As infants, Summer and Fenmore are abducted by Sheila Carter (Stafford) who had gotten plastic surgery to look like Phyllis. Fortunately, Summer and Fen survive. A few years later, when Phyllis is sent to prison, Summer becomes ill and must move in with Nick. Two years later, Summer ends up in the hospital when Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk) gives her a kiss after eating a peanut butter cookie. Phyllis is accused of trying to kill Summer to win back Nick. Summer goes into anaphylactic shock, and is left comatose. When she wakes up, Summer has the mindset of a toddler due to brain swelling and trouble breathing. She undergoes therapy in Switzerland, and later returns a recovered young girl. After appearing sporadically for several years, Summer (Lindsay Bushman) becomes a moody teenager, and develops a friendship with Fenmore (Max Ehrich). She is briefly employed as a camp counselor and becomes intertwined with her mother's past. When Phyllis is accused of the attempted murder of Christine Blair (Lauralee Bell) and Paul Williams (Doug Davidson), Summer believes her mother is innocent and confronts Christine over the matter. However, when Phyllis begins going to extremes to cover up her actions, going so far as making up a "fake" affair with Ronan Malloy, Summer's parents cannot tell her the truth, leading her to rebel by attempting to pour vodka into a drink in a public place. Phyllis' lies become too much for Nick to handle, so he moves out and Summer goes with him. She is then convinced to make repairs in her relationship with her mother, only to walk in on Phyllis and Ronan actually having sex. Afterward, she bashes Ronan's car and gets arrested, and is grounded by Nick. Later she sneaks out of the house with Fenmore where they share a kiss. Summer returns for her mother's trial, and expresses her hatred for Phyllis. She then had an array of emotions while driving, leading to a collision with Adam and Chelsea Newman.