Brentwood native who led police to Tad Cummins receives reward money

The man who helped police capture Tad Cummins and rescue 15-year-old Elizabeth Thomas received his reward money Friday afternoon.

Griffin Barry accepted the $10,000 in reward on the steps of the Maury County courthouse. He declined all questions, but said he planned to save the money.

In addition to the $10,000 donated by a former co-worker of Cummins, Barry will receive $1,000 from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation because the 50-year-old former teacher was on the state’s top 10 “Most Wanted” list. Television personality Nancy Grace also made a $500 donation.

Barry, a Brentwood native, found Thomas and Cummins in a secluded cabin in California near the Oregon border. He called the TBI’s tip line to report the sighting last Wednesday.

On Friday, the Thomas family’s attorney told News 2 Elizabeth is “taking it day-by-day.”The next day, Cummins was taken into federal custody.

“She has a great mental health team around her, and they are working with her on every aspect of her needs and I think she is doing fantastic. She has been through a tremendous amount, more than any child should ever go through,” said attorney Jason Whatley said.

Elizabeth was at the center of a more than month-long AMBER Alert after she and Cummins disappeared from Maury County on March 13.The two were gone for 38 days before being discovered by Barry.

Cummins remains in federal custody in California. He is expected to return to Tennessee in the near future.

Courtesy of WKRN News 2