Natalie Neysa Alund, and Jason Gonzales

The Tennessean

Update 3 p.m. Friday: Through their attorney, the family of Elizabeth Thomas confirmed she is "in a safe location with family and friends" after arriving back in Tennessee on Friday afternoon.

"She is being evaluated and treated by mental health experts specializing in trauma," the statement reads. "There is no doubt that she suffered severe emotional trauma and that her process of recovery is only just beginning."

Original story: Even in a remote California forest cabin with no cell phone service, nearly 2,500 miles from Columbia, Tenn., former Middle Tennessee teacher Tad Cummins couldn’t hide.

It took one phone call to Tennessee law enforcement late Wednesday night to end a six-week manhunt for the man police accused of kidnapping 15-year-old Elizabeth Thomas.

On Friday, Siskiyou County Sheriff Jon Lopey said Elizabeth is under protective care. She arrived in Tennessee Friday, an attorney for her family said.

Cummins, meanwhile was taken into federal custody in Siskiyou County and is being transported to Sacramento.

On Thursday morning in frigid weather, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office arrested Cummins at the Cecilville cabin in northern California and rescued Elizabeth, according to the sheriff's office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

"We mobilized a nation in the last six weeks," TBI Director Mark Gwyn said Thursday during a news conference in Nashville. "When you do that, something good is going to happen because you can’t hide from millions of people. It took only one tip."

It was an 11 p.m. call Wednesday from a California man.

The caller said he spotted a Nissan Rogue at a cabin, and thought it matched the description of the vehicle used by Cummins. The license plate had been removed from the vehicle, said TBI spokesman Josh DeVine.

Related:

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Lopey said his office's special response team went to the cabin, which was two hours away from their headquarters. By 4 a.m., the team surrounded the cabin and waited. When Cummins walked out about 9:30 a.m., he was arrested without a scuffle, Lopey said. Elizabeth came out of the cabin as the arrest took place, Lopey said.

Deputies found two loaded handguns — a 9 mm pistol and a Ruger .380 — and multiple license plates in the cabin nestled in massive Siskiyou County, which is filled with national forest and state lands and borders the California-Oregon state line.

Lopey said FBI officials from Redding, Calif., had Elizabeth in their custody on Thursday.

Cummins is being held without bond on a federal charge of knowingly transporting a minor in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in sexual activity.

Cummins was Elizabeth's 50-year-old high-school teacher at Culleoka Unit School in Maury County, Tenn.

His capture ended a nationwide manhunt that began March 13. Since then, officers worked on more than 1,500 leads and put in countless hours.

TBI agents flew to Cecilville Thursday to investigate and gather evidence, authorities said.

Although Elizabeth was found healthy and unharmed, officers said they do not know her mental condition. She is expected to fly back to Tennessee Friday on a TBI aircraft.

Maury County District Attorney Brent Cooper said, "There is more work to do to build a case for prosecution."

"Our main concern now is how is she emotionally," Cooper said. "Whether she was brainwashed or went willingly? We don't know what the situation is yet."

Gwyn thanked communities across the nation for helping locate the two.

“We hope we can keep him behind bars for many years,” Gwyn said. “And to the public, we cannot say how thankful we are for all the tips, concern and support. It made a difference in the six-week search.”

Family and a Tennessee community reacts to Cummins' capture

After Elizabeth's rescue, her family waited to talk with her.

"We were ecstatic," said Kat Bozeman, Thomas' oldest sister. "We're so happy that California police worked quickly and were able to find them and get her safe. I believe the FBI are going to make sure she's healthy before she comes home. We'll make sure she'll get what therapy she needs and that she's safe, that she knows she's safe.

"Like we've always said from the beginning, law enforcement will deal with (Cummins) and our only concern was her to be returned safely," Bozeman said.

Maury County residents also rejoiced after learning Elizabeth had been found.

“When something like this happens, a community gets together and feels like this is one of our children,” said Republican Rep. Sheila Butt, who represents Columbia. “This just feels like our prayers have been answered, and the lost sheep is home.”

She said she is confident local officials will find a way to learn from this entire ordeal.

“I have known Tad Cummins over the years, and I think I could honestly tell you that I’m not surprised that she’s safe. I will let the courts deal with the ramifications of what happened here,” Butt said.

Read more:

► Tad Cummins' wife files for divorce amidst Elizabeth Thomas Amber Alert

► Tad Cummins added to TBI Most Wanted list

► Teaching was dream job for kidnapping suspect Tad Cummins

The kidnapping stunned the small rural county about 50 miles outside of Nashville. A suspected kidnapping like this is a rarity in Columbia, said Mayor Dean Dickey.

"The longer it carries on, you seem to expect the worst," Dickey said. "I’m glad to see that she is unharmed, as far as we know now. What happens to Tad will just have to come later."

Maury County Public Schools, in a Thursday news statement, thanked law enforcement for the safe conclusion of the case.

“The news of Elizabeth Thomas’ safe return is wonderful news for our community, and now, we can begin healing as a community, school district and as families touched by the Amber alert. Thanks go to all who have kept the message of finding Elizabeth Thomas and working on her safe return as top-of-mind throughout the nation,” the statement said.

Family asks for continued prayers amid ongoing AMBER Alert for Elizabeth Thomas

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Dave Boucher, Melanie Balakit, Amber Sandhu and Stacey Barchanger contributed this report.

Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at 615-259-8072 and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund. Follow Jason Gonzales at jagonzales@tennessean.com and on Twitter @ByJasonGonzales.