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Haleigh Search Picks Up On Her 6th Birthday Today
Monday, August 17, 2009 9:29:45 AM
"snip"
ORLANDO -- Monday marks the sixth birthday of Haleigh Cummings.

Details of a new search for the girl are expected Monday as Haleigh’s family remembers her birthday.

Attorney and child advocate Mark NeJame held a news conference in Orlando Monday, saying a lot of the media attention has been centered around Haleigh’s father’s struggles with the law.

NeJame said he wants to return the attention to the search for the little girl.

Along with Haleigh’s father, Ronald, and grandmother, Teresa, Texas EquuSearch founder Tim Miller was present at the conference at NeJame’s request.

Miller said EquuSearch spent the better part of the weekend scouring an area of Putnam County, and developing plans.

“We want to do everything that we can do to make sure they don’t go through the next birthday without having Haleigh home safely, or without having her remains and having that funeral, so they can have a place to go visit her,” Miller said.

“My firm’s role will be limited, although we will be here for anything that needs to be done,” NeJame said. “We are not coming here at the request or as an agent of law enforcement. We are simply helping an grieving family.”


http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/8/17/new_details_on_haleigh_search_on_her_6th_birthday.html
 
UPDATED: Haleigh's Birthday Marked With Balloon Release
Girl, 5, Disappeared From Putman Co. 6 Months Ago
POSTED: 7:08 pm EDT August 16, 2009
UPDATED: 3:06 pm EDT August 17, 2009
<snipped>
So far in the search for Haleigh, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office has followed up on 4,000 leads. Several hundred informal interviews and 138 formal interviews have been conducted since the girl disappeared.

The sheriff's office said that the work they have done so far minimizes the likelihood that Haleigh's disappearance is the work of a stranger.

VIDEO: Tonight At 11: Remembering Haleigh
WESH 2 News reporter Michelle Meredith looks back at the Haleigh Cummings investigation at 11 p.m.
http://www.wesh.com/video/20427114/index.html

Article:
http://www.wesh.com/news/20422695/detail.html
 
Haleigh Cummings' grandma: 'We just want somebody to look for her'

On Haleigh Cummings' sixth birthday, Texas EquuSearch founder said he will search for the missing girl once again.

"snip" Amy L. Edwards Sentinel Staff Writer
August 17, 2009

Haleigh Cummings' family should joyously be celebrating her sixth birthday, her relatives instead sat teary eyed inside an Orlando law firm.


NeJame called the press conference to announce that EquuSearch will help search for Haleigh once more. They won't search immediately though, because the vegetation is too thick.

TM said it may be another six weeks to two months before his volunteers will scour the area once more for Haleigh.

"My heart's breaking for them," said Miller. "This is one day that they did not want to go through without Haleigh here, and that's her birthday."

Neves teared up during Miller's comments.

Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings, said little during the press conference. He said the past few months have been "extremely hard."

NeJame said not a lot of public attention has been paid to Haleigh's disappearance. When Neves reached out to the lawyer to help garner publicity for the case, NeJame said, "My heart went out to her."

NeJame said all leads are being explored, and some areas need to be searched better.

Miller said the search may also be expanded.

"We want to do everything we can do to make sure that they do not go through the next birthday without having Haleigh back home safely, or without having the remains and having that funeral," he said.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-bk-haleigh-cummings-update-081709,0,6353651.story


Video New Search For Haleigh Announced http://www.clickorlando.com/video/20431319/index.html
Click to expand...
 
Haleigh Cummings: Family, stations call attention to 6th birthday
posted by halboedeker on Aug 17, 2009 12:25:58 PM
<snipped>
Haleigh Cummings' 6th birthday is today, and local television stations in noon newscasts highlighted the family's pleas to help find the missing girl.

WKMG-Channel 6 played part of a news conference attended by Haleigh's father, grandmother and Orlando attorney Mark NeJame. "We don't care about what the family is going through, independent of Haleigh," NeJame said. "We don't care what accusations have been made. We don't give a damn. We have a missing child, and that's all that we care about."

WFTV-Channel 9 highlighted Neves' asking NeJame and Texas EquuSearch to help in the search for the girl. "They don't have a definite start date," anchor Barbara West said. "They're waiting for ground conditions to improve. They want closure before Haleigh's 7th birthday."

In the WFTV report, Neves said, "Haleigh is a sweetheart. She is a beautiful little girl."

WESH-Channel 2 said its 11 p.m. news will feature a Michelle Meredith interview with the Cummings family.

Article:
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/en...-stations-call-attention-to-6th-birthday.html
 
By Lise Fisher
Staff writer


Published: Monday, August 17, 2009 at 2:27 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, August 17, 2009 at 2:27 p.m.
Officers consider the former girlfriend, now wife, of the man whose daughter vanished from a Putnam County home earlier this year to be the key in their continued investigation into the girl's disappearance.
Related Links:
Texas EquuSearch to search for missing girl

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Haleigh Cummings
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FILE
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office released the information Monday, the date of Haleigh Cummings' sixth birthday.

The child was last seen at her father's home in February when she was at the residence with her younger brother and her father's then-girlfriend, Misty Croslin. The young woman later married the girl's father, Ronald Cummings.

"Investigators believe that Misty Croslin-Cummings continues to hold important answers in the case. She has failed to provide any sort of detailed accounting of the hours during the late evening and early morning of Haleigh's disappearance. Furthermore, physical evidence at the scene contradicts Misty's sketchy account of her evening activities," the Sheriff's Office reported in a statement.

"Any citizen with direct knowledge of Misty's activities during that evening or into the early morning is encouraged to report that information to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office," the release stated.

According to the Sheriff's Office, Haleigh's biological parents, Ronald Cummings and Crystal Sheffield, are not considered suspects and investigators said information gathered in the case doesn't support the idea a stranger took the girl.

"At this point, the evidence and investigatory effort has minimized the likelihood that Haleigh's disappearance is the work of a stranger," the statement reported.

http://www.gainesville.com/article/...missing-girl-focuses-on-dad-s-then-girlfriend
 
PCSO Press Release: Haleigh Cummings Update

Haleigh Update: Parents Cleared, Misty's Story Unclear

"Snip" TJ Hart, The Sky 97.3

Posted: Monday, 17 August 2009 3:30PM
The Putnam County Sheriff&#8217;s Office issued a press release Monday, August 17, 2009&#8211;the date of Haleigh Cummings&#8217; 6th birthday. Haleigh was taken from her home February 10, 2009 and had been missing since.


Lt. Johny Greenwood, in the press release stated,&#8221;At this point, the evidence and investigatory effort has minimized the likelihood that Haleigh&#8217;s disappearance is the work of a stranger. There is no specific individual whom investigators have identified as a person of interest.&#8221;

Ronald and Crystal are not suspects

The Sheriff&#8217;s Office stated, &#8220;The biological parents, Ronald Cummings and Crystal Sheffield, are not considered to be suspects in the case.&#8221;

Investigators still contend that Misty Croslin-Cummings continues to hold important answers in the case. According to the release, &#8220;She (Misty) has failed to provide any sort of detailed accounting of the hours during the late evening and early morning of Haleigh&#8217;s disappearance. Furthermore, physical evidence at the scene contradicts Misty&#8217;s sketchy account of her evening activities.&#8221;

Any citizen with direct knowledge of Misty&#8217;s activities during that evening or into the early morning is encouraged to report that information to the Putnam County Sheriff&#8217;s Office, according to the press release.

Sheriff Hardy Warns of Bloggers Posing as Reporters

Sheriff Hardy also stated in the release the importance of keeping the public involved in this case, and appreciates all of the leads that have been provided. Every lead that is provided is acted on by investigators. Hardy cautioned the public that because there are many who claim to be valid media outlets, that citizens should be careful not to fall into the trap of believing, or by accident spreading, the untrue and unreliable claims and assumptions of many bloggers who claim to be knowledgeable in the case.

Sheriff Welcomes Searchers

The Sheriff continues to urge anyone who is assisting, or who wants to assist, to be cautious to stay within the bounds of their authority as they pursue their activities.

Sheriff Hardy also assured the public, but mainly Haleigh&#8217;s family, that PCSO will continue to aggressively pursue this case and that we welcome the assistance of all Law Enforcement agencies or any other expert, including air, water, and ground searchers, that can assist in bringing Haleigh home.

Orlando Lawyer Mark LeJame and Texas EquuSearch to Look For Haleigh Soon

Last Friday, The Sky reported that Texas EquuSearch and Orlando Attorney Mark LeJame will be teaming up to conduct searches in the area for Haleigh at the request of Ronald Cummings family members.
http://www.thesky973.com/pages/5022713.php

http://www.thesky973.com/pages/5022879.php
 
Case of missing girl focuses on dad's then-girlfriend
"Snip" By Lise Fisher Staff writer

Monday, August 17, 2009 at 2:27 p.m.

Officers consider the former girlfriend, now wife, of the man whose daughter vanished from a Putnam County home earlier this year to be the key in their continued investigation into the girl's disappearance.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office released the information Monday. "Investigators believe that Misty Croslin-Cummings continues to hold important answers in the case. She has failed to provide any sort of detailed accounting of the hours during the late evening and early morning of Haleigh's disappearance. Furthermore, physical evidence at the scene contradicts Misty's sketchy account of her evening activities," the Sheriff's Office reported in a statement.

"Any citizen with direct knowledge of Misty's activities during that evening or into the early morning is encouraged to report that information to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office," the release stated.

According to the Sheriff's Office, Haleigh's biological parents, Ronald Cummings and Crystal Sheffield, are not considered suspects and investigators said information gathered in the case doesn't support the idea a stranger took the girl.
"At this point, the evidence and investigatory effort has minimized the likelihood that Haleigh's disappearance is the work of a stranger," the statement reported.


http://www.gainesville.com/article/...missing-girl-focuses-on-dad-s-then-girlfriend
 
Police: Baby sitter key to missing Fla. girl case
Posted on Monday, 08.17.09
<snipped>
Putnam County investigators say they don't think that Misty Croslin-Cummings has been straight with them as they continue to investigate the disappearance six months ago of Haleigh Cummings from her father's home in Satsuma.

In a news release marking the child's sixth birthday Monday, investigators said the child's biological parents, Ronald Cummings and Crystal Sheffield, were not suspects.

But for the first time, they don't think Haleigh was abducted by a stranger. They said, Misty Croslin, who was baby-sitting the girl when she vanished from her father's mobile home in February, "continues to hold important answers in the case."

"She has failed to provide any sort of detailed accounting of the hours during the late evening and early morning of Haleigh's disappearance. Furthermore, physical evidence at the scene contracts Misty's sketchy account of her evening activities."

Croslin married Cummings about a month after Haleigh's disappearance. Their telephone in Welaka has been disconnected and it is not known if Croslin has an attorney.

According to the news release, investigators have received more than 4,000 leads, all of which have been followed up.

They have conducted 138 formal interviews and several hundred informal ones. DNA samples were collected from many of those interviewed.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement processed the crime scene and did analysis on DNA and fingerprint evidence, none of which has identified a suspect.

"Sheriff (Jeff) Hardy wants to assure the public, but mainly Haleigh's family, that we will continue to aggressively pursue this case," the news release said.

Also Monday, a Texas-based search group said it would conduct another search for Haleigh Cummings.

Tim Miller, director of Texas EquuSearch, said the 50 group members and volunteers would search in four to six weeks. He said he thinks weather and vegetation conditions will be more conducive to finding the girl.

Article:
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/1189742.html
 
Haleigh's 6th Birthday Brings Prominent Attorney and Balloons
Created: 8/17/2009 7:02:08 PM
Updated: 8/17/2009 7:14:58 PM
<snipped>
While volunteers blew-up balloons in Palatka Monday morning to mark Haleigh Cummings' sixth birthday, her father and grandmother sat teary-eyed at a news conference in Orlando.

The missing little girl's family asked prominent attorney Mark NeJame to help them find her.

"We are not representing Ron or his wife, Misty," NeJame explained. "We are representing the efforts to find and shed light on missing Haleigh."

Haleigh's paternal grandmother, Teresa Neves, initially contacted NeJame.

In the conference she said, "We felt Mark NeJame was the best person to help us get Haleigh back home and bring attention to her."

Ronald Cummings, Haleigh's father, had little to say at the news conference. Later, when asked about NeJame, he said, "I have no comment, but he's an absolutely great guy."

NeJame said, "It's no secret Ron has been in some trouble and that's irrelevant to us. We don't care what the family is going through independent of Haleigh. We don't care about the accusations that are made. We don't give a damn! We have a missing child! That's all we care about."

Haleigh was born at 2:16 a.m. To mark her birthday, family, friends and supporters of Haleigh released hundreds of balloons in Palatka at 2:16 p.m.

Haleigh's father and family also released balloons at his home in Welaka at the same time.

It was to acknowledge her sixth birthday, one in which she was not home to celebrate.


genthumb.ashx


VIDEO: Haleigh's 6th Birthday Brings Prominent Attorney and Balloons 08/17/09 5 p.m. Report
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/default.aspx?aid=162528

Article:
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=143485&catid=3
 
UPDATED: Investigators say focus has narrowed in Haleigh&#8217;s disappearance
Story updated at 8:30 PM on Monday, Aug. 17, 2009
<snipped>
Physical evidence contradicts where Misty Cummings &#8212; then Misty Croslin &#8212; told detectives she was when the girl vanished, according to a news release Monday from the Putnam County Sheriff&#8217;s Office. In what are their most detailed comments so far, investigators also said Haleigh&#8217;s biological parents are not considered suspects in the six-month disappearance.

Misty Cummings is not considered a suspect but knows more than she is telling, said Lt. Johnny Greenwood of the Putnam County Sheriff&#8217;s Office.

&#8220;It&#8217;s about time,&#8221; Greenwood said about the decision to provide more detail about where the investigation is headed. &#8220;We really need the truth, we need to know what happened that night.&#8221;

&#8220;Furthermore, physical evidence at the scene contradicts Misty&#8217;s sketchy account of her evening activities,&#8221; the statement said.

&#8220;She either won&#8217;t or can&#8217;t account for what she was doing,&#8221; Greenwood said.

She has told investigators she was alone with the children that night.

&#8220;She is the person who has to know what happened,&#8221; he said.

Authorities will not say what evidence contradicts what they were told in interviews, but Greenwood said there was no sign of forced entry to the mobile home where Haleigh disappeared.

He said it is also clear that Haleigh was not prone to wander off in the middle of the night.

Ronald Cummings&#8217; mother said she does not believe her daughter-in-law has misled investigators. Misty Croslin has a seventh-grade education, Teresa Neves said and should not be able to fool interrogators that have included FBI agents.

&#8220;She feels they are not being fair to her,&#8221; Neves said Monday.

Neves said she was glad suspicion was lifted from her son and that detectives should continue to interview anyone who they believe holds information that will help the case, including her daughter-in-law.

&#8220;I say more power to them,&#8221; Neves said. &#8220;Anybody who can actually be tied to this they ought to bring in and keep them until they get the answers.&#8221;

EquuSearch founder Tim Miller said Monday he will bring a team back to Putnam to rework areas that were searched in the past. He said he will wait until summer growth has died, which will make searching easier.

Greenwood said thousands of acres have already been searched, but investigators spoke with Miller on Monday and welcome his help trying to locate Haleigh.

&#8220;The areas that we felt needed to be searched have been searched,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We&#8217;ll welcome them back.&#8221;

Each attached with Amber Alert information, balloons were released Monday to mark the sixth birthday of Haleigh Cummings, who has been missing since February.
haleighBalloons0818.jpg


Article:
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/me...focus_has_narrowed_in_haleigh’s_disappearance
 
VIDEO REPORT: Birthday Of Missing Haleigh Cummings Honored
http://www.wftv.com/video/20436045/index.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATED: New Developments In Haleigh's Case
Investigators Say Unlikely Stranger Caused Girl's Disappearance
POSTED: Monday, August 17, 2009
UPDATED: 8:30 pm EDT August 17, 2009
<snipped>
On the day she turned 6 years old, there were new developments Monday in the case surrounding Haleigh Cummings, the Satsuma girl missing for six months now.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office said it has followed some 4,000 leads and interviewed hundreds of people.

The conclusion: It's unlikely a stranger had something to do with Haleigh's disappearance.

Investigators again singled out Ronald Cummings' wife, Misty, the last person with Haleigh the night she disappeared, saying her answers have been inconsistent, and even asking the public for any new information about her activities that night.

And in the middle of Monday's new developments, several ceremonies were held to mark Haleigh's 6th birthday.

Her family and dozens of others released balloons in Putnam County and elsewhere, saying they have not given up hope of finding her.

VIDEO: Balloon Release Marks Haleigh's Birthday
http://www.news4jax.com/video/20435320/index.html

Article:
http://www.news4jax.com/news/20436810/detail.html
 
UPDATE: Haleigh Investigation Focuses On Misty Croslin
Girl's Birthday Marked With Balloon Release
POSTED: 7:08 pm EDT August 16, 2009
UPDATED: 6:02 pm EDT August 17, 2009
<snipped>
Investigators said they are focusing on one key person in the search for 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings.

A candid update to the investigation into Haleigh's death from her Satsuma home last February was released on the girl's sixth birthday. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office said that the work they have done so far minimizes the likelihood that Haleigh's disappearance is the work of a stranger.

Investigators said that evidence at the scene contradicts what the new bride, Misty Croslin-Cummings, of the girl's father, Ronald Cummings, has told them regarding the evening that Haleigh disappeared from her bed while she was in Croslin-Cummings' care.

Ronald Cummings and Crystal Sheffield, Haleigh's biological parents, have been publicly cleared in the investigation.

In a special report on WESH 2 News at 11, reporter Michelle Meredith hears from the Cummings family about the search for Haleigh.

VIDEO: Haleigh Cummings' Grandmother Speaks Out
http://www.wesh.com/video/20439379/index.html

Slideshow: UPDATED: Images Of Haleigh Cummings
http://www.wesh.com/slideshow/news/18711660/detail.html

Slideshow: Missing Children Sought
http://www.wesh.com/slideshow/community/16076951/detail.html

Article:
http://www.wesh.com/news/20422695/detail.html
 
Aug. 19, 2009
Missing Girl's Sitter's Story Doubted
Police: Babysitter's Version of Night Haleigh Cummings Disappeared Doesn't Add Up

(CBS) Monday marked the sixth birthday of Haleigh Cummings, the Florida girl who disappeared from her father's mobile home during the night back in February.

Now, six months since Haleigh went missing, police say they believe her father's new wife -- Misty Croslin-Cummings -- has key information about the girl's disappearance. Croslin-Cummings was babysitting Haleigh at the time she vanished.


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/19/earlyshow/main5251508.shtml
 
Grandmother Believes Haleigh Is Alive
Missing Girl's Grandma Appears On 'Early Show'
<snipped>
The paternal grandmother of a missing girl is refuting claims that the child's stepmother knows more information about the girl's disappearance.

Teresa Neves spoke exclusively with the CBS "Early Show" Wednesday morning, days after investigators said they believe Misty Croslin-Cummings could hold the key to what happened to Haleigh Cummings.

"I hope she did not. I think that, as Mark (Nejame) said, have her hopefully clear some things up and know what's going on," Neves said.

"The story, the version that she gave, isn't lining up. There's certain areas that still remain with a large question mark hanging over them," Nejame said.

Investigators said the 17-year-old has failed to provide a detailed account of that night and physical evidence at the scene contradicts what she told detectives.

Neves told the "Early Show" that she still believes her granddaughter is alive.

"I do believe. I believe God will bring her home. I believe without faith and hope that you don't have anything to cling to," Neves said.

VIDEO: Grandmother On 'Early Show'
http://www.clickorlando.com/video/20462624/index.html

Article:
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/20461636/detail.html
 
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