Missing NPF is listing this case due to sources stating that the National Park Service are now involved in the search for Summer Wells. – – – We will continue to monitor the case of Summer Wells, and will post updates as more information is released to the public.
She was first reported as last seen Tuesday, June 15, 2021, walking near her home on Ben Hill Road in the Beech Creek community (a picture of the house can be found in the additional images), wearing a pink shirt and gray shorts.
According to her father, Donald Wells, Summer was planting flowers just before her disappearance. He spoke with Nexstar’s News Channel 11 about what he remembers that night.
“She was planting flowers with her mother and her grandmother and she wanted to go into the house, so my wife watched her go into the door and she went into the house,” Wells said. “And the boys were on the internet of course, and she wanted to go downstairs and play with her toys. So when her mother [came] in and she says, ‘Summer’ and she went down into the basement and she didn’t answer. So she went down there and she was gone.”
Wells said they haven’t seen Summer since.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said a family member reported her missing to the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office around 6:30p EST that night.
After Summer was reported missing, the TBI issued an Endangered Child Alert for her at 12:07a EST. At the time she was reported to be 4-years-old in TBI’s first tweet, but has since been updated to be 5-years-old.
While Summer’s dad thinks “someone snuck up on her and grabbed her,” TBI Public Information Officer, Leslie Earhart, reiterated on Monday that the circumstances leading to her disappearance remain unclear.
“While we’ve not ruled out an abduction, we simply do not have any evidence at this point to confirm that’s what occurred,” Earhart said. “For that reason, the ground search for Summer continues. It’s possible that she wandered off and is lost and afraid.”
As of Tuesday, the agency said they have received over 200 leads in the investigation. Foul play has also not been ruled out at this time.
There have been 72 agencies involved in search efforts from Tennessee, Ohio, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina. As of Tuesday, crews have covered 4.6 square miles in the search for Summer. The National Park Service is also involved in the search for Summer Wells.
Aircraft units are being used to keep an eye on the area overnight when the ground search effort is paused unless crews are following up on a lead.
“At the evening time, it is too treacherous and too dangerous, unless TBI or the sheriff’s department gets a lead that they need us to go help assist on,” Coup explained. “Too dangerous for us to keep our guys up in these mountains in this treacherous terrain at nighttime. But I want you guys to know, and rest assured, along with the community, that search efforts due to not stop when it gets dark.”
TBI tweeted on Tuesday that the search for Summer Wells will continue with a focus on specific areas using specialized teams.
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Personal Characteristics
Female
5 years old
Height: 3'0"
Weight: 40 lbs.
Hair: Blonde
Eyes: Blue
Race: WHITE
Level of Education: ELEMENTARY STUDENT
Investigative Overview
Foul Play Suspected: Unknown / Undisclosed
Suspected Suicide: No
Cause of Death: Unknown / Unreported / Missing
Significant Dates
Reported missing on June 15, 2021 - 722 days, 2 hours, 10 minutes ago
This case file was posted on
Jun 23, 2021 at 21:49
This case file was last modified on
Jun 26, 2021 at 16:14
This case file has been assigned the Missing Persons ID 4916
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Why does it say “cause of death” “unknown”? Do they believe she is deceased?
Misty Fields
November 23, 2021 at 7:47 pm
Why does it say “cause of death” “unknown”?
nvrgvnup
October 31, 2021 at 1:41 am
Summer moon Utah wells is still missing . 5 months now and their isn’t any evidence of her disappearance still. no leads nothing . SUMMER IS 5 YRS OLD, blonde blue eyes and is mostly non verbal from what I’ve gathered . I’ve kept up with the case since the beginning . this has been devastating to all of us here in west Tn
According to a Facebook post by The Truckers Missing Child Project: “Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is seeking the driver of a red or maroon Toyota Tacoma with ladder rack and white buckets as a witness only in Summer Wells Missing case. 1-800-TBI-FIND valid tip only. FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation continues to make it perfectly clear that all social media is being scrutinized. The father was at work about an hour away from home when she went missing. Multiple searches including cadaver dogs have found no trace of #SummerWells. There is some possible info that the dogs may have found her scent on the family dog’s trail thru the woods. Even tho there’s been no official confirmation, it’s still possible Summer Wells was abducted.” Read posts and comments: https://www.facebook.com/TheTruckersMissingChildProject/posts/2335420773260065
Joss Leal
December 10, 2021 at 4:02 pmHi Misty, cause of death is reported as unknown / unreported / missing. We have not received any information indicating that Summer is deceased. Update as of December 1, 2021: Diving crew assists in search for Summer Wells Wednesday. Read more: https://www.wsmv.com/news/diving-crew-assists-in-search-for-summer-wells-wednesday/article_b81a7d8c-52e2-11ec-9dc7-8b670d537a38.html
Misty Fields
November 23, 2021 at 7:49 pmWhy does it say “cause of death” “unknown”? Do they believe she is deceased?
Misty Fields
November 23, 2021 at 7:47 pmWhy does it say “cause of death” “unknown”?
nvrgvnup
October 31, 2021 at 1:41 amSummer moon Utah wells is still missing . 5 months now and their isn’t any evidence of her disappearance still. no leads nothing . SUMMER IS 5 YRS OLD, blonde blue eyes and is mostly non verbal from what I’ve gathered . I’ve kept up with the case since the beginning . this has been devastating to all of us here in west Tn
rebecca mccoy
September 16, 2021 at 7:52 pmI can’t believe she hasn’t been found yet!!!!
Joss Leal
July 18, 2021 at 10:43 pmAccording to a Facebook post by The Truckers Missing Child Project: “Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is seeking the driver of a red or maroon Toyota Tacoma with ladder rack and white buckets as a witness only in Summer Wells Missing case. 1-800-TBI-FIND valid tip only. FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation continues to make it perfectly clear that all social media is being scrutinized. The father was at work about an hour away from home when she went missing. Multiple searches including cadaver dogs have found no trace of #SummerWells. There is some possible info that the dogs may have found her scent on the family dog’s trail thru the woods. Even tho there’s been no official confirmation, it’s still possible Summer Wells was abducted.” Read posts and comments: https://www.facebook.com/TheTruckersMissingChildProject/posts/2335420773260065
Judaea Rojo
July 7, 2021 at 1:23 pm6/27/21 Update: Search teams involved in the search efforts for Summer Wells have logged over 13,800 hours. More here: https://www.facebook.com/churchhillrescuesquad.org/posts/3118660628352391
Judaea Rojo
July 7, 2021 at 1:19 pm6/26/21 Update: Authorities are looking for a potential witness to the disappearance of the missing child, Summer Wells. More here: https://tbinewsroom.com/2021/06/16/amber-alert-summer-wells/
Judaea Rojo
July 7, 2021 at 1:14 pm6/17/21 Update: Rough terrain and technological issues slow down search efforts for Summer Wells. More here: https://www.wkrn.com/news/amber-alert-summer-wells-missing-one-week/
Judaea Rojo
July 7, 2021 at 1:09 pm6/16/21 Update: The TBI release a tweet pertaining to the demographic details of Summer Wells. More here: https://twitter.com/TBInvestigation/status/1405180461375164419