Father of Missing Tennessee Girl Arrested After Alleged Domestic Violence Incident
The father of missing child Summer Wells was taken into custody on Oct. 12 following a domestic-violence report involving his wife.
On Monday night, Hawkins County deputies arrived at a home on Ben Hill Road after a domestic dispute call. They discovered the father of missing five-year-old Summer Wells outside the house with scratches, while his wife, Candus Bly Wells, was inside with injuries and alleged he had assaulted her. He was arrested and charged with domestic assault and placed in the county jail.
Authorities have not linked this arrest to the still-open case of Summer’s disappearance in June 2021, which continues to draw national attention and thousands of tips. The investigation, led by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the FBI and local law enforcement, still has no suspect or clear leads. The family has thanked supporters and urged anyone with information to come forward. The father previously faced a DUI conviction and earlier domestic-violence allegations that were dismissed.
Why it matters
The arrest adds a new legal development to a high-profile missing-child case that has remained unsolved for five years.
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