Elizabeth Thomas, a 15-year-old high school student, was abducted by her former teacher, Tad Cummins, a former health science teacher at Culleoka Unit School in Maury County, Tennessee. The relationship began in 2016 when Elizabeth joined Tad's class and he began making sexual advances towards her. For nearly a year, the pair secretly met in the closet of Tad’s classroom, where he would kiss and touch her regularly. Their relationship ended when another student witnessed them kissing in January 2017. Tad was suspended from teaching but continued to contact Elizabeth, convincing her they had to run away together. The pair were found in a remote cabin in Northern California 38 days after their kidnapping.