Community members offer rewards for information leading to Summer Wells being found

by: Slater Teague, Ben Gilliam, Anslee Daniel

Posted: Jun 23, 2021 / 05:51 PM EDT

Updated: Jun 23, 2021 / 06:14 PM EDT

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — Two community members are offering a combined $27,000 for information leading to the discovery of Summer Wells, the Hawkins County 5-year-old who has been missing for more than a week.

David Garrahan of Kingsport is offering $25,000 for information leading to Wells being found.

“I believe people out there know something, and if you know something please say something,” Garrahan said.

“It will get some people who have, you know, good thoughts and interests in their community to share whatever tip they might have…if they saw anything, if they heard anything…if they’ve got any suggestions. They may be important.”

Another $2,000 is being offered by Trevor Lee for information leading to Wells being returned home. He has a domestic and child abuse prevention non-profit with a mission to stand up for children.

“I know searchers are getting pretty desperate. I know the law enforcement officials are saying the same thing,” Lee said. “I was hoping…just a last-ditch effort to find some kind of answer hopefully before it’s too late for Summer.”

Garrahan has a history of philanthropy in the community, and donated $25,000 to the PETworks foundation in 2020 as well as $10,000 to the Kingsport Police Department to aid in finding a new K-9 officer.

Garrahan originally sent a letter to the Kingsport Times News offering $25,000 to anyone with a “tip/information which leads to the discovery/recovery of Summer Wells,” which the Times then forwarded to the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office.

Both Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and sheriff’s office officials said their offices don’t normally handle rewards, so they forwarded the check to the Church Hill Rescue Squad, which is working to set up an account.

“We understand that the reward is an important part in the efforts of finding Summer Wells, but we are not wanting that to interfere with the search operations on finding Summer Wells,” said Capt. Tim Coup with the rescue squad.

In the meantime, residents of the area have been asked to search their property, and if they have before then they should do it again. In a press briefing on Monday, Sheriff Ronnie Lawson called on the community to revive their search in crawl spaces, sheds, basements and anywhere that a child may hide or become trapped.

The TBI AMBER Alert reports Summer’s appearance as follows: