Former teacher accused of kidnapping student arrested, girl recovered

CALIFORNIA — The former Tennessee teacher accused of kidnapping his student has been arrested.

Tad Cummins was arrested in northern California and Elizabeth Thomas was safely recovered, authorities say.

The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department confirmed to ABC News that it had located Cummins' vehicle. Siskiyou County is nestled in the northernmost part of California in the Shasta Cascade region along the Oregon border.

Cummins was a teacher at the school that Thomas attended, and before the pair disappeared in March, there were reports that they were acting inappropriately.

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One student even reported seeing the pair kissing -- a claim that they both denied. A lawyer for Cummins’ wife said that she has filed for divorce after being married to Tad for 31 years.

"No matter where you are, Daddy, no matter what you’ve done we just want you to come home," Cummin’s daughter, Erica Osborne, 29, told ABC News. "We miss you so much. We’re here for you, no matter what anytime, any place, anywhere."

Osborne's sister, Ashlee Conner, 26, added that if they could say one thing to their father, they would remind him of a Bible verse that he taught them growing up.

"There’s one thing that he’s reminded us for our entire life. And that’s Romans 8:28, and that’s, ‘God uses all things for the glory of those that love the Lord and are called according to his purposes’ and that means even this," Conner said.

Cummins, a 50-year-old father and grandfather, was wanted on allegations of aggravated kidnapping and sexual contact with a minor. An Amber Alert had been issued for Thomas.

Information from ABC News was used in this report.

Cox Media Group