2010.04.14 - Today's Current News - ***NO DISCUSSIONS HERE PLEASE ***

[Angel Who Cares]

Divers Back In River On Haleigh Search
Deputies Say Credible Tip Led To Search Of St. Johns River
POSTED: Wednesday, April 14, 2010
UPDATED: 10:21 am EDT April 14, 2010
<snipped>
Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy would not say why the river was being searched, although deputies told Channel 4 that the search was based on a credible tip. Hardy said he met with members of Haleigh Cummings' family Tuesday afternoon, but he would not say what he told them.

"The conversations we had were between me and the family," said Hardy, who also said Haleigh has not been found.

Teams stopped searching around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, but were back in the water early Wednesday.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission team member Ben Allen said the water was clouded with almost no visibility for most of the day. Divers from at least four agencies or counties helped in the search, using floodlights to help see underwater.

During a quick news conference Tuesday, Hardy would not say whether he has switched from a missing persons case to a homicide investigation.

"That is a decision that will be made later," said Hardy, who also said Putnam investigators were questioning Croslin again Tuesday. She and Ronald Cummings, Haleigh's father, remain in custody after they were arrested in January in a drug sting. Both have pleaded not guilty.

Video: Search For Haleigh Enters Second Day
http://www.news4jax.com/video/23146427/index.html

Article:
http://www.news4jax.com/news/23146359/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Dive Teams Search River For Haleigh Clues
Posted: 6:56 am EDT April 14, 2010
Updated: 10:35 am EDT April 14, 2010
<snipped>
The area where divers will search is less than two miles away from where then 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings disappeared more than a year ago. "We've seen them come up and down and direct traffic across the river and away from this area, Shell Harbor," neighbor Kathi Goodson said.

A source told Eyewitness News that a suspect in custody gave them a tip that physical evidence may be in the water.

WFTV learned that a large box was pulled out of river late Tuesday afternoon. However, when reporters asked about the box and its contents, investigators said they found nothing of significance.

"You didn't find anything at all?" a reporter asked. "No," an investigator replied.

Sources told WFTV that investigators are also in Tennessee to talk to Misty's cousin, Joe Overstreet. He used to live in Putnam County and was once questioned about Haleigh's disappearance. Overstreet's mother spoke with reporters outside their home. "We don't know nothing. [He's] been sitting at home and he hasn't been talked to for months," Overstreet's mother said.

VIDEO REPORT: Dive Teams Search River For Haleigh Cummings Clues
http://www.wftv.com/video/23146244/index.html

Article:
http://www.wftv.com/news/23145520/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Tip Prompts River Search In Haleigh Case
Haleigh Cummings, 6, Vanished From Putnam Co. Home In Feb. 2009
POSTED: Tuesday, April 13, 2010
UPDATED: 7:51 am EDT April 14, 2010
<snipped>
As authorities searched the St. Johns River, Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy said on Tuesday that he met with the family of Haleigh Cummings but asked that their conversations stay between him and the family.

Hardy said investigators still have not found Haleigh, the 6-year-old Satsuma girl who went missing 14 months ago.

"We're going to continue this investigation until we can bring it to a logical conclusion," Hardy said.

When asked if the investigation was moved from a missing persons case to a homicide investigation, Hardy said, "That is a decision that will be made later."

IMAGES: River Search 1-9
http://www.clickorlando.com/slideshow/news/23139712/detail.html

VIDEO: Tip Prompts New Search
http://www.clickorlando.com/video/23145640/index.html

Article:
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/23136873/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Video: Haleigh suspect in custody?
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/crime/2010/04/14/ng.haleigh.search.investigation.cnn

 

[nums24]

Ex-Stepmom's Cousin Questioned In Haleigh Case

Posted: 11:59 am EDT April 14, 2010Updated: 12:29 pm EDT April 14, 2010

http://www.wftv.com/news/23148348/detail.html

snipped:

PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. -- In the search for answers in the Haleigh Cummings case, a relative of Misty Croslin was interviewed by investigators to find out what he knows about the child's disappearance. The cousin of Misty Croslin-Cummings was interviewed early Wednesday morning in Tennessee.

 

[Patty G]

InSessions (Jean) invited to Joe O's attorney's office to listen to the attorney ask Joe questions and also for InSessions to ask questions. This is suppose to happen around 4:00 PM EDT. However, there was no annoucement that this will be airing LIVE on HLN. Perhaps there may be "snippets" of the meeting on Issues or Nancy, or even perhaps Prime News. We just have to wait and see what happens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAaVj1oNnI8

 

[Patty G]

PCSO News Release

The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office has received many media inquiries concerning a rumor that has uncontrollably spread throughout our community. The rumor that a subject is either currently being detained by law enforcement, or is in law enforcement custody related to the Haleigh Cummings case has been reported to the media. Sheriff Hardy wants the citizens of Putnam County and the media to know that this rumor is false. There is currently no one in law enforcement custody as the result of the investigation into Haleigh Cummings’ disappearance.

More at link:
http://pcso.us/2010-4-14-a

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Misty Croslin Appears To Be At Haleigh Search Site
POSTED: Wednesday, April 14, 2010
UPDATED: 6:14 pm EDT April 14, 2010
<snipped>
A woman who appears to be Misty Croslin, the last person to see Haleigh Cummings before she disappeared in Feb. 2009, has been spotted at the scene of a search for evidence in the case.

Croslin has been jailed on unrelated charges, but a woman resembling her, wearing a blue jumpsuit and handcuffs, was seen at the search site just before 6 p.m. Wednesday. Sky 6 photographer David Sprung said he spotted the woman motioning to investigators at the dock.

Croslin was taken out of jail on Tuesday in order to be questioned, but investigators have not confirmed she was at the search scene on Wednesday.

Putnam County investigators have been searching an area of the St. John's River near the trailer since Tuesday.

IMAGES: Woman At Search Site 1-15
http://www.clickorlando.com/slideshow/news/23153122/detail.html

VIDEO: Misty Croslin Appears To Be At Haleigh Search Site 6:02
http://www.clickorlando.com/video/23154159/index.html

Article:
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/23153039/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Update: Haleigh's family told only there's a lead
Published: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 4:03 p.m.
<snipped>
"All they told us was that they have a new lead," Neves said. She is the mother of Ronald Cummings, who is now in jail on drug-related charges.

The family was not given information about the search on Tuesday and Wednesday in the St. Johns River.

"We would like to thank everybody and pray that this will bring us Haleigh alive," Neves added. "It's been hard on the family, especially for Ronald, being where he is."

No evidence found so far in latest Haleigh search
"At this point, this search has failed to yield any items of evidentiary value in the case," the agency reported in a statement released at about 4 p.m.

The Sheriff's Office also refuted a rumor that anyone is in custody regarding the case.

"There is currently no one in law enforcement custody as the result of the investigation into Haleigh Cummings' disappearance," the statement reported.

PHOTOS: Search for Haleigh Cummings 4/14/10
http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbc...IA0301&Lopenr=414009999&Ref=PH&show=galleries

Article:
http://www.gainesville.com/article/...ate-Haleigh-s-family-told-only-there-s-a-lead

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Joe Overstreet, Cousin of Misty Crosli, Speaks Out Following Late-Night Interview about Haleigh Cummings
Created: 4/14/2010 4:59:49 PM
Updated: 4/14/2010 6:13:03 PM
<snipped>
An emotional Joe Overstreet, a cousin of Misty Croslin, broke down today, saying he does not know what happened to Haleigh Cummings.

In an interview today with First Coast News, Overstreet, who lives in Nashville, accompanied by his mother, Tina Overstreet, and his attorney Robert Sirgo, discussed the ordeal.

Tina Overstreet said her son mainly stays at home these days, not doing much because of the emotional toll the case has had on him.

Overstreet was in Satsuma for vacation and planned to leave the day Haleigh was reported missing, he said, but some have speculated that his departure seemed suspicious and sudden.

Overstreet said today that he helped pass out fliers with Croslin, alerting the public to the missing child, and contributed flowers to a memorial for her.

Video: Misty Croslin's Cousin Says He Dosen't Have.... 4:04
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=78109401001

Article:
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=154759&catid=3

 

[Angel Who Cares]

UPDATED: Misty Croslin on Scene at Satsuma-Area Search for Haleigh Cummings
Created: 4/13/2010 4:35:05 PM
Updated: 4/14/2010 7:17:52 PM
<snipped>
Misty Croslin, the former stepmother of Haleigh Cummings, appeared at the scene of a two-day search for the missing 5-year-old, the Orlando Sentinel is reporting.

Investigators this afternoon at the search scene on the St. Johns River south of Satsuma, said they had found nothing of value in the search for Haleigh. An undisclosed tip led searchers early Tuesday to a boat ramp a few miles south of the home where the then-5-year-old girl was last seen.

The Sentinel, citing WKMG-6, reported a woman in a jail uniform who looked like Croslin was led to the edge of the dock around 6 p.m. where officials are searching for Haleigh who disappeared in Feb. 2009.

Lt. Johnny Greenwood with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said this afternoon, "This search has failed to yield any items of evidentiary value in the case."

Greenwood also addressed a rumor that someone had been arrested. "Sheriff (Jeff) Hardy wants the citizens of Putnam County and the media to know that this rumor is false. There is currently no one in law enforcement custody as the result of the investigation into Haleigh Cummings' disappearance."

At least 25 investigators came to the dock area at the end of Shell Harbour Road this morning. All police, and even people who live in the neighborhood, must check in and out at a security checkpoint.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement mobile crime lab also arrived.

Video: Sheriff Hardy Talks 04/13/10 Report
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=77826757001

Video: Search for Haleigh Cummings Yields No Evidence 04/14/10 5 p.m. Report
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=78079745001

Video: Private Investigator Says He Solved Haleigh Case 04/14/10 5 p.m. Report
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=78082158001

Video: Two Days of Searching: No New Evidence 04/14/10 6 p.m. Report
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=78109403001

Article:
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=154696&catid=3

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Haleigh Cummings Search Leads To River
Divers Dig Underwater For Clues In Girl's Disappearance
POSTED: 12:25 pm EDT April 14, 2010
UPDATED: 6:29 pm EDT April 14, 2010
<snipped>
Haleigh's disappearance has been surrounded by drama within her family. Misty Croslin was taken from jail to the scene of the search in handcuffs late Wednesday. Croslin is the ex-wife of Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings.

Investigators said a tipster led them to Satsuma in Putnam County on Tuesday, where investigators conducted a search along Shell Harbour Road near county Road 309.

A cousin of Misty Croslin, Joe Overstreet, was also part of the renewed investigation. Overstreet's attorney confirmed that investigators with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement flew to Nashville, Tenn., to interview his client for about one hour. The attorney said Overstreet is innocent and had nothing to do with any of it.

Haleigh's grandmother, Teresa Neves, appeared on NBC's "Today" on Wednesday. Just about every relative close to Haleigh was seen leaving the sheriff's office stunned and in tears.

Images: Search For Haleigh
http://www.wesh.com/slideshow/slideshows/23150572/detail.html

Map:
http://www.wesh.com/maps/23149645/detail.html

Video: Haleigh Cummings Search Continues
http://www.wesh.com/video/23151933/index.html

Video: Haleigh Cummings Search Leads To River
http://www.wesh.com/video/23148958/

Article:
http://www.wesh.com/news/23148823/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Misty Appears At River In Haleigh Search
Deputies Say Credible Tip Led To Search Of St. Johns River
POSTED: Wednesday, April 14, 2010
UPDATED: 6:50 pm EDT April 14, 2010
<snipped>
As investigators continue their search of the St. Johns River for a second day in connection with the disappearance of 6-year-old Haleigh Cummings, Misty Cummings was seen on a dock Wednesday afternoon talking with investigators.

Putnam County investigators flew to Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday night to question Joe Overstreet, a cousin of Misty Cummings, the last person to see Haleigh. When Haleigh vanished from her father's Florida mobile home 14 months ago, Overstreet said he was in Satsuma on vacation. Investigators have since flown back to Florida.

A woman who appears to be Misty Cummings was seen on a river dock where investigators were searching for evidence in the Haleigh Cummings case.

Video: Search Conitnues In Haleigh Cummings' Case; Pretrial For Woman Accused Of Kidnapping A Baby
http://www.news4jax.com/video/23149862/index.html

Video: Search For Haleigh Continues
http://www.news4jax.com/video/23153753/index.html

Video: Haleigh Cummings Disapearance Timeline
http://www.news4jax.com/video/19121705/index.html

Images: Tour Of Satsuma Home Where Haleigh Disappeared
http://www.news4jax.com/slideshow/news/18873591/detail.html

Video: Search For Haleigh Enters Second Day
http://www.news4jax.com/video/23146427/index.html

Uncut Video: Searching The St. Johns River
http://www.news4jax.com/video/23140308/index.html

Images: Search For Haleigh Leads To St. Johns River
http://www.news4jax.com/slideshow/news/23139712/detail.html

Article:
http://www.news4jax.com/news/23146359/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Misty Croslin taken to Haleigh search site
Deputies say credible tip led to search of river
Updated: Wednesday, 14 Apr 2010, 6:47 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 14 Apr 2010, 12:41 PM EDT
<snipped>
Shortly after 5 p.m., deputies were seen escorting Misty Croslin to the search site. Haleigh Cummings was last seen in her father's home in February 2009. Croslin, the 17-year-old live-in girlfriend of Haleigh's father Ronald Cummings, was babysitting at the time. She told investigators that she woke up at 3 a.m. Feb. 10 to find the girl gone and a back door propped open with a brick.

Authorities on Wednesday confirmed that they had also questioned Joseph Overstreet, 20, a cousin of Croslin. Overstreet, who at one time lived in Satusuma, was interviewed and cleared by police soon after the disappearance of Haleigh in 2009. Overstreet, who now lives in Nashville, Tenn., has denied any involvement with or knowledge of the girl&#8217;s disappearance.

FOX 35 has learned that an unidentified source close to the investigation, possibly a family member, was called in for questioning and that person told investigators that Haleigh could be found at the bottom of the St. Johns River, which is not far from where the little girl went missing.

*2-Videos Included In Article!

Article:
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/cummings_case/041410-Haleigh-Cummings

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Report: Misty Croslin at search scene for Haleigh Cummings
News agencies report Haleigh Cummings searchers retrieved a large box from the river.
6:40 p.m. EDT, April 14, 2010
<snipped>
Deputies blocked off access along Shell Harbour Road near rural Satsuma while they search an area around a dock at the end of that road.

Meanwhile, a local television station is reporting that a woman who looks like Misty Croslin is at the scene of the search in her jail clothes. The woman &#8212; with her hands in handcuffs &#8212; walked onto a dock on the river near where divers are searching for the second day in a row, WKMG-Channel 6 is reporting.

Putnam County deputies have shut off road and river traffic to where divers are. WKMG gathered video of Croslin from its helicopter above the scene.

Investigators have said they don't think Croslin has told everything she knows about what happened to Haleigh.

When asked if Croslin's jail interviews had anything to do with the tip, Neves said "I don't know if this new lead has anything to do with her."
*Much more at link!
**4-Page Article!

Article:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...eigh-cummings-search-20100414,0,4771509.story

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Misty's Cousin Questioned As Divers Search For Haleigh
Posted: 4:21 pm EDT April 14, 2010
Updated: 6:08 pm EDT April 14, 2010
<snipped>
Dive teams spent all day in the St. Johns River searching for clues into the disappearance of Haleigh Cummings. Neighbors say they may even be searching for her body in the river just a couple miles from the home she disappeared from in Satsuma.

It's a huge undertaking with some 40 divers from five law enforcement agencies scouring the bottom of the river at the end of a road in Putnam County. They're acting on a tip and hope to find something that will let them figure out what happened to Haleigh Cummings.

AT THE SCENE: Divers Search For Haleigh
http://www.wftv.com/slideshow/news/23148796/detail.html

VIDEO REPORT: Misty's Cousin Interviewed
http://www.wftv.com/video/23153173/index.html

Article:
http://www.wftv.com/news/23151945/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Day 2 of revived Haleigh search bears no discoveries; Tennessee cousin talks
Tennessee cousin interviewed; sheriff says case unchanged
April 14, 2010 - 11:38am
<snipped>
The young Tennessee man who was interviewed by detectives in the revived search for Haleigh Cummings denied any involvement or knowledge with the girl&#8217;s disappearance this afternoon. Joseph Overstreet, 20, and his mother Tina sat in his attorney&#8217;s office for a news conference this afternoon. Joseph Overstreet mostly sat quietly with his head down while his lawyer answered questions about the case. But he and his mother both began to cry when asked about the impact the investigation has had on them &#8220;I&#8217;ve lost a lot of family,&#8221; he said, before putting his head down and sobbing.

The meeting Tuesday with Hardy was emotional, Connie Sheffield said today. Crystal is her stepdaughter. She said about a dozen members of the Sheffield and Cummings families, including Ronald Cummings, were in the room. "We were all in the room together crying," she said of the two families, who have often been at odds during the past year.

She said the sheriff asked that details of what went on in the meeting not be disclosed but said he did not indicate any evidence had been found during the search. "We don't know if they are looking for evidence or they are looking for her body," she said.

She said it was the first time the families had been called together as a group. She said she and her husband, Johnny Sheffield have been bracing themselves for whatever the outcome may be. "We're a little in the dark but we're waiting to see if anything comes out of the search," Connie Sheffield said.
*Much more at link!

Read: What happened in yesterday's search for Haleigh
http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2010-04-13/story/authorities-conducting-haleigh-cummings-search

Water searches
More than 14 months have passed since Haleigh Cummings' disappearance. If the 5-year-old's body were dumped in the St. Johns River, as some suspect, there likely isn't much left of it.

Speaking generally about forensic investigations, John Williams, a forensic anthropologist at Western Carolina University, said human bodies tend to decompose faster in warm waters like those in Florida. "I doubt the body will be fully intact after a year," he said.

A surface-water temperature gauge near Satsuma shows that the river fluctuates from a monthly average of 59 degrees in January to 86 degrees in July and August. Temperatures at the bottom, where divers are searching, are almost certainly several degrees cooler. The closer to freezing, or 32 degrees, the better preserved a body will be, Williams said.

A child's body tends to break apart faster than an adult's because it has less tissue to lose to begin with. More than likely, after a year underwater, there would be little left except bones and some tissue,
Williams said.

A factor possibly working in divers' favor: The St. Johns, with its average
drop of 1 inch per mile, is one of the slowest-moving rivers in the world.
It's not uncommon, Williams said, for outer portions of the body to fall off
and lodge themselves in a downstream river bend.

Article:
http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/...heriff-status-haleigh-cummings-case-unchanged

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Haleigh Search Update-MEDIA RELEASE from the Putnam County Sheriff's Office
Wednesday, April 14, 2010 5:18 PM EDT
<snipped>
Putnam County Sheriff's Office
Date: April 14, 2010
Haleigh Search Update

Satsuma - Still acting on a lead received in the case of missing Haleigh Cummings, investigators are continuing the meticulous search for physical evidence in the St. Johns River near Satsuma, Florida. At this point, this search has failed to yield any items of evidentiary value in the case.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office has received many media inquiries concerning a rumor that has uncontrollably spread throughout our community. The rumor that a subject is either currently being detained by law enforcement, or is in law enforcement custody related to the Haleigh Cummings case has been reported to the media. Sheriff Hardy wants the citizens of Putnam County and the media to know that this rumor is false. There is currently no one in law enforcement custody as the result of the investigation into Haleigh Cumming's disappearance.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office will provide future releases when information in this case becomes available. Sheriff Hardy would like to again thank the citizens of Putnam County and the media for their support.

Lt. Johnny Greenwood
Putnam County Sheriff's Office

Article:
http://www.palatkadailynews.com/articles/2010/04/14/news/news03.txt

 

[Angel Who Cares]

River search for Haleigh Cummings,
Wednesday, April 14, 2010 12:11 PM EDT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2-sB5Qey4M

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Antioch Man Says He Didn't Hurt Missing Fla. Girl
Joe Overstreet Questioned For Third Time
POSTED: 4:44 pm CDT April 14, 2010
UPDATED: 5:49 pm CDT April 14, 2010
<snipped>
Joe Overstreet, 20, has been under suspicion by some of his family for 14 months, he said, and he broke down while speaking for the first time about the investigation. "I'm sorry. I can't imagine what they're going through. I didn't do it," Overstreet said. "If I knew who did, I would straight call the cops and tell who did it."

Overstreet struggled Wednesday to maintain his composure as he talked about this case.

Sirgo and Overstreet said they are confident the facts will prove the man's innocence. They both drove to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday night to meet with investigators, who flew in from Florida. They stayed with them for about 40 minutes, Sirgo said.

"It was obviously a short interview, which means that there was no substantial change," said Sirgo. "I have a good idea of what they're going to do next."

Sirgo said the next move does not involve any action against his client, who he said has already suffered more than he should.

Video: &#8226;Antioch Man Says He Didn't Hurt Missing Fla. Girl
http://www.wsmv.com/video/23153881/

Article:
http://www.wsmv.com/news/23152983/detail.html