FL-AMBER ALERT Haleigh Cummings 5 yrs. old - Putnam County #17

[obguthr]

I've tried every which way but loose to figure out how to post an image from a PDF file. My Photobucket account keeps giving me a message that the saved image I have is "invalid." I've asked another poster to see if they can retrieve and post the image of the marriage record of Nancy Marie Sheffield (now Griffis) to Bruce A. Griffis.

Here's what I do know from the marriage record: Nancy Marie Sheffield gives her maiden name as Johns, and her date of birth is 1965. She is 43-years-old. The witnesses on the marriage record are: Virgil Johns junior and Marilyn C. Johns.

I did some further research in Baker County and found a marriage record for Virgil and Marilyn Johns. On that record, Virgil Johns junior's birthdate is 1944. His wife, Marilyn, maiden name Brannen, was born in 1953. The date of their marriage is March 25, 1994.

Virgil Johns is old enough to be the father of Nancy Marie Griffis (Sheffield). He would have been 21 when she was born. But his wife, Marilyn is not the mother of Nancy Marie, as their marriage took place nearly 30 years after Nancy Marie's birth. Marilyn is probably a second wife. I also found deeds transferred from Virgil Johns to Nancy M. Griffis and one for the sum of "love and affection" instead of a dollar amount. So I think Virgil Johns is the father of Nancy M. Griffis.

There's another Virgil Johns with a birthdate of 1970, who may or may not be a son of Virgil Johns and brother of Nancy Marie, and he's currently in Florida State Prison.

I still don't know how Kyle Johns is related, but I suspect he is somehow related.

I tried to trace their family histories but did not find a link. I don't think they are closely related. At best, they are only 2nd cousins.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Has anyone mentioned if Ronnie had a computer in his house? I wonder if Misty really got into the computer and met someone online? She could have been naive enough to give out too much information to them.

I trust that LE grabbed that for forensic testing.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

I tried to trace their family histories but did not find a link. I don't think they are closely related. At best, they are only 2nd cousins.

If they are related tho...then the ball goes back into the bio mom's family camp. X add another in that column for access.

 

[not_my_kids]

Here's a creepy thought that I had, if Misty knew the story about Haleigh almost drowning in the canal, as I'm sure she did, is it possible that she has been leaving the door open during the time Ronald is gone for sme time now? Kind of a "God will take her if he wants her" type of thing?
I know it's creepy, but I look at Misty and I just can't help but feel that there is something seriuosly wrong with her...maybe I am just so burnt out.

 

[cajun]

Have we heard of TES or LE searching the septic tanks?! Seems like it would be one of the first places to look for Haleigh if someone wanted to dispose of her quickly.

nope, haven't heard anything. hopefully the cops removed the top and looked in the one at the house.

 

[Amity]

Hi everyone!

What I have going around and around in my head, I hope I can put down in words so that it makes sense to you Sleuthing Gurus.

For years I've followed a lot of local crime (being in Los Angeles County, how could I not? ) and for the last 9 years I've been following crime online.

Not just child missing cases, all cases, especially homicide.

In all cases I've followed over the years, by day 2, maybe day 3, LE or spokesperson either 'leaks' or lets it be known to the media and public that Joe Smith is NOT a suspect.
Sally Smith is NOT a suspect or a person of interest.

And as Marc Klass has always spoken about....demand a poly, get it out of the way so LE can stop focusing on you/the parent and start focusing on who did the horrible crime.

That being said, I'm noticing that we are going into day 5? 6? and as the video I just watched of the last presser, again I hear LE state "Everyone is a Suspect".

I find it odd that LE has continued to say this instead of saying "We've eliminated Mom and Grandma...they are not suspects in this case" or "We have no reason to think that Dad and g/f are suspects in this case".

In every case I've ever followed, the public gets 'let in' (either on purpose or by 'leak') on who has been eliminated as a suspect.

Why not this case? Is there something I'm missing?

Thank you to anyone who can give me an answer.

 

[lorilei]

Hi everyone!

What I have going around and around in my head, I hope I can put down in words so that it makes sense to you Sleuthing Gurus.

For years I've followed a lot of local crime (being in Los Angeles County, how could I not? ) and for the last 9 years I've been following crime online.

Not just child missing cases, all cases, especially homicide.

In all cases I've followed over the years, by day 2, maybe day 3, LE or spokesperson either 'leaks' or lets it be known to the media and public that Joe Smith is NOT a suspect.
Sally Smith is NOT a suspect or a person of interest.

And as Marc Klass has always spoken about....demand a poly, get it out of the way so LE can stop focusing on you/the parent and start focusing on who did the horrible crime.

That being said, I'm noticing that we are going into day 5? 6? and as the video I just watched of the last presser, again I hear LE state "Everyone is a Suspect".

I find it odd that LE has continued to say this instead of saying "We've eliminated Mom and Grandma...they are not suspects in this case" or "We have no reason to think that Dad and g/f are suspects in this case".

In every case I've ever followed, the public gets 'let in' (either on purpose or by 'leak') on who has been eliminated as a suspect.

Why not this case? Is there something I'm missing?

Thank you to anyone who can give me an answer.

you made some excellent points. i really think LE is just lying low and hoping someone within the family will slip and say something to point them in the right direction.

 

[Cerenity2u]

Have we heard of TES or LE searching the septic tanks?! Seems like it would be one of the first places to look for Haleigh if someone wanted to dispose of her quickly.

Not sure how the septic tanks are placed in FL, but here in VA they are under ground with concrete tops that would be impossible for anyone to get off to place a person inside. There is a small diameter pipe that is capped off on the top which is also too small for a child to fit through. They may be different in FL though. I would be more concerned with wells, especially old ones. Even in our area, we get reports of very old wells found uncapped.

 

[obguthr]

you made some excellent points. i really think LE is just lying low and hoping someone within the family will slip and say something to point them in the right direction.

Their silence suggests to me that the answer lies within the family or community.

 

[lorilei]

Their silence suggests to me that the answer lies within the family or community.

thats exactly how i feel

 

[Melly53]

Good points that posters have made about the g/f reaction upon finding the door open, a light on and a child missing. Where was her fear??

I just read the police report and am curious as to the difference in the clothes description. The report says pink T-shirt and tan shorts but in all the interviews with the father and g/f we hear pink t-shirt and underwear. Did the g/f not put the children in pajamas before putting them to bed? Dinner, bath and then bed is a pretty normal routine for children that age IMO especially for one that had school the next day.

Also I was curious as to why a section of the dog search trail description has been blacked out in the report. Where did the dogs trail lead them that LE does not want to divulge at this point? Also the trail they did describe does not sound like one a kidnapper would have taken. Seriously is a kidnapper really going to take a tour of the neighborhood after they have kidnapped a child before making their final get away?? I don't think so!!

The changing of the stories makes me suspicious because if someone is telling the truth then the story never really changes because it is what it is. They might add in a detail here and there as they remember them but the basic facts of the story don't change which is not the case here. In the inital report the g/f says that both of the children were sleeping in the same bed that she was. Since then the reports have varied on that point...I have heard the same bed, then same room but different beds, and then again different rooms. Which is it??? If in same bed it does seem unbelievable that she would not have awakened if someone had actually removed the child from the bed that she herself was sleeping in.

On finding his daughter gone why didn't RC place the call to 911 himself. I mean after all it was his child that was missing whereas the g/f had only known the child a few months. During the call, instead of fear in his voice in the background, all I hear from him is anger and then he hangs up on the 911 operator when he does talk to her. Too much over the top anger to me and I just got the feeling listening to the 911 call that the whole thing was an over dramatic act! JMO

I really hope that I am wrong but some things are just not adding up to me in this case. I am really worried about the fate of this poor child.

Link to LE report http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/02/13/putnam.pdf

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Good question, Amity. There isn't just one possibility for their silence in this case. It is unusual the way they are handling it tho.

* Could be they are building a case against one and do not want to tip their hand to the other.

* Could be they are concentrating on someone outside the family, but inside the area and do not want him to run before they can build a case or find Haleigh.

* Could be they are waiting on the testing to come back from the lab to narrow down the suspect pool before they can zero in on one particular person and do not want to clear anyone before then.

* Could be they truly have nothing to go on except the word of the GF. While they may not believe her...they have no evidence to say she did anything wrong, but they don't want her to lawyer up.

 

[lorilei]

Good question, Amity. There isn't just one possibility for their silence in this case. It is unusual the way they are handling it tho.

* Could be they are building a case against one and do not want to tip their hand to the other.

* Could be they are concentrating on someone outside the family, but inside the area and do not want him to run before they can build a case or find Haleigh.

* Could be they are waiting on the testing to come back from the lab to narrow down the suspect pool before they can zero in on one particular person and do not want to clear anyone before then.

* Could be they truly have nothing to go on except the word of the GF. While they may not believe her...they have no evidence to say she did anything wrong, but they don't want her to lawyer up.

How old is the bio-mom?

 

[Searchfortruth]

Good points that posters have made about the g/f reaction upon finding the door open, a light on and a child missing. Where was her fear??

I just read the police report and am curious as to the difference in the clothes description. The report says pink T-shirt and tan shorts but in all the interviews with the father and g/f we hear pink t-shirt and underwear. Did the g/f not put the children in pajamas before putting them to bed? Dinner, bath and then bed is a pretty normal routine for children that age IMO especially for one that had school the next day.

Also I was curious as to why a section of the dog search trail description has been blacked out in the report. Where did the dogs trail lead them that LE does not want to divulge at this point? Also the trail they did describe does not sound like one a kidnapper would have taken. Seriously is a kidnapper really going to take a tour of the neighborhood after they have kidnapped a child before making their final get away?? I don't think so!!

The changing of the stories makes me suspicious because if someone is telling the truth then the story never really changes because it is what it is. They might add in a detail here and there as they remember them but the basic facts of the story don't change which is not the case here. In the inital report the g/f says that both of the children were sleeping in the same bed that she was. Since then the reports have varied on that point...I have heard the same bed, then same room but different beds, and then again different rooms. Which is it??? If in same bed it does seem unbelievable that she would not have awakened if someone had actually removed the child from the bed that she herself was sleeping in.

On finding his daughter gone why didn't RC place the call to 911 himself. I mean after all it was his child that was missing whereas the g/f had only known the child a few months. During the call, instead of fear in his voice in the background, all I hear from him is anger and then he hangs up on the 911 operator when he does talk to her. Too much over the top anger to me and I just got the feeling listening to the 911 call that the whole thing was an over dramatic act! JMO

I really hope that I am wrong but some things are just not adding up to me in this case. I am really worried about the fate of this poor child.

Link to LE report http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/02/13/putnam.pdf

Great points, I hadn't thought about the 911 call not being initiated by the father. It is strange though, he is the children's father, he is older, gf is ony 17...WHY wouldn't he place the call ? And no I don't understand him hanging up on the dispatcher, that makes NO sense at all, IMO. The list of things that make you wonder has grown long...

 

[RoseRed]

He also said in the police report that she was standing at the door when he pulled in the driveway and said to him, "Your back door is open, and your daughter is gone."

Almost like something you would say if it had happened before. Like maybe Haleigh had wandered off a few times prior.

 

[radio]

I'm sure LE knows what went on in the 27 minutes that took place between the discovery and Ronald arriving home --- at least a pretty good idea. I wonder what she(gf) did though. Frozen with fear? Made phone calls?

 

[RoseRed]

Great points, I hadn't thought about the 911 call not being initiated by the father. It is strange though, he is the children's father, he is older, gf is ony 17...WHY wouldn't he place the call ? And no I don't understand him hanging up on the dispatcher, that makes NO sense at all, IMO. The list of things that make you wonder has grown long...

Yes, ITA

 

[RainyGirl]

She probably isn't a morning person either, because Haleigh missed a lot of school, though I have not confirmed that information. Also, I don't know if they have morning and afternoon kindergarten in Florida, and if so, which class she is in.
I thought teenagers slept a lot?

I am fairly certain that Haleigh's grandfather said in a media interterview that Haleigh was in a Kinder program that was all-day, mon through fri. So that would have meant a morning wake-up call and the need to get out of the house fairly early. I'm sorry I can't find the link. Perhaps another WSer can find this interview out there "on da interwebs"), as my kittah would say......

 

[lorilei]

Okay this maybe far out there and I am just speculating here. Let's assume the Bio-mom is jealous of X's new g/f being 17. Bio-mom is ticked off b/c she has to pay child support knowing her children are being taken care of by a 17 year old. She gets mad and decides she is going to go get her kids just to prove to her EX that she the g/f is not capable of taking care of the kids. Bio-mom decides to watch the house to see what g/f is doing. Waits for gf to leave the house and sneaks in. Waits until g/f and kids are in bed and then gets Haleigh sneaks out turning light on to see lock on door.

 

[txsvicki]

I read the 911 call and it seemed to me that because of the way the dispatcher keeps talking and asking questions it made him think that there was a delay in getting someone out there. It was odd though that he thought no one was going to be sent or maybe just that it would take them hours to get there. Maybe he's not been believed about things in an emergency before or didn't trust them since he does have a record. He wanted something done right then and I believe that may something to do with his calling Misty the dumb girlfriend. She hadn't called 911 as soon as she knew Hayleigh was missing.