do it. Guys. This is what we know right 415 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 1: now from these divorced documents that we've gotten our mits on. 416 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 1: This is all unfolding in a court of law, and 417 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:22,120 Speaker 1: we're on the case. And and are these documents being 418 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:25,080 Speaker 1: posted on crime online dot com? Yes, thank you for 419 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:27,160 Speaker 1: reminding me there on crime online dot com. I want 420 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,000 Speaker 1: to read them for yourself. Nancy Grace Crime Stories along 421 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 1: with Alan Duke signing off, goodbye friend.