If cousin Candace really saw R do that to H did she tell bio-mom right away? If not, why not? If so, why didn't bio-mom do something? Ooops! She'd have to care! Nevermind!
I haven't pulled Crystal Shefflield's criminal history, but I have seen Ron's. He has several adjudications of guilt.
Ron's family lives here in Putnam County. Crystal's lives way up in Baker.
I believe that the custody and support were determined here in Putnam. It has been alleged that Ron provided the courts with a nonexistent address for Crystal. [Ain't no way he didn't know her mama's address in Baker Co.]
I don't know Teresa Neves [sp?], Ron's mother, and don't know what kind of connections she has here in Putnam [though she looks awfully familiar]. She is wonderfully supportive of Ron and would have been very pro-active, staying on top of his stuff to make sure that every deadline met, every document filed, every lawyer appt kept.
I believe that at a certain point, you have to pull your full heart out of something like this [custody dispute], or you will lose your mind. Men do it every day and have for time immemorial, and no one thinks twice about it. Sounds like Crystal figured the deck was stacked against her, she knew that Ron and Teresa loved those children fiercely and would love and care for Haleigh and Jr.
Crystal puts up a good front, looking all tough, but persons like that are often the most fragile and are doing everything in their power to keep up their facade. If you were having to be in the presence of your enemies [your abuser who took your kids, and his cadre], wouldn't you do everything you could to maintain your appearance of strength?
And then... to have your oldest "vanish"! Lord-have-mercy, I would have arrived in Satsuma and killed Ron and/or Misty, and then killed myself for not having done more to get custody and keep them safe. Lord, the guilt that must lie in every heart in these two families over things that they coulda/shoulda/woulda done.
They have all done much better at handling the media than I ever could, I can tell you that much. I don't know how or why, but it has impressed the hell0 out of me.
[lol - your Sunday morning sermon here.]
p.s. - I do not personally know any of the players in this drama except for LE.