HAWKINS COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The search for a Beech Creek 6-year-old who has not been seen in nearly a year sparked months of searching throughout hundreds of acres of remote and rough terrain.

The scouring and planned missions to bring Summer Wells home involved hundreds of trained personnel from all over the country, and the case has garnered national attention in the months following her disappearance.

But no answers have come to light.

Summer Moon-Utah Wells vanished on June 15, 2021, after helping her mother and grandmother in the garden, according to family members. That evening — 11 months ago — marked the last time her family would see her. An Amber Alert was issued the following day.

Family members told News Channel 11 in one-on-one interviews that they believe Summer had been kidnapped, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) stated that there was a “very real possibility that she wandered off” after thousands of tips yielded no leads in the case.

The Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) acted as the first responding agency on the scene when Summer vanished. Sheriff Ronnie Lawson said after five months of searching that crews have not given up, but no signs have pointed to an abduction.

The agency did ask for the public’s help in a break in the case that involved a possible witness, but nothing ever arose from its search for a red or maroon truck in late June 2021. Witnesses had claimed to see the vehicle in the area the night Summer disappeared from her Ben Hill Road residence.

Investigators have stressed that social media rumors and speculation interfere with the case as agents attempt to pinpoint what happened to Summer last June. This involved what was spread online as YouTubers learned of the case, including those who claim to have psychic abilities.

A reward fund for information leading to Summer remains just shy of $74,000.

The ongoing AMBER Alert lists the following details for Summer:

  • Age: 6 years old
  • Sex: Female
  • Race: White
  • Hair: Blond
  • Eyes: Blue
  • Height: 3 feet
  • Weight: 40 lb.
  • Missing from: Rogersville, Tennessee
  • Missing since: June 15, 2021

Those with information regarding Summer should call 1-800-TBI-FIND.