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[Angel Who Cares]

Croslin picked out two dresses for the big day
Last Update: 3/11 7:09 pm
<snipped>
Neves said Croslin picked out two dresses for the big day.
&#8220;I believe that the one she&#8217;s going to wear is going to be white&#8230;strapless, with ties in the back.&#8221;

Neves said the ceremony will only include about 20-30 people. She also said there will be no party and no honeymoon afterward. She hopes to have a bigger ceremony once Haleigh is returned home.
&#8220;It&#8217;s just basically something for Haleigh&#8230;and I don&#8217;t know if they've done a best man, or a bridesmaid, I don&#8217;t think they thought anything about that&#8230;I think it&#8217;s going to be the bride, the I-Do&#8217;s&#8230;and just wait for Haleigh.&#8221;

Cameras will not be allowed inside the church where Misty and Ronald will wed. Ronald&#8217;s mother did tell us we would be welcome to wait outside for them to come out.
Search For Haleigh-"Father's Wedding": VIDEO 2:21
http://www.fox30online.com/mediacenter/[email protected]&navCatId=5
Article:
http://www.fox30online.com/content/...r-s-Wedding-Plans/qI5s7C_ZJU2s1zjxplaNig.cspx

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Cummings Marriage Postponed?
March 12, 2009
Last Update: 12:44 pm
<snipped>
SAN MATEO, Fla. -- The San Mateo church, reportedly the site for the wedding, says none are scheduled for Thursday.
A family friend says that Ronald Cummings and Misty Croslin are now looking for a location, and someone to wed them.

Dunns Creek Baptist Church emailed a statement to our newsroom stating that there is no wedding scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 12, 2009. The statement provided by Associate Pastor David Dixon asked that any announcements made regarding the Cummings-Croslin wedding at the church be retracted.
Jamie Watts, funeral director of Watts Funeral Home, 720 U.S. Hwy. 17 in San Mateo, says the couple originally asked him to perform the service; however, Watts says his notary status has expired.

Statement from Dunns Creek Baptist Church:
To Whom It May Concern:
There is no wedding scheduled to take place at Dunns Creek Baptist Church on Thursday, March 12, 2009. Pastor Terry Wright is out of town and the other full time pastors (David Dixon & Chad Perry) are not performing a wedding today. Please retract any announcements you have made regarding the Cummings / Croslin wedding taking place at Dunns Creek Baptist Church.
Thank you,
David Dixon
Assoc. Pastor
Dunns Creek Baptist Church

Article:
http://www.fox30online.com/content/...arriage-Postponed/qI5s7C_ZJU2s1zjxplaNig.cspx

 

[Angel Who Cares]

100 Deputies, Officers Search New Area For Haleigh
Missing Girl's Father Plans To Get Married Thursday Afternoon
POSTED: Thursday, March 12, 2009
UPDATED: 5:04 pm EDT March 12, 2009
<snipped>
The largest organized search in weeks for 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings was taking place Thursday morning in southern Putnam County.
About 100 police cadets, deputies from Putnam, Clay, St. Johns and Marion counties and people from other agencies were searching a wooded area along U.S. Highway 17 and neighboring railroad tracks. The search area stretched almost 13 miles from Satsuma -- where Haleigh disappeared from her father's home before dawn on Feb. 10 -- south to Crescent City.
It has been 31 days since 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings disappeared from her home in Satsuma.
"The search is not a result of information received, but is being conducted to be sure that all areas are covered," Putnam County Sheriff's Office Capt. Dick Schauland said.

Ronald Cummings and his teenage girlfriend, Misty Croslin, told Channel 4 they plan to go ahead with plans to get married on Thursday.
She told Channel 4 that although some people may take the news of her and Cummings' engagement the wrong way, "everything is still about Haleigh."
"This is what Haleigh wanted. She has always talked about it, and even if she's not with us, she is still with us," Croslin said.
Haleigh's grandmother, Teresa Neves, took pictures on the evening of the marriage proposal. She said the couple plans to tie the knot because it's what Haleigh would want.

IMAGE: About 100 officers from nearly a dozen agencies searched a 13-mile strip of woods stretching from Satsuma to Crescent City.
http://www.news4jax.com/image/18915729/detail.html

IMAGE: Family Photo
Ronald Cummings proposes to Misty Croslin on Sunday.
http://www.news4jax.com/image/18911307/detail.html

VIDEO: Search Continues For Haleigh; Missing Girl's Dad Gets Married
http://www.news4jax.com/video/18921014/index.html

VIDEO: 100 Law Enforcment Officers On New Search For Haleigh
http://www.news4jax.com/video/18917902/index.html

Article:
http://www.news4jax.com/news/18915320/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

UPDATED: New Area Searched as Haleigh's Father Weds Teen Girlfriend
Created: 3/12/2009 11:59:21 AM
Updated: 3/12/2009 10:51:13 PM
<snipped>
Ronald Cummings, 25, exchanged vows with 17-year-old Misty Croslin Thursday evening. Soon after, the newlyweds rushed to the airport for a flight to New York City where they'll appear on The Today Show on NBC Friday morning.
The small ceremony took place in the back yard of the home where Haleigh's great-grandmother lives in Welaka, which is about six miles south of where 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings disappeared last month.
Annette Sykes told First Coast News the couple got married because they are happy and love each other.
Sykes said they would be even happier if Haleigh came home.
The buzz of the wedding is not the only activity surrounding the search for Haleigh Cummings.
Law enforcement officers combed a new area for any sign of the little girl, last seen on the night of February 9 after Misty Croslin put her to bed.
In Satsuma Thursday morning, about 100 officers from several law enforcement agencies fanned out in the woods located a couple miles from Haleigh's home.
Capt. Dick Schauland with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office says the search is in a new area but it's not the result of new information.

03/12/09 12PM Report "Searching A New Area For Haleigh": VIDEO 1:35
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video...t_amberalerts&maven_referralObject=1059779744

03/12/09 5PM Report "New Search For Haleigh, Father Married": VIDEO 3:28
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video...t_amberalerts&maven_referralObject=1060019991

Article:
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/amberalerts/news-article.aspx?storyid=133570&catid=295

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Janitor charged with theft of Haleigh Cummings reward cash
Man cleaned Baker County school bus garage where girl's grandmother drives
Story updated at 3:44 PM on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2009
<snipped>
Investigators charged Jeremy D. Leonard, 23, with grand theft after a school official reported the money missing March 4. An arrest report said deputies recovered the money after confronting Leonard.
The Macclenny man was released on $5,000 bail, court records show. Leonard told the Times-Union today that he found the money in a blank envelope and was holding it for safe keeping. He denied stealing anything.
The incident began after authorities were told that $670 in reward money, collected for information that would lead to Haleigh's whereabouts, had been stolen from envelopes at the Baker Bus Garage. The facility is where school buses are kept and maintained.
The report said the only person who had access to the building before the money was found missing was Leonard, a substitute janitor who works on an on-call basis. Deputies confronted Leonard and recovered $600 from his home on Violet Lane. The rest was found in his car, the report said.
Leonard said he found the envelope on the floor while cleaning. He said he called his boss to report the discovery, but couldn't reach her. He declined to identify who he called. He said he is being wrongly accused of theft.
"All I did was pick the money up off the floor," Leonard said. "It didn't say whose it was."
Leonard declined to discuss other details.
Sherrie Raulerson, the school system's superintendent, said news that the money was missing was "unthinkable" and she is pleased that it's been recovered. She said Leonard will no longer work for the school system.

Article:
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/me...or_with_stealing_reward_money_in_haleigh_cumm

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Haleigh's Father Marries Teen Bride
Posted: 12:06 pm EDT March 12, 2009
Updated: 11:31 pm EDT March 12, 2009
<snipped>
They tied the knot in Haleigh's great-grandmother's backyard. The couple flew to New York for a short honeymoon.
Haleigh's father was not involved in Thursday's search for her because of the wedding. Haleigh Cummings has been missing for one month. She was taken from her home in Satsuma in Putnam County.

Thursday, Haleigh's grandmother. Theresa Neves, responded to questions of timing and the notion that the wedding is really a deterrent for investigators, so Ronald and Misty would not have to testify against each other.
"That's absurd there's nothing to testify about it is what it is, somebody came in and took Haleigh. That has nothing to do with Misty or my son," said Neves.

But the wedding may or may not be happening. First the church backed out, then Ronald Cummings' friend who was to perform the ceremony ran into a major snag.
"The person who was going to perform the wedding is a notary. And we did not know the notary had expired," said Lindsey Croslin, sister-in-law.

IMAGE: Proposal Photo
http://www.wftv.com/2009/0312/18919028_240X135.jpg

VIDEO REPORT: Wedding On Hold
http://www.wftv.com/video/18919140/index.html

Article:
http://www.wftv.com/news/18915611/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Misty and Ronald are newlyweds now
Story updated at 6:17 PM on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2009
<snipped>
Hours after their Welaka wedding and a late evening flight to New York, newlyweds Ronald and Misty Cummings are scheduled to appear Friday morning on the NBC &#8220;Today&#8221; show to recount again the late-night disappearance of his 5-year-old daughter and its aftermath, a family member said.
On Thursday, as 97 law enforcement officers searched a 10-mile stretch of U.S. 17 in southern Putnam County for any small clues that might help them find the still missing Haleigh Cummings, the couple prepared for a wedding their families said the little girl wanted.
The newlyweds were leaving for a flight from Orlando right after the afternoon wedding, said Lindsy Croslin, whose sister-in-law was marrying Ronald Cummings. The couple will be on &#8220;Today&#8221; at 7:30 a.m. for an interview with Meredith Vieira, the network said.
Earlier plans for the 17-year-old Misty Croslin to marry the 25-year-old Cummings at Dunns Creek Baptist Church Thursday didn&#8217;t materialize. The ceremony was switched to a family home in Welaka, a town to the south of the Satsuma community where Cummings lives. The couple got engaged Sunday.

Meanwhile Thursday ground searchers scoured a 30-yard-wide swath on either side of U.S. 17 between County Road 309 in Satsuma to Union Avenue in Crescent City for the first time, said Capt. Dick Schauland of the Putnam County Sheriff&#8217;s Office. Schauland said the search was not due to any specific tip.


Article:
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/me...rs_tackle_new_ground_in_haleigh_disappearance

 

[Angel Who Cares]

UPDATED: Haleigh's Dad Weds As Search Continues
Bride Wears White Dress, Veil
POSTED: 10:55 am EDT March 12, 2009
UPDATED: 7:58 am EDT March 13, 2009
<snipped>
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office said it had about 100 law enforcement officials search along U.S. Highway 17 north of Crescent City. The area has not been searched in the past, and nothing was discovered on Thursday.

The family told WESH 2 News that Ronald Cummings, 25, married 17-year-old Misty Croslin in a private ceremony.

They got married in front of 20 guests gathered in Cummings' grandmother's back yard.

Earlier in the day, the family still didn't know what Cummings would wear. He said his "I Do's" in a red shirt. Later he stripped down to his tank top for the formal ring picture. His bride was more traditional in a white dress and veil.

Her bouquet was homemade, and all the flowers were edible.

The couple had hoped to marry at their Baptist church in near San Mateo, but the church refused. So they contacted two notaries to make the ceremony legal.
Cummings' mother told WESH 2 that they're having the wedding now because they didn't have time before.

VIDEO: Haleigh Father Gets Married As Search Resumes
http://www.wesh.com/video/18919420/index.html
Article:
http://www.wesh.com/news/18915114/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Janitor Accused Of Stealing Haleigh Fund
POSTED: Thursday, March 12, 2009
UPDATED: 8:04 pm EDT March 12, 2009
<snipped>
Police said a supervisor recently showed up at the bus depot and found the $670 that had been collected was missing from the spot where it had been locked away.
According to the police report, there was no sign of forced entry into the building or the cabinet where the money was kept. Officials said there was a key hidden near the cabinet.
Police said the investigation quickly centered on 23-year-old Jeremy Leonard because of his job as a janitor at the building. The police report states an investigation revealed that the only person who had access to the building was the night janitor.
According to the report, a detective asked Leonard if he knew the whereabouts of the missing money, and the man told the officer it was at his house.
"I escorted Jeremy Leonard to his residence &#8230; and retrieved $600 in cash," the police report states. Another $70 was found in Leonard's car.
Deputies arrested Leonard and charged him with grand theft. He has since bonded out of jail. The stolen money for Haleigh was returned to those who raised it.

"Haleigh Money Scam": VIDEO 2:00
http://www.fox30online.com/mediacenter/[email protected]&navCatId=5
VIDEO: Man Arrested, Accused Of Stealing $670 From Haleigh's Fund
http://www.news4jax.com/video/18919824/index.html
IMAGE: Jeremy Leonard
http://www.news4jax.com/image/18919684/detail.html
IMAGE: Bus drivers in Baker County have been collecting money for Haleigh's fund for two weeks.
http://www.news4jax.com/image/18788637/detail.html
Article:
http://www.news4jax.com/news/18919137/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Backyard Wedding for Haleigh's Father and Teen Bride
Created: 3/12/2009 10:36:37 PM
Updated: 3/12/2009 10:49:15 PM
<snipped>
WELAKA, FL -- It's a day they say they've been waiting for. Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings, and his new bride Misty, tied the knot Thursday afternoon in an outdoor ceremony in Welaka.
"She was a beautiful bride," said Annette Sykes, the great-grandmother of the missing five-year-old girl.
We spoke with Sykes shortly after the wedding. The ceremony took place in the backyard of her home.
"It was something bright and happy for a change," said Sykes. "The happiest thing would be if Haleigh were to come home. But, they plan on when Haleigh comes home to have a big church wedding, and she can be the flower girl."
The family spent the day preparing for the wedding, from the flowers to the wedding cake. Sykes says this was something the couple had always planned to do, and it's what Haleigh wanted.
"They got married because they love one another. It's time for something happy to happen."
For now that's what this day is to them, something good, as they wait for Haleigh to come home.
"After weeks and weeks of Haleigh being gone, plus all of the trashing that Ronald took, it's just time for something good, just time for something good," said Sykes.
Sykes says the couple was married by a notary public with only close family members present. She says the location of the ceremony was finalized late Wednesday night.
The couple flew to New York City to appear on The Today Show on NBC Friday morning, right after Good Morning Jacksonville. Sykes says they will also use that time for their honeymoon.
Ronald Cummings' son will stay with his mother through the weekend while the couple is away.

VIDEO: Haleigh&#8217;s Dad Gets Married
http://www.cfnews13.com/MediaPlayer...=Local&title=Haleigh&#8217;s Dad Gets Married

Article:
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/amberalerts/news-article.aspx?storyid=133610&catid=295

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Wedding Reaction
Last Update: 12:57 am
<snipped>
It's official. Ronald Cummings and Misty Croslin are now husband and wife.
The 25-year-old father of missing Haleigh Cummings, and his 17-year-old girlfriend, tied the knot Thursday in a top secret ceremony at a relative's house in Welaka.
There were flowers and a homemade wedding cake, but no flower girl. The family says that was Haleigh's spot. They also say the wedding fulfilled Haleigh's wishes. Her grandmother, Teresa Neves said, "This wedding is for Haleigh. When she comes home, Misty will be Mommy. That's what she wanted when she was here, and when she comes home, that's what she'll have."
But not everyone is celebrating the nuptials. Friends and family of Haleigh's mother, Crystal Sheffield, call the timing of the wedding completely inappropriate. Family friend, Amy Sutton said, "I believe he has no morals. He has no morals at all. He should be out here searching for Haleigh, instead of worrying about his bride-to-be."
After the wedding, the newlyweds were flown to New York, where they will appear on a network news show Friday morning.

Search For Haleigh-"Wedding Reaction": VIDEO 3:08
http://www.fox30online.com/mediacenter/[email protected]&navCatId=5

Search For Haleigh-"Ground Search For Haleigh": VIDEO 1:53
http://www.fox30online.com/mediacenter/[email protected]&navCatId=5

Article:
http://www.fox30online.com/content/...d-and-Misty-Marry/l58BKNsBNUKMyeHQp1nYHw.cspx

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Haleigh's Dad Gets Hitched, Honeymoons On Today Show
Friday, March 13, 2009 7:40:08 AM
<snipped>
Now Ronald Cummings and his wife, Misty, are headed to New York City for an appearance Friday on NBC&#8217;s Today Show.
According to jacksonville.com, the pair was supposed to marry at Dunns Creek Baptist Church. However, it was moved to a family home in Welaka.

Neves said Croslin and Haleigh got along well, and that it's something she would&#8217;ve wanted.
"It's just for Haleigh, you know. We didn't want any focus on the wedding, so we didn't invite any media. Just immediate family," Neves said.

Family members are convinced Haleigh is alive and that she would be looking forward to calling Croslin &#8220;mommy&#8221; when she returns.
Officials ended their search Thursday without finding the missing girl.

Article:
http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/3/13/haleigh39s_dad_gets_hitched_headed_to_nyc.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Missing girl: No new leads but wedding bells ring
Haleigh's father marries 17-year-old girlfriend, plans honeymoon with an appearance on TV.
Story updated at 5:45 AM on Friday, Mar. 13, 2009
<snipped>
Hours after their Welaka wedding and a late evening flight to New York, newlyweds Ronald and Misty Cummings are scheduled to appear this morning on the NBC "Today" show to recount the late-night disappearance of his 5-year-old daughter and its aftermath, a family member said.
On Thursday, as 97 law enforcement officers searched a 10-mile stretch of U.S. 17 in southern Putnam County for any small clues that might help them find the still-missing Haleigh Cummings, the couple prepared for a wedding their families said the little girl wanted.

The newlyweds were leaving for a flight from Orlando right after the afternoon wedding, said Lindsy Croslin, whose sister-in-law was marrying Ronald Cummings. The couple will be on "Today" at 7:30 a.m. for an interview with Meredith Vieira, the network said.
Earlier plans for Misty Croslin, 17, to marry Cummings, 25, at Dunns Creek Baptist Church on Thursday didn't materialize. The ceremony was switched to a family home in Welaka, a town to the south of the Satsuma community where Cummings lives. The couple got engaged Sunday.

He said no searches are planned for today.
On Wednesday, a screen door that had been propped open at the mobile home on the night Haleigh vanished was removed by detectives and taken by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for processing. Schauland would not give a specific reason why the door was taken.

Article:
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-03-13/story/no_new_leads_but_wedding_bells_ring

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Haleigh Cummings' dad rails against media on trip to New York; Jose Baez says Casey Anthony "holding up as best she can"
posted by halboedeker on Mar 13, 2009 9:30:04 AM
<snipped>
Central Florida crime stories received national attention Friday morning: the Haleigh Cummings case was on NBC's "Today," the Casey Anthony case was on CBS' "Early Show."

Ronald Cummings and bride Misty gave an exclusive interview to "Today." They just married -- and they were interviewed in New York, so they got a trip to the Big Apple to sit in the studio with Meredith Vieira.
Talk about irony. Cummings went on national television -- after a report on his marriage -- and said his personal life wasn't anyone's business. "I don't know what my personal life has to do with national TV," he said. "My daughter is missing. That's what has to do with national TV. We need to get my daughter's face back on TV and get her found."

Ronald said police have done an adequate job in the case of his missing 5-year-old daughter. But he dismissed as "garbage" a story that his 4-year-old son has told of a man in black taking Haleigh.
Reporter Michelle Kosinski noted that police have called Misty the key to the case and cited inconsistencies in her statements. To Vieira, Misty explained that she left a police interview this week because a new person in the case was being rude to her.

Why was Misty being inconsistent? Vieira asked. After a long pause, the teen bride shook her head and said, "I don't know."
It was all rather baffling -- even stranger than the latest chapter in the Casey Anthony saga.

Article:
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/en...chelle-kosinski-summed-up-the-haleigh-st.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Still missing, Haleigh has a new stepmom
Misty Cummings &#8216;doesn&#8217;t know&#8217; why her account of disappearance changed
TODAYShow.com contributor
updated 27 minutes ago
<snipped>
The last person to see a 5-year-old Florida girl before she went missing &#8212; who is also the new teenage bride of the child&#8217;s father &#8212; acknowledged that there are inconsistencies in the stories she&#8217;s told investigators, but was unable to say why her account has changed.

On Friday, TODAY&#8217;s Meredith Vieira asked 17-year-old Misty Cummings &#8212; nee Misty Croslin &#8212; if she knows that she changed the story of the night Haleigh Cummings disappeared.
&#8220;Yeah,&#8221; the young woman said.
Vieira asked why there are inconsistencies.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know,&#8221; she replied.

Misty Cummings was joined in New York by Haleigh&#8217;s father, Ron Cummings. The couple, who have been together about six months, had gotten married on Thursday in a civil ceremony attended by some 20 people at his grandmother&#8217;s house in Florida, touching off a renewed flurry of media attention.

&#8220;Why come here?&#8221; Vieira asked both.
&#8220;To get the focus back on my daughter. My 5-year-old girl is gone and I want to find her,&#8221; Ron Cummings, 25, replied. He complained that his marriage to the former Misty Croslin has deflected attention away from his daughter, who has been missing since early in the morning of Feb. 10.

Nevertheless, detectives recently called Misty Cummings in for another interview. After being pressed about inconsistencies in her account, she stopped the interview and refused to answer further questions.

Vieira asked Misty why she ended the interview.
&#8220;There was a new guy that was new to the case and I didn&#8217;t feel comfortable with him. He was just being very rude to me &#8230; He was just like being rude, like yelling and pretty much telling me I was a liar,&#8221; she said, adding that she told the lead detective on the case, John Merchant, that she would talk to him, but not to the new investigator.

Vieira asked Ron Cummings why he would get married now, with so much attention on the couple and the missing girl.
&#8220;I think that my little girl would have wanted it,&#8221; he said before repeating his belief that his wedding shouldn&#8217;t be a story.

Today Show video: Haleigh&#8217;s father, new bride speak out
March 13: While police continue to search for missing 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings, her father, Ronald, marries his girlfriend, Misty. TODAY's Meredith Vieira talks to the newlyweds about the search for Haleigh.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/29674806#29674806

Article:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29674827/

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Investigation Focusing on Misty Croslin Cummings Timeline
Created: 3/13/2009 5:44:59 PM
Updated: 3/13/2009 6:39:26 PM
<snipped>
After Ronald Cummings and his new wife, Misty Croslin Cummings, appeared on The Today Show Friday morning, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office commented on what was said.
For the first time, investigators mentioned their concerns about inconsistencies with Misty Cummings' story about what happened the night 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings disappeared.

Captain Dick Schauland confirmed Friday morning that investigators do have concerns about the timeline Misty has provided.
Schauland told First Coast News, "What happened during that eight-hour time period from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. when she found the child missing and what occurred during that time is what [investigators] are trying to straighten out."

When asked if Misty Cummings was a suspect, Captain Schauland told First Coast News Friday, "I would not list Misty as a suspect. We just want to get the timeline straightened out. Our most important thing is finding Haleigh. That's more important than anything else. And Misty's the key to that."

Misty also mentioned on The Today Show that she had taken a polygraph and that she was told she passed it.
Just a couple hours later, Capt. Schauland said the agency was not releasing any information involving the polygraphs. He has said this many times. He did say however, that people who take polygraphs are "normally not told weather they pass or didn't pass."

03/13/09 12PM Report "The Search For Haleigh Looks At Misty": VIDEO 3:34
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video...t_amberalerts&maven_referralObject=1060600782

03/13/09 5PM Report "Focusing on Misty's Timeline": VIDEO 2:09
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video...stId=playlist&maven_referralObject=1060907771

Article:
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/amberalerts/news-article.aspx?storyid=133696&catid=295

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Attorney Claims Physical Abuse In Haleigh's Home
Family Denies Allegation As Haleigh's Dad Gets Married
POSTED: 10:55 am EDT March 12, 2009
UPDATED: 5:20 pm EDT March 13, 2009
<snipped>
An attorney for Haleigh Cummings' mother said Friday that she has received allegations of abuse in the missing 5-year-old's father's house.
"There is credible evidence of physical abuse of the children...in Ronald Cummings' household," attorney Kim Picazio claimed in an interview WESH 2 News.

She represents Haleigh's biological mother, Crystal Sheffield.
Haleigh lived with Cummings, her biological father, and 17-year-old Misty Croslin. Cummings and Croslin got married on Thursday, a month after Haleigh disappeared from their Satsuma home.

The Cummings family has denied any abuse occurred.
Picazio said she has talked with the Putnam County victim's advocate about the evidence she has received about Haleigh and her brother, Ronald Jr. An attempt to get a comment from the Florida Department of Children & Families was unsuccessful on Friday.

VIDEO: Family Responds To Cummings Wedding
http://www.news4jax.com/video/18928673/index.html

VIDEO: Wedding Video
http://www.wesh.com/video/18921066/index.html

VIDEO: Attorney Claims Physical Abuse In Haleigh's Home
http://www.wesh.com/video/18926785/index.html

VIDEO: Dad Gets Married As Search Resumes
*NOTE Video Title Says It's About Baez Depo With Deputy But It's Titled Wrong!
http://www.wesh.com/video/18927310/index.html

VIDEO: Haleigh's Dad, New Bride Honeymoon In New York
http://www.clickorlando.com/video/18924998/index.html

Article:
http://www.wesh.com/news/18915114/detail.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Haleigh's Mother's Attorney Gives First Local Interview
Created: 3/13/2009 6:41:29 PM
Updated: 3/14/2009 9:43:38 PM
<snipped>
Attorney Kim Picazio says she first came to Putnam County this week to help Crystal Sheffield, Haleigh Cummings' mother, handle the media.
"I believe they called me so the family could have someone to turn to for advice on who they should talk to. They didn't know who to trust," Picazio explained.

Picazio has a law firm in Ft. Lauderdale and works mostly family law cases.
After working on the Haleigh Cummings case for only a few days, Picazio said people from all over Putnam county have called her and her staff with concerns about the safety and home life inside Haleigh's home while Haleigh was there and for her little brother now.

Picazio also says Sheffield is so upset about Haleigh that she is seeking counseling for her client.
"She is in a very bad state," Picazio said. "Crystal Sheffield would definitely not be in the mood right now to be getting married or attending any honeymoon."

Picazio said Sheffield has little money and she is taking the case pro bono.
She also said that Sheffield and her mother have been forced to leave the empty home in Putnam County that someone had generously provided to them for the past few weeks. Sheffield has lived in Baker County.
Picazio said she was hoping to help Sheffield find a place to stay in Putnam County so that she could remain close to the investigation.

03/13/09 6PM Report "Sheffield's Attorney Gives First Local Interview": VIDEO 1:14
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video...t_amberalerts&maven_referralObject=1061621406

Article:
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/amberalerts/news-article.aspx?storyid=133703&catid=295

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Not cleared as a suspect
Published: Saturday, March 14, 2009 1:44 AM EDT
<snipped>
Haleigh Cummings' new stepmother has not been cleared as a suspect in the 5-year-old's disappearance last month, a senior sheriff's official says.
Maj. Gary Bowling also said Misty Croslin's inability on national television Friday to clear up inconsistent answers was what detectives have faced for weeks.

"Our interviews with her have been pretty much like what you saw on the "Today Show," Bowling said. "We've confronted her with her inconsistencies and America got a sample of our interviews with her."
Bowling also disputed Croslin's assertion on TV that she wasn't a suspect.
"We have not ruled her out as a suspect," he said.
He also said Croslin walked out of the room while being questioned by detectives on Wednesday.
"Misty is the key to the investigation and we are trying to work through inconsistencies in her account of the critical time period," Bowling said.

Investigators also met Wednesday with Cummings, he said.
"We are satisfied with the interviews that we have had so far with Ronald, and his account of the eight hours in question," Bowling added.

Detectives are building a timeline including anyone who had contact with Haleigh during that time. Bowling described the repeated questioning sessions as a normal part of a major investigation.
"From the beginning, we have said that we will interview anyone, at anytime, as many times as need be, to get information that will help us find Haleigh," he said.

Croslin on Thursday rebuffed an attempt by the Daily News to give her an opportunity to respond to the issues raised about her.
"I would really appreciate it if you people would stop calling me," she said.
Article:
http://www.palatkadailynews.com/articles/2009/03/14/news/news01.txt
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Couple again questioned by authorities
Friday March 13, 2009
<snipped>
A senior sheriff's official, asked by the Daily News if investigators were satisfied with results of the interviews of the couple, expressed concern about "inconsistencies" in Croslin's statements.
Investigators are focusing on the eight hours from when Haleigh was last seen - about 7 p.m. on Feb. 9 - and when she was reported missing the next day at 3:27 a.m., Maj. Gary Bowling said Thursday.
"Misty is the key to the investigation and we are trying to work through inconsistencies in her account of the critical time period," Bowling said.
Meanwhile, Cummings and Croslin exchanged wedding vows at the home of Cummings' grandmother in Welaka about 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

The ceremony was filmed by a crew from "Today." The NBC program had arranged to fly the couple to New York City for an appearance on the program today and a weekend honeymoon.
Haleigh's maternal grandmother said her daughter, Crystal Sheffield, had postponed her wedding plans until the young girl is found.
"I feel like they've got something to hide," Marie Griffis said. "Why are they getting married right now?"
Related Article:
http://www.palatkadailynews.com/articles/2009/03/13/news/news01.txt
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Dad: Focus on missing 5-year-old
Published: Saturday, March 14, 2009 1:44 AM EDT
<snipped>
Cummings said that he cared for Misty, and that the timing of their marriage did not have anything to do with his missing daughter.
"I think my little girl would have wanted it," Cummings said. "I would have rather her been there."
He was defensive about those who have criticized the couple for marrying now.
"I don't understand why it's anyone else's business, to be honest with you," Cummings added. "I go to work, I support my family. I don't know what my personal life has to do with national TV. My daughter's missing, we need to get my daughter's face back on TV and get her found."
Article:
http://www.palatkadailynews.com/articles/2009/03/14/news/news02.txt

 

[Angel Who Cares]

P.I. Searches for Haleigh
Last Update: 3/13 10:44 pm
<snipped>
There's a new investigator on the Haleigh Cummings case. He calls himself Cobra. He's a private investigator from Fort Lauderdale, who is in Satsuma at Haleigh's mother's request.

"In 30 years, I've caught over 8000 fugitives, 199 child molesters, 2 murderers, and one terrorist," says Cobra. Now his focus is on Haleigh. Thursday, he joined police in their thorough but fruitless ground search. And now, he's sorting through tips, trying to figure out what is fact and what is fiction.
Cobra says, "You heard the rumors, that drugs dealers got her. Drug dealers sell drugs. But there is a rumor that there are folks around that sell babies, and sell folks. I'm very familiar with that trade."

He couldn't talk about any specific leads he's working. But he says one thing is for sure, we can expect a break in Haleigh's case very soon.
Cobra says he's investigating the case free of charge. And he says he will stay in Putnam County until he's confident the case is closed.

VIDEO: P.I. Searches for Haleigh 2:03
http://www.cbs47.com/mediacenter/[email protected]

Article:
http://www.cbs47.com/content/topstories/story/P-I-Searches-for-Haleigh/rwX4oL0NrE6kKhoe2vdr-g.cspx