Nine-year-old Carlie Marie Trent remained missing a week after her uncle by marriage, Gary Simpson, took her from her elementary school in Rogersville, Tennessee, on May 4. Authorities said Simpson, 57, falsely told school staff that Carlie’s father had been in a car accident and that he had been sent to pick her up.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) said it had credible information that Carlie was in imminent danger of serious bodily harm or death. Spokesman Josh DeVine rejected social media speculation that Simpson was trying to protect her, saying the incident was a crime and urging the public to help bring her home. Agents were reviewing more than 1,200 leads, with law enforcement in multiple states investigating possible sightings. None had been confirmed. A Missouri Amber Alert prompted by a possible sighting near Otterville was canceled, while the Tennessee alert remained active.

Before picking Carlie up, Simpson bought clothing, girls’ underwear, a bikini, cosmetics, a blanket and a child’s folding camp chair at a Rogersville-area Walmart. Afterward, he bought nonperishable food and toiletries at a grocery store. Investigators said the purchases suggested he intended to remain out of sight, possibly in a remote area or campground. They contacted parks and campgrounds in several states and asked rural property owners to look for anything suspicious.

Carlie’s mother, Shannon Trent, said Simpson had been a trusted family member for decades and that he and his wife had previously had custody of Carlie and her younger sister. Carlie’s father, James Trent, had custody at the time of her disappearance. Both parents appealed for her safe return.

Knoxville banking executives Matt Daniels and Tim Williams offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to Carlie’s return. Her pediatrician, Dr. Chris Calendine, offered another $10,000, and the U.S. Marshals Service offered $5,000 for information leading to her recovery and Simpson’s capture.

Carlie was described as 4 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 75 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. Simpson was described as balding, about 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 157 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. They were last seen traveling in a white 2002 Dodge conversion van with Tennessee registration **173GPS**. Anyone with information was asked to call **1-800-TBI-FIND**; anyone who spotted the van was urged to call **911**.