Amber Alert, Missing 5 year Old Haleigh Cummings, Satsuma Florida … UPDATE
Haleigh Cummings, 5, was abducted from her home in the evening hours of February 10. She was in the care of her Father’s 17 year old girlfriend, Misty Croslin while he was at work at his job as a crane operator in Patalak, FL. Mr. Cummings has taken a polygraph and has stated he has been cleared of involvement in his daughter’s disappearance. Cummings girlfriend has allegedly taken 2 polygraph tests by her own admission; although the reason she was administered 2 is unknown. According to Cummings:
“We have all offered to take lie detectors,” Cummings said of his family. He said “there was no reason to believe that he or his girlfriend failed them.”
Misty Croslin’s account of the evening of February 10 has come under intense scrutiny as it has changed several times to include other house guests and where both children were sleeping at the time.
Sheriff Jeff Hardy said Croslin took the test, but he would not discuss outcomes of any polygraphs. “Misty has been interviewed extensively,” Hardy said.
A review of available court records shows there is prior drug usage by both of Haleigh’s parents and seemed to be a significant factor in Mr. Cummings receiving primary custody of his two children.
There are 44 Registered Sex Offenders within a 5 mile radius of the Cummings mobile home on Green Lane in Satsuma, Putnam County.
H/T Pic: Klaas
PARENTS CALL TO ACTION
Recently, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced it may have to cut it’s Amber Alert and Registered Sex Offender Notification Programs due to requested budget cuts.
“We’ve lost 56 positions in the last year, and we know any additional cuts are going to be in our key service area,” FDLE spokeswoman Heather Smith told WOKV. “Anything beyond this point is certainly going to have an effect on public safety.”
It seems in case after case we read how shocked people are when they review the registered sex offender listings in their area. WHY? As parents why don’t you know if your child is at risk?
It is required by law to have an online and searchable registered sex offender for each state.
The state by state listing is featured on the FBI website here.
The Dru Sodjin National Sex Offender Registry site is here.
For our children’s sake, as unpleasant as it is, take the time to search your area, review the pictures of the offenders and register for alert updates for anyone coming out of corrections or moving to your area. It is the best way to protect your children and minimize the risk to them.
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The head of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement needs to be fired! He does not care about the children of Florida.
Florida needs to pass a law saying they cannot relocate (pedophiles)in locations of children. Which would make Orlando a pedophile free zone.
Every sex Offender in the country will relocate to Florida if the Amber Alert and Registered Sex Offender Notification Programs are canceled in Florida.
Does anyone know if there’s been any mention of Haleigh having any type of physical and/or mental condition the public/searchers should be made aware of?
As I have said earlier on these blogs, I question several things about this case: for instance, why is a 25 year old man living with a 17 year old girl and making her responsible for his two young children at nite, while he is working? also, what 17 year old girl wants to spend her nites at home, babysitting two children who are not hers, waiting for her boyfriend to come home from work? what parent allows their 17 year old daughter to live with a 25 year old man? is this 17 year old girl in school? why is DFS involved with this family and especially why is the father one day away from being in jail because they have not consistently sent Haleigh to school? Tonite, on Nancy Grace, the police report said that a child’s footprint was found in the woods and that bloodhounds scented Haleigh leading from the back door to the water and back to the backdoor. I believe that the 17 year old girlfriend went out that back door and left it unlocked while she was out with family or friends and when she returned, the door was propped open and the child was missing. Misty may not want to confess that she was out and is giving false information on purpose. Does this sound familiar??
I heard there was a contempt motion”" filed in the custody matter on the very day that Haleigh went missing. Something you may want to follow up on if that record is open.”
Stacia: where did you hear that? I went to the criminal court docket for the father, he has had some legal issues in the past. There is more to this family than the media is sharing with the public.
Overall, this child pretty much had a rough road.
I am trying to sift through how that plays into her disappearance.
I am very disturbed about a 17 year old being with a 25 yr old, and responsible for these young children, but from everyone I have spoken to, in this area, this is not that uncommon. The record for Family court, if there is one, would not be available yet if it were not served or not part of the docket.
I have a thought- how about we appoint this child a guardian ad litem by learning from the Caylee case? That was a major error on behalf of the state, and would have changed things drastically, imo.
Can anyone stopping in to read here confirm they checked their area and their results, and then pass the article link on to somone you know did not?
ie: In my area, I have one registered in a 5 mi area, who was convicted for SO with a minor child/family member.
I feel very strongly people are not that aware of the dangers of this and I am so very sick of these preventable cases. Not necessarily true for this case yet I agree, but imo, will play a role for sure.
ANewGirl, I think that some states have a requirement that residents within a certain distance be notified if a sex offender moves to their area. Especially in the cities, I would think, where people tend to know less about their neighbors than in rural areas, this should be done.
Some might think that stronger measures should be required, but we wouldn’t want to trample on the ‘rights’ of these people … the rights of potential child victims? What attention do they get?
Maybe EVERY police department, in its community outreach programs, ought to let parents know that this information is online. Of course, the ACLU would probably be up in arms….
Until now, I hadn’t seen talk about there having been house guests at the child’s home that night.
This adds yet another dimension.
The search now is in its fifth day….
How would a guardian ad litem changed things in the Caylee case? You can’t have a guardian ad litem for a dead child. I think they were pretty sure this was the case from the beginning with the smell in the car. Casey has not even been brought to trial on child neglect. And as much as we don’t want to hear it – innocent until proven guilty.
I am not sure that I feel that would be a good idea in this case either. Big brother can be good and bad. Too much big brother is bad.
Ah yes Greg, but the Smithsonian Institute is getting a face lift, $8 billion has been assigned to light rail, The coast guard is getting an ice breaker, $7 billion will go for giving cable to rural communities, GM is getting a $10 billion tax break and $19 billion is dedicated to health-information technology so the government can spy on your doctors.
Gigi-
I opted not to print alot of that info in this piece as I cannot say if any is relevant to Haleigh’s abduction, but I am aware of it and have seen it on quite a few blogs. Very sad.
Honestly, this may be a case DFS needs to intervene for the little boy’s sake.
Hmmm…attorney ad litem INDEED! I’ve been jumping up & down and flapping my arms up & down on that one since Caylee’s case began!
http://www.florida-cracker.org/archives/004565.html
Forgot to add the link!
Here is the link to the police report
on the first night Haleigh went missing.
It talks about her health too.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/02/13/putnam.pdf
Apparently, according to the police eport, Haleigh has Turner Syndrome. I just did a quick read of that medical condition which explains her dropping eyelid. She may have other symptoms of the syndrome but there is no mention of that in the police report. I do agree with some of the sentiment expressed at florida cracker website. It seems like the socio-economic class of the victim and her family have generated more questions and doubts than, perhaps, someone from a higher social/economic strata. However, I do feel that us monkeys are asking legitimate questions about the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and other bloggers across the web are asking the same types of questions…………..
I’ve been thinking about it today. Wonder if the girlfriend truly put the children to bed around 8pm, did laundry, and went to bed herself around 10:30pm. What she’s possibly afraid to say is she let her cousins (2 boys I read) stay to hang out for a while after she went to sleep. Could it be one or more of these cousins took the girl? Has to be she walked down that path and back past the house via the street…but if so…I still feel had to be in a vehicle. Where had the cousins parked? Together? Separate?
Now that I reread my own post…maybe not that they hung out, but she knew one or both are capable of such a thing. I mean, she IS their cousin, maybe she knows something about their character….
I imagine she’d feel so badly, but be afraid because no doubt if they were that type of person, she already feared them before this.
I hope that one is way off base.
Never heard of Turner’s syndrome.. but you can tell in one of the pictures something is wrong. Cops aren’t telling much and that’s a good thing. They did say they found some evidence yesterday..but not saying what it is or where it was found. The 17 year old could’ve put the kids to bed and thought they were sleeping and went to a neighbors..who knows.. I don’t see a good outcome of this story..ty Carpe for all the links.
I thought I read the girlfriend’s brother came to visit with his 2 kids, about the same age as Haleigh, around 5 PM.
There were also problems that day with the father and x-wife over court issues.
I think this might an isolated matter that involves only the families.
interesting question Brenda, I will be watching that information…I rely on you guys for updates being over seas we dont get the best news….
Blink..once again great research and a wonderful article. I know there will be more to come on this case. I do not think that the immediate family is to blame..just my intuition. Just because people live differently then the rest of us does not mean that they are bad and unloving parents. Thank you for not going that route.
Personaly..I believe this is a case of abduction by a previously incarcerated pedo..just opinion. A pedo on the move fits in easily in the winter months. Just a thought..this could be a pedo on record in the area..or a pedo on record from another area relocated there for the winter months.
Playing Protagonist for a minute:
What if the FBI told Cummings he passed the test when he didn’t? What if they told him that to get him to think he was in the clear and above suspicion, only to get the necessary surveillance warrants, thinking his activity would lead him to Haleigh?
Just an fyi, the state can move for a guardian ad litem unless there is evidence of death; and they should if there is not, most especially in this case, imo.
If Caleigh were walking on her own, at least at some point (which seems to be the case, judging from the footprint), does that make it more likely that she was in the company of someone she knew?
Not being a parent, I can’t really say … but my impression is that a child of her age, out in the night with only a stranger, probably would at least try to run back home.
Or was the footprint put there to give a false lead?
I do understand the need to clear the family and the what if potion. But in my gut I feel this is someone else ..not the father or girl friend. I think that this is a abduction by a pedo..known or unknown to the family. What makes this harder, in my opinion, is that Florida is a haven for transient people at this time of year.
I still think it is not the father or his girl
friend. We don’t know much about the extended family of either of them. However they do..if they thought this was a family member.after the words he spoke to 911 and LE later..then I think they would have outed them to LE.
Dee, are you military?!!
As for the child being afraid of the dark, I know my sister was and I was NOT. to me, even in grade school, I LOVED to sneak out and night and just watch the stars in the dark…or just BE outside in a different environment in the early morning hours.
Even as an adult I like to go off walking in our woods at night. That said, because of my fearlessness of dark, my sister would cling to me trick or treating, walking down a dimly lighted hall, or otherwise where she’d never have gone alone. If Haliegh was 1/2 as scared of the dark, no way she would be brave enough to do this alone. My sister would have rather faced a bear in the light than the dark with nothing there!
Please forgive typos–was in a slow hurry–but ya’ll get the message:):) D
Brenda,
Hubby is in the military, I work for the GOV in Germany proud to say my hubby is retiring after 23 long years of PROUD Service..God bless the Troops.
D.
thanks for the post and mention of the Bible, sometimes in the public forums we kind of hold back on our religous beliefs, but like you I believe these are the last days and I surely can not imagine things being worse then they are, what could be worse then a murdered child, missing child or abused child.
We have to take care of these little ones they don’t ask to be here. You have to have a license to drive a car but anyone can have a kid…doesn’t make to much sense, people treat their pets better then their kids at times…sad
D. Just read your last post again, it brought me to tears, thanks for the post..touching
Dee #35&36
THANK YOU DEE and your hubby for his service for US (my spouse was also a veteran of three enlistments–not retired but deceased–so I DO UNDERSTAND THE sacrifice:):) I LOVE my military men and women (two of my sons served in the military and my eldest was in first wave on Iraq.)There isn’t a day or night that I don’t thank HIM for the men and women overseas and for their safe return to their families and I ask that the families be strengthened–(are you in Valsack??that’s where my eldest was stationed).
I’m NOT religous but a STRONG believer (34 years this March 23rd) and ya know HE IS THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT and JUSTICE:):):)and if you can tell by my posts–I AM NOT ashamed of the gospel of Christ:):):) It’s who I am and I try to use it to HIS glory in all aspects of my life:):):)
K-here’s something very disturbing–Ocala sex offender missing– 25 years old (it was in the fox news section about 30 mins. ago–not a suspect or so they say BUT he hasn’t been seen since Monday and wasn’t reported missing until Friday–hmmmmmmmm IF PUTNAM COUNTY SEARCHED AND RESEARCHED WHY WASN’T THIS FOUND EARLIER (caps yelling??? You bet–enough) o.k. so they ‘only covered 5 miles around the trailer–’ come on now peeps–IF we were less than diligent in our jobs we’d be fired–something amiss here. Continue to pray that she will be found alive and safe–
D
GiGi-
You are so right!! I was thinking the same thing-
What the hell is a 17 yr. old doing with a 25 yr. old? Plus, the whole crap about the child not going to school? There’s definately something fishy about this whole story!!!
Hey all peeps! Did I just read in the #38 post that HALEIGH GOT UP TO USE THE BATHROOM AND DIDN’T RETURN????????????? This is certainly news. What is with the facts constantly changing in this story??? I am so scared for this small child. If that sex offender is truly missing, then he may be responsible for the abduction of Haleigh. I live in Las Vegas and we certainly have many horror stories about children but it seems that Florida has the worst. What is this world coming to?? I pray for the children.
Estimates are that half of all children are violated by age 18, predominately by someone they know, and mostly by family members. Estimates are that sex offenders will violate 100-200 children before the 1st arrest. Most offenders may be in your homes and NOT on the Internet. Teaching children about good touch and strangers have not lessened violations. Children need to be taught how to protect themselves using many different scenarios.
1. Persons who most often harm or kill children are their families. Typically, police look at the last person who saw the girl alive.
2. What is Ronald Lemyles Cummings thinking? He’s 25 and his paramour is a minor child. In FL, he could be labeled a sex offender (minor child and he’s more than 3 years older). Should anyone trust his decision making?
3. FL DC&F reports they have investigated this family before. Could it be that the child was harmed or bruised, and that Misty Croslin feared punishment? Many adolescents do things without thinking or in anger. Did Misty dump the child down a hole? Did she learn lessons from Casey Anthony?
4. Law enforcement suspects persons whose stories change. Why would a predator take the time to get a cinder-block from 50 ft away from the mobile home, take the chance of making noise bracing the door or turning on the light? Why would Misty just HAPPEN to awake at 3 am for a drink of water, when she knew her paramour (Ronald Cummings) would be home from work? (Maybe, her time ran out and she had to do her Academy Award act? Why did Misty wait to call 9-1-1? (At least, it wasn’t a month later!) BODY LANGUAGE – she looked down and to a certain direction (representative of lying). Reminded me of Susan Smith! Misty may be upset but it may be because she accidentally killed Haleigh and dumped her body (in a hole)? No forced entry; deadbolt lock opened.
It adds up to MISTY – not a sex offender.
Peeps–calling all Monkey Peeps:):)
Here’s a thot/mo–is this Reynolds guy related in ANY WAY to Misty? 1/2 brother,cousin anything? Is he perhaps related to the ‘natural mom’ who lives a ’2 hour drive’ from Haleigh? Even tho it’s Georgia he could be related–anyone want to tell me how/where to research this and never fear D is here:):):)
#42: i am confused! who is this reynolds guy? i haven’t heard of him or if i have, i’ve gone braindead. i don’t think misty was in the home when the abduction happened. i speculate she went out with friends or family and left the back door unlocked and the kitchen lite on so she could get back in quickly before the father came home from work. i do not believe that a normal 17 year old girl wants to spend her nites babysitting children that are not hers while the father is working. i bet she goes out with someone and then gets back home before the father does. maybe that is why she seems to be holding back and dissembling when looking into the camera. something is very fishy with her story. also, if you read the initial police report, the father uses very crude language to refer to the girlfriend, saying my dumb bi**h girlfriend”" lost my daughter.(if i remember correctly……)”
Gigi
wow nice names for a boy7friend to call his girlfriend……something stinks in Florida and it is not alligator poop…
hahaha boy7friend too many beers on Presidents Day Eve
Hello,
I usually post as Dee but to differentiate from the Dee in Germany I added the DVL.
My thoughts on this…like most people I believe the girfriend is involved…however on the chance she is not and we take their words at face value. The door was supposedly locked with a deadbolt Hayleigh can’t reach. No forced entry…a key would be needed…
Is this trailor a rental or do they own it…if they own it are they the original owners…all former residents need to be checked out!!! If it’s a rental through a real estate or property management they need to verify the location of the extra keys. Most companies will have at least 3 sets of extra keys for repairs and lockouts etc…Some companies even have their own key cutter. If this is a rental under management the employes especially of the maintence dept need to be checked out.
#45 Gigi, see my post #38 it explains the Reynolds guy to a tee.
#43 Blink 34–that’s what makes this forum really good–the input,facts and opinions–your post gave much to thik about–Misty is hiding ‘something’ but what is the next question:):)
#44 Dee it also ‘set me on fire’ and made us realize that the fl. officals seem less than diligent (I lived in Palatka for a year in the 80′s when Walt Pellicer was alive–he had control of things).Fl.’s laws are so sick ANYONE can get away with almost anything–the doctors who cause damage and death to their paitents in other states just relocate to Fl. and begin their practice again. Sad but all to true.
Here in Colorado the laws seem to really work to our advantage–NO NOT PERFECT far from it but if a sex offender misses one reporting time a warrent is issued and followed up on. Yes we have them here 488 as of last count in my area but only 38 had been released with address,phone number and notification to the community.
How far mankind has fallen to such depravity (perhaps it existed before but was kept quite.)
THIS WHOLE ORDEAL SCREAMS CUSTODY & CHILD SUPPORT TO ME!!!!
From Crystal’s house to Ronald’s house is 88 miles away, and takes aprox. 1hr 45 min, Less time at night.
At 3:49am Marie Sheffield, Haleigh’s maternal grandmother received call from Ronald
At 3:50ish Marie calls her daughter, Haleigh’s mother, Crystal Sheffield who lives in Glen Saint Mary Florida.
At 5:00ish Marie calls Crystal’s father who lives close by. He drives over to Ronald Cummings house, then call’s his ex-wife back and verifies that Haleigh is missing, and that police and search dogs are at the scene.
“THEN” Marie and Crystal head for Satsuma.
What did Bio-mom Crystal & Grandma wait for? (I WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT THE DOOR THAT VERY SECOND I got the Call from Ronald!!)
Why didn’t Crystal & Marie call the Police themselves to verify Haleigh being missing??? CELL PHONE PINGS PERHAPS??
1hr 10 mins+ time, before they left? I want Bio-mom & Chad’s cell phone records checked.
Chad made some snippy comments about Crystal’s “Other Children” on his MySpace Page.
There seems to be great strain between Ronald & Crystal, and Crystal is ordered to pay Child Support.
CONTEMPT of COURT Charges were filed on the VERY DAY that Haliegh went missing. ( I assume against Crystal for NON-PAYMENT of CHILD SUPPORT)
I think LAW ENFORCEMENT needs to look into Chad Griffis & Bio-mom Crystal a little further.
Crystal has NO JOB and Chad Griffis will have to pay that Child Support to Ronald after they get married.
***Money can be the root of all evil!***
There could have been plenty of time for Crystal & Chad or whoever, to drive back to Glen Saint Mary from Ronald’s house, before the Grandma even got the FIRST phone call about Haleigh being missing.
Mom Crystal doesn’t look too upset with Haleigh being missing all, to me. They just wants to keep making Ronald look bad.
( Which is not that hard to do )
Crystal will now probably get Custody of Ronald Jr. and NOT have to
pay anymore Child Support!!
RONALD WILL HAVE TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT to CRYSTAL !!
BTW… NOW Grandma thinks Haleigh is NOT EVEN IN FLORIDA!! Hummmmm?? Interesting!!!!
Oh and let’s not forget that ALL OF A SUDDEN, Grandma Marie is now saying SORRY to Ronald & Misty! (THE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HUMMM?)
JMO
Interesting, so what do you think happened to Haleigh?
Re: #41, DeltaBrave, you said everything that was on my mind. Thank you so much. And I might add, good thinking, and good articulation.
Keep up the good work
Just to let you know, your article rocks, but also is wrong.. not to be mean, but I know from experience … just trying to help
1.
Crystal has NO JOB and Chad Griffis will have to pay that Child Support to Ronald after they get married. >>Legally Chad does not and will not be held responsible to pay, no matter what.. those are not his children. (My husband pays C.S. and they can not garnish or take that $ from me)
2.
Crystal will now probably get Custody of Ronald Jr. and NOT have to
pay anymore Child Support!!
True, however, the 4000 she is behind in will have to be paid to Ron NO MATTER what, even if Haleigh does not come home!
thanks, great blog!
Metoo-
Thanks for the kudos but I never discussed who pays what for child support in my article whatsoever, so I am confused by your comment.
Blink
[...] year old Haleigh Cummings went missing on February 10, 2009 when she was reported as being abducted from her home when she was in the care of her Father’s [...]