BLUE VAN:Investigation**REVISITED**

[Lavanda Dolce]

Yesterday, I sent an email to the reporter. It boggles my mind that he is a reporter and does his own editing and left so much confusion in his report. I have not heard back from him, as yet. I figure I will give him until tomorrow to respond. If he does not, I will write his editor. I'm sure he can straighten out all the inconsistencies. Here is what I wrote:

TO: ******* (MATT is the REPORTER)
Dear Matt,

I'm confused by the report you did on the blue van. There seems to be a tremendous amount of errors in your report? Please note my questions below and I hope you can respond to help clear up inconsistencies in the report itself. It's confusing. Many thanks!

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/031809_haleigh_van_questions

SATSUMA, Fla. - Sitting in the driveway of Misty Cummings former home is a van driven by her sister in law. (Driven, or does she own the van?)

The light blue vehicle doesn’t look like anything out of the ordinary, but it was something investigators thought important enough to impound and analyze at their crime lab for weeks.

The woman who drives that van is Misty Cummings sister-in-law Chelsea. Misty was the last person to see 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings the night she was taken. Croslin says the family got the van back just before the weekend.

“They put a lot of tape on it, and there was a lot of white powder on the windows, I guess that’s just to check things,” Misty said. (according to the video it is Chelsea talking, not Misty) “We all started thinking about what could have happened that night. Irealized the van was in a different spot,” she added.

Misty (I believe you meant Chelsea, correct?) said the night Haleigh disappeared, a family member was staying with them. Around 4 a.m., Misty called the family member to tell them Haleigh was missing. They went outside (Who went outside?) to the van to drive to Haleigh’s home and Misty said (again, I believe you mean Chelsea?) she immediately noticed the van was not in the same spot she left it.

“I know I don’t park like that, and I was the last to drive the van," Misty said. (again Chelsea?)

After a few hours, there was another sign that the van had been tampered with.

“The day Haleigh went missing, everyone was looking for her. She [Misty] called me later that night and said Chelsea, please tell me you’re the one who put the scratch in my van. I started crying and told her there’s no way I put the scratch in her van,” a family member said. ( It reads as if it is Misty's van??? Who is saying "I started crying? Misty or Chelsea?)

A scratch leading from just behind the driver’s side door handle to the back tire is very visible. Misty said that scratch was not there the last time she drove it.

The scratch runs all the way down the van.All police would say about the van being impounded is that it was taken to the FDLE’s crime lab in Jacksonville, was analyzed and later released. They would not comment on any specifics of what was searched, or if anything was found in the van.

Misty (again, do you mean Chelsea???) believes the only explanation is that at some point during the night Haleigh was taken, the family member staying with her took the van. Police say they have tracked that man down and questioned him. They also say he has not been ruled out as a suspect.

“I’m not accusing anybody. It’s just me being a mom and believing what I believe and piecing things together, I almost feel like might know who it is,” Misty said. (Misty is not a mom, again...is this Chelsea??)

 

[LiveLaughLuv]

I think Lavanda deserves this reporters job. :clap:

How could he mess up so bad?

We wonder why there are conflicting reports out there...

I can't wait for Matt to respond to you with egg all over his face.

Good job Lavanda!

 

[Donjeta]

Good job, Lavanda. Some accuracy wouldn't hurt here. I posted about this in the Inconsistencies thread. I found two articles that were almost verbatim the same except one said Misty where the other said Chelsea. I can't figure out how that happened. If one reporter copies something somebody else has written, how come the names of the interviewed people happen to change in the middle? I can picture somebody watching the video of Chelsea speaking and thinking it was Misty, and writing down an account of it, but the wording wouldn't be almost exactly the same as another person's account (who recognized her).

 

[Lavanda Dolce]

THE REPORTERS RESPONSE:


Thank you for your concern in this matter.
The script you pulled off the web is from our affiliate in Orlando, WOFL. Their story was slightly different than the one I originally sent them, and I have forwarded them my original web script as well as your email.

Below is my original web script as posted on CBS47.com and FOX30ONLINE.com. I hope this clears up any questions!

 

[Lavanda Dolce]

As you can see, he still did not clarifly WHO OWNS the van. Did Misty actually say "please tell me you're the one who put the scratch in MY van" ??? I replied back and asked him the following:


Matthew, a lot of the confusion exists in the statement that is reported below (as well as the other report) in which it is stated that MISTY states "Please tell me that you're the one that put the scratch on MY van". Is the van MISTY's??????? Why would she say "my van" ? Is this van owned by Misty but loaned to Chelsea?

Thanks again for any help with this.

 

[gypsyblue]

THE REPORTERS RESPONSE:


Thank you for your concern in this matter.
The script you pulled off the web is from our affiliate in Orlando, WOFL. Their story was slightly different than the one I originally sent them, and I have forwarded them my original web script as well as your email.

Below is my original web script as posted on CBS47.com and FOX30ONLINE.com. I hope this clears up any questions!

 

[gypsyblue]

Lav, did you see the actual video of Chelsea being interviewed?

 

[Lavanda Dolce]

Good job, Lavanda. Some accuracy wouldn't hurt here. I posted about this in the Inconsistencies thread. I found two articles that were almost verbatim the same except one said Misty where the other said Chelsea. I can't figure out how that happened. If one reporter copies something somebody else has written, how come the names of the interviewed people happen to change in the middle? I can picture somebody watching the video of Chelsea speaking and thinking it was Misty, and writing down an account of it, but the wording wouldn't be almost exactly the same as another person's account (who recognized her).

Sorry, you're links did not work. However, I think he responded as to why differences between articles. (see above post of his response) Will post his reply as to who actually owns the van.

 

[gypsyblue]

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/031809_haleigh_van_questions
here is the actual interview. Hope this helps you get to the bottom of this, and thanks!

 

[gypsyblue]

I think you should hav him back up the statements in the video...just sayin..

 

[Lavanda Dolce]

REPLY FROM MATT:
To be as accurate as possible and avoid confusion, everything in my original script refers to the van belonging to "The Croslin Family". The van is actually owned by Misty's brother's wife. Misty has two brothers. Chelsea is the wife of one of her brothers. The van is owned by Misty's OTHER brother's wife, but on the night Haleigh was taken, the van was being driven by Chelsea.


My response:

Ok. So then we can assume Misty's statement of "please tell me you're the one that put the scratch in "my van' was due to Misty's incorrect verbiage? Or that she felt the van belonged more to "her" as opposed to a married into member of the family? Do you know what I mean? By the way, thank you for your follow up. I appreciate it.

 

[Lavanda Dolce]

Lav, did you see the actual video of Chelsea being interviewed?

Yes and that is why I ended up with all the questions of video vs written not the same. Funny for me to end up interviewing the interviewer. LOL However, we want to be sure we have clear understanding...and I think he realizes that. (Matt the reporter)

 

[gypsyblue]

He should be aware that his original script does not match the video. Maybe he needs the link! The questions are way deeper than who owns the van. Where was it or who had it at the time when LE seized it? who found the scratch? who parked it and found it moved? TYIA

 

[gypsyblue]

:clap:Kudos to you for doing this by the way!

 

[Lavanda Dolce]

He should be aware that his original script does not match the video. Maybe he needs the link! The questions are way deeper than who owns the van. Where was it or who had it at the time when LE seized it? who found the scratch? who parked it and found it moved? TYIA

In Chelsea's drive is where the van was. Chelsea was borrowing the van from her OTHER sister in law (Misty's other brother) Chelsea parked it. Chelsea noticed it moved. (Not sure who found the scratch? Waiting on his reply. Because it STILL does not make sense that Misty would say "MY VAN"..course she may assume since she is a blood member of the Croslin family, of which consists two brothers...that the van is more "hers" than either wife of her brothers. Sigh. Leave it to a 17 year old twerp. Ya know?

 

[Lavanda Dolce]

:clap:Kudos to you for doing this by the way!

Confusion drives me nuts! LOL Had no choice.

 

[Lavanda Dolce]

Good job, Lavanda. Some accuracy wouldn't hurt here. I posted about this in the Inconsistencies thread. I found two articles that were almost verbatim the same except one said Misty where the other said Chelsea. I can't figure out how that happened. If one reporter copies something somebody else has written, how come the names of the interviewed people happen to change in the middle? I can picture somebody watching the video of Chelsea speaking and thinking it was Misty, and writing down an account of it, but the wording wouldn't be almost exactly the same as another person's account (who recognized her).

I don't know where the inconsistency thread is but perhaps you can drag these posts there as well?

 

[Donjeta]

Ok, from what I can tell some of the confusion springs from that he refers to the interviewee vaguely as "Croslin" and various later versions have interpreted it to mean either Chelsea Croslin or Misty Croslin.

His reply to you:

Croslin says the night Haleigh disappeared, a family member was staying with them. She says around 4am when Misty called them to tell them Haleigh was missing, they went outside to the van to drive to Haleigh’s home. Croslin says she immediately noticed the van was not in the same spot she left it.
“I know I don’t park like that, and I was the last to drive the van.”

Then on myfoxorlando somebody apparently wanted to clarify and automatically assumed that Croslin refers to Misty Croslin:

Misty said the night Haleigh disappeared, a family member was staying with them. Around 4 a.m., Misty called the family member to tell them Haleigh was missing. They went outside to the van to drive to Haleigh’s home and Misty said she immediately noticed the van was not in the same spot she left it.
“I know I don’t park like that, and I was the last to drive the van," Misty said.

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/031809_haleigh_van_questions

And here's another edit from Cbs47:

Chelsea Croslin said the night Haleigh disappeared, a family member was staying with them. She says around 4 a.m., when Misty called them to tell them Haleigh was missing, they went outside to the van to drive to Haleigh’s home. Chelsea said she immediately noticed the van was not in the same spot she left it.

“I know I don’t park like that, and I was the last to drive the van.”

http://www.cbs47.com/content/topsto...ce-In-The-Haleigh/1k5Lp9GD2E2M74ZPyUJb7g.cspx

The lesson for the reporter: Use whole names instead of surnames when there are several people with the same surname in your article. Especially if the one you're talking about is not the one people would think about first. The lesson for the editor: Read and understand the article you're editing and check the facts if you're unsure.

 

[BondJamesBond]

My apologies in advance, but, I'm just popping in and won't be able to read through the entire thread....

I'm assuming this report suggests that Misty's cousin from TN that was visiting was stayin w/ Chelsea...that Chelsea's van was apparently taken during the night that Haleigh went missing...and that when returned, not only was the van parked in a different spot, but, it had a new scratch running down the side of it.

This is the same cousin that immediately went back to TN after the night Haleigh went missing? Same cousin that was allegedly spotted w/ a girl matching Haleigh's description outside a restaurant in TN?

My apologies if any of the above introduces confusion, or re-injects errors that have since been debunked. I haven't followed the case all that closely, but, am still interested in new info.

So....no info on whether the van was left unlocked? signs of forced entry? keys left in it? gas gauge or mileage difference noted? seat position noted? mirrors adjusted? Times the cousin was last seen before & after the van went missing?

Also assuming this is the van that had Misty's blanket in it.

Also assuming this is the light blue minivan we have a pic of sitting in Chelsea's driveway.

TIA!

 

[CeeKer]

As you can see, he still did not clarifly WHO OWNS the van. Did Misty actually say "please tell me you're the one who put the scratch in MY van" ??? I replied back and asked him the following:


Matthew, a lot of the confusion exists in the statement that is reported below (as well as the other report) in which it is stated that MISTY states "Please tell me that you're the one that put the scratch on MY van". Is the van MISTY's??????? Why would she say "my van" ? Is this van owned by Misty but loaned to Chelsea?

Thanks again for any help with this.

The only way I can make sense of it a tiny bit is what if a comma is missing and quotation marks??:

"she (Misty) called me later that night", and said Chelsea, "please tell me you’re the one who put the scratch in my van."

It seems a lot of folks down there leave out qualitying words, maybe that's the problem. Maybe she left out "Misty please tell me you're the one..."

Thanks for emailing the reporter!!