Schoolgirl, 15, who ran away with her 51-year-old teacher and updated her social media status to ‘wife’ breaks her silence
Tad Cummins walked out on his wife and kids and was finally found five weeks later with student Elizabeth Thomas in a remote cabin 2,000 miles away
A TEEN who fled her home town with her 51-year-old science teacher says she doesn't regret her actions.
Tad Cummins, 50, walked out on his wife and kids and began a 2,000-mile trip from his small town of Culleoka, Tennessee with his student Elizabeth Thomas on March 13.
After five weeks on the run the pair were finally found in a remote cabin in Cecilville, northern California where Cummins was arrested.
Now Thomas, who one day hopes to become a medical examiner, has spoken out about the case to a local news reporter for the.
She said: "I don’t regret it, nor do I say that it was the right thing to do.
"It was an experience I’ll have to live with the rest of my life. It’s good and bad.
"It’s there. No matter what we do, we’ll have to deal with it."
The ex-teacher spoke of his "relief" when he eventually handed himself over to the police telling them "I'm glad this is over", reported.
Cummins was caught after Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office deputies found his silver Nissan Rogue parked outside a cabin.
The student, was found "healthy and unharmed".
Jason Whatley, the attorney for the schoolgirl's family, said: “There aren’t words in the English language to describe the level of relief and elation experienced by the Thomas family.
"Now begins another hard chapter, but for now, we celebrate.”
Cummins and Elizabeth only spent one night in the cabin, police said. But it is believed they may have been in the area for a week prior.
The two disappeared after a student reported seeing them kissing in a classroom at at Culleoka Unit School in Maury County, Tennessee, according to documents obtained by .
Cummins was later suspended following the incident.
In the days before Elizabeth's disappearance, she posted several cryptic Instagram posts about love including a picture of Beauty and The Beast, with the caption: “Every beauty needs her beast to protect her from everything but him.”
She also changed her biography to ‘wife’ and added a ring emoji.
Chilling CCTV footage last month showed Cummins shopping at a supermarket and buying women’s hair dye.
Police had considered Mr Cummins armed and dangerous during the manhunt.
Officials believe Cummins "may have been abusing his role as a teacher to groom this vulnerable young girl for some time in an effort to lure and potentially sexually exploit her".
According to court documents: "The child had told various siblings and/or friends that she was scared of Cummins and felt in over her head."
Jill Cummins, the suspect's wife of 31 years, filed for divorce saying she felt betrayed by her husband.
She told ABC News: "It's very selfish of him to have done this to us.
"I do love him, but I don't trust him anymore. He's totally betrayed me.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said that they had chased more than 1,500 leads in all 50 states in the nationwide manhunt.
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