THERE is increasing concern for the welfare of a missing five-year-old girl who vanished from her home after getting her hair cut short.
Summer Moon-Utah Wells disappeared outside her home Hawkins County, Tennessee, on Tuesday and a frantic search is still underway today in Beech Creek.
Yesterday, Hawkins County Sheriff Ronnie Lawson revealed that over 100 people from 19 agencies were still combing the area for the missing girl.
Summer was spotted on Ben Hill Road wearing grey pants and a pink shirt with no shoes. She is 3-feet tall, weighs 40 pounds, and has blonde hair and blue eyes, according to police.
"Missing five-year-old Summer Wells may now have shorter hair than that pictured in our earlier alerts," noted the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), tweeting out two comparison pictures of Summer.
"Here's are new images we've just obtained that may be more representative of her current hair length."
A family member reported her missing to the sheriff’s office at around 6:30pm, TBI said.
An endangered child alert was issued Tuesday night – but this escalated to an AMBER Alert on Wednesday morning.
Beech Creek residents have been asked to double-check any sheds, crawl spaces, potential hiding places, and trail cameras as investigators contend with rough terrain and bad cellphone service.
“What makes it so hard is communication between boots on the ground, searchers in the woods, and the different agencies," Lawson told WATE. "We aren’t like in these towns where they’ve got a lot of cell service."
Lawson appealed for anyone with information to come forward, adding that it was too early to say if there was foul play and Summer's family was cooperating.
Missing five-year-old Summer Wells may now have shorter hair than that pictured in our earlier alerts.
“We’re going to continue on until we find Summer and put this case to rest,” the sheriff told reporters.
Last night, TBI tweeted: "The search for 5-year-old Summer Wells continues this evening.
"Many of you are asking if we have a suspect or vehicle description. We do not. Should we develop that type of information, we will share it with you immediately.
"As of Wednesday evening, authorities have received approximately 30 tips as part of the ongoing search for 5-year-old Summer Wells. She has not been located.
"Numerous local, state and federal agencies are assisting in the search for Summer Wells. Teams were briefed earlier this morning, and the ground search in the area around Ben Hill Road has resumed."
Balloons, ribbons, and teddies were left in Beach Creek as the community hopes for her safe return.
If you have information about Wells’ whereabouts, call 911 or 1-800-TBI-FIND and cops will be giving the media another briefing about the case this afternoon.
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