A new crime drama is set to uncover the disturbing true story of a 15-year-old girl who has been on the run for more than a month with her abuser-turned mentor.
“Abducted By My Teacher,” airing today on Lifestyle, will follow the harrowing details of the case that sparked a nationwide manhunt in 2017.
Tad Cummins (Michael Fishman) trains college student Elizabeth Thomas (Summer Howell) before forcing her on a 38-day escape and daily sexual abuse.
Here, FEMAIL has exposed the disturbing reality that led to the perpetrator being sentenced to 20 years in prison after he “pled guilty to obstructing justice and taking a minor across state lines for sex”.
Abducted By My Teacher (pictured), airing this weekend on Lifestyle, will follow the harrowing details of the case that sparked a nationwide manhunt in 2017
Tad Cummins (left) coached student Elizabeth Thomas (right) before forcing her to go on the run for 38 days and have her sexually abused on a daily basis
The spooky story began after Cummins met the teenage girl when she was a student at Culleoka Unit School in Maury County, Tennessee.
Elizabeth, who had previously been homeschooled, previously told ABC that Cummins and his wife of 30 years took her under their wing after her own mother accused her of child abuse and neglect of the teenager and his sister Sarah had been.
Jill Cummins has previously said that she considered Elizabeth her third daughter and believed her relationship with her husband was akin to that of parent and child.
But soon Elizabeth noticed that the relationship between her and her married mentor was developing.
She revealed that Cummins would make various lewd remarks and the couple eventually began exchanging sexually explicit messages on Instagram.
The teen also previously described the first time Cummins kissed her when she said she “realized it was going too far.”
“He grabbed my face. I was right next to the double doors I had. “I was 15. Since I was homeschooled, I didn’t really have a boyfriend,” she said. “When that happened, it was like, ‘Wow.'”
Despite knowing their relationship was taboo, the teen said she didn’t tell anyone because she didn’t want the attention and was also afraid of upsetting Cummins.
Elizabeth previously told ABC that Cummins and his wife of 30 years (pictured) took her under their wing
In the days following his escape with the teenager, the duo were spotted on security cameras entering a Walmart where they bought hair dye to transform Elizabeth’s appearance
But on February 6, 2017, the teacher was finally suspended from school after a classmate reported seeing him kiss Elizabeth.
During his suspension, the teacher forced the teenager to call and text him periodically, she said.
Eventually, the student claimed Cummins told her to elope with him.
Elizabeth previously revealed in an interview with ABC’s 20/20 that she felt she had to go with him or he would do something drastic, and that while driving across the country he had a gun in the kept the car’s console and she knew she couldn’t do that. I can’t escape
Cummins is also said to have destroyed both phones so their whereabouts could not be determined as they made their way to a remote cabin near Cecilville, California.
Elizabeth told authorities she and Cummins “had sex every day while traveling from state to state” for 38 days between March 13 and April 20, 2017, the Tennessean reported.
In the days following his escape with the teenager, the duo were spotted on security cameras entering a Walmart where they bought hair dye to transform Elizabeth’s appearance.
They also bought cheese cubes, KY jelly, lady razors and chocolate.
He later bought a two-seater kayak, allegedly for a failed plan to flee to Panama, and an iPad to try to monitor media coverage of her case, prosecutors said at the time.
But authorities were soon alerted to the couple’s presence at the cabin by a neighbor who became suspicious when she saw the Cummins car being driven without a license plate and noticed the very young-looking Elizabeth in the vehicle, the Tennessee said .
As a result, Cummins was caught and arrested on April 20, 2017.
Elizabeth told authorities she and Cummins “had sex every day while traveling from state to state” for 38 days between March 13 and April 20, 2017, the Tennessean reported
Cummins is also said to have destroyed both phones so their whereabouts could not be ascertained as they made their way to a remote cabin (pictured) near Cecilville, California
Authorities were soon alerted to the couple’s presence at the cabin by a neighbor who became suspicious when she saw Cummins driving the car without a license plate
In a letter to his wife, Jill, written from behind bars on July 31, 2017, Cummins wrote, “I am responsible for everything,” adding that “the devil was deeply involved.”
The then 52-year-old finally pleaded guilty in April 2018 to obstructing justice and taking a minor across state lines for sex.
Cummins was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a federal judge and the former teacher will also have To as a sex offender after his release.
When she confronted him in court, according to Radar Online, Elizabeth said in her victim impact statement, “When I got to school, you picked me out of the crowd.” I was just a kid who wanted to make friends, but you were someone who had a plan.
“You saw a broken girl who was lonely, scared and traumatized. You made her feel safe and loved because you saw what she needed and made her believe that you would be her “protector.”
“You’re acting like you care now and you’re full of regrets, but where was all that before?” Thomas asked in court, according to Burton Staggs of the Tennessee River Valley News.
“Where was any of that when you first had me alone in your classroom and raped me off and on for months?” Where was any of that when you put countless time and effort into manipulating, pressuring, and to fool me into thinking you were the only person who cared about me?
Elizabeth continued, “You were just a man who wanted sex and you manipulated me and only used me for that.”
“But the truth is, no matter how long you serve, you will never be able to undo what you did to me.” I will live forever with the scars you left me. ‘
Elizabeth Skylar has since married Dirla after the two fell in love while working together at a seafood restaurant in her hometown of Columbia, Tennessee.
Kidnapped By My Teacher: The Elizabeth Thomas Story will premiere on August 12.