HALEIGH CUMMINGS - 5 yo - Satsuma FL

TomTerrific0420 wrote:Tonight on the Nancy Grace Show on HLN they "bombshelling-ly" proclaimed that Haleigh Cummings is dead. Their source? Tim Miller, founder and CEO of the highly-regarded Texas Equusearch organization.
I have no problem with Tim Miller having drawn his own "personal" conclusions, he is entitled to his opinion, as I am mine. He has invested much time, money and energy on this case. I do, however, have a problem with Mr. Miller stating those conclusions in a public media arena where many viewers will take his message as being the "verified" truth. Without convincing physical evidence, it is wrong to tell the public to stop searching, to stop keeping their eyes open.
He even was quoted as saying, "They'll be lucky if they ever find a body".
It occurs to me that perhaps Mr. Miller is trying to force Misty's hand by making this pronouncement. She did, after all, high-tail it out of Florida to stay at her Granny's in Tennessee. (Her welcome mat from the two druggie friends was allegedly withdrawn after she shined the media spotlight on them).
If Mr. Miller wants Misty to "fess up", there must be a better way to go about this. Telling the public that the child is dead defeats the purpose of a Rescue organization. So, with a "dead" child there's no point in Texas Eq to stay around. So, they too have pulled up stakes and left the scene.
I will continue to report the facts, not my opinions, unless I give fair and honest notice that it is strictly an opinion.
That's the way I see it from here.

Tom I remember Tim said the very same thing about Caylee. Well her body was eventually found. I pray that Hayleigh is too.

SATSUMA, Fla. -- A new e-mail address has been created for people to communicate tips and leads directly with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office about missing Florida girl Haleigh Cummings.

The address -- haleigh@putnamsheriff.org -- is in addition to the Crime Stopper tip line.

Authorities said on Wednesday that this address will help ensure that all of the e-mails coming into the sheriff's office are routed to the appropriate person.


Haleigh, then 5 years old, disappeared in February from her father's trailer home, in a heavily wooded area near the central Florida town of Satsuma.

Across the street from where 7-year-old Somer Thompson lived in suburban Orange Park, a memorial grows in the shade of an old oak.

Friends, family and strangers leave candles, flowers, prayer cards,
teddy bears, balloons and short, hopeful notes: "You're OK now. God got
U Baby" and "You are my Sunshine" and "Justice for Somer."

Profound sadness surrounds the place, but so does a certain sense of
closure: Somer Thompson lived here. She is gone now. Somebody did a
horrible thing to her, but many others loved this girl.

Fifty miles south in rural Satsuma, there is no closure.

In February, 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings'
disappearance captured national attention. Now a billboard along U.S.
Highway 17 flashes Haleigh's face every few seconds at drivers passing
through town and provides a number to call with tips.

But unlike Somer, whose body was discovered in a Georgia landfill two days after she disappeared, Haleigh has never been found.

Missing-children's experts involved in both cases say the cooperation
of Somer's family and her community coupled with some creative and
aggressive detective work by the Clay County Sheriff's Office led to
the girl's discovery.

At the same time, some say inconsistencies in the account given by the
last person thought to have seen Haleigh late Feb. 9 has hindered the
efforts of investigators with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.

The difference between the cases is one little girl being found and put
to rest near her home — and a series of fruitless searches through
woods, lakes and fields that have turned up no body after nearly nine
months.

"In Clay County, they said, 'You know, we've got a little girl missing.
Let's go to work,'" said Tim Miller, founder of Texas EquuSearch, who
is familiar with both cases. "They've got a family that's being honest.
They've got a community that's being honest. They got right in on it,
and they just did a tremendous job."

On Tuesday, Somer was buried at Jacksonville Memory Gardens near her
home. The discovery of her body has the community frightened, but also
confident her killer will be found.

But in Haleigh's case, investigators initially thought the child had
been abducted from the Satsuma double-wide of her father, Ronald
Cummings. By mid-August, about the time Haleigh would have turned 6,
they were publicly expressing doubt that a stranger had taken Haleigh.
And investigators noted that Misty Cummings "continues to hold
important answers in the case." At the time of Haleigh's disappearance,
Misty Cummings was Misty Croslin but later married Haleigh's father.
They have since divorced.

Tests have shown Misty Cummings to be deceptive when answering questions about Haleigh's disappearance.

"From very, very early on, we stated publicly there were
inconsistencies in Misty's story about what happened that evening,"
said Putnam Deputy Sheriff Hancel Woods, adding that investigators
continue to work the case daily, as they have handled nearly 6,000 tips.

While praising the team investigating Somer's case in neighboring Clay
County, Woods said the two cases have many differences, and nothing at
this point suggests they might be related.

"Obviously there are similarities drawn due to geographic proximity and
the girls' ages, but each case stands on its own," Woods said.

Crucial differences

Though Clay detectives have
received widespread praise for finding Somer so soon, experts say
Putnam officials have done their job well, too.

"Putnam County [investigators] did everything right," Miller said this
week. "Unfortunately they didn't have a damn thing to work with."

Investigators working on the Somer Thompson case had the pressure of
time slipping away with each hour Somer was missing. But they were
prepared. Several months earlier, they had trained for just such a
scenario: a child who went missing after school.

They had started searching Somer's neighborhood quickly, including the
trash coming out of the Grove Park neighborhood, where the girl was
last seen walking home from school early last week, according Clay
Sheriff Rick Beseler.

But one detective, Bruce Owens, came to work early the morning after
Somer was reported missing and noticed "dumpsters were being picked up"
in the neighborhood, Beseler said.

"Bruce said to me that morning, 'We need to get on those dumpsters,'"
Beseler said. "I said, 'I want a deputy on every garbage truck.'"

Orange Park's trash is brought to a local transfer station before being
hauled up to a Georgia landfill, where the child was found. If
Beseler's team had not tracked the trucks — and their contents — as
soon as they did, he said it would have been much harder, perhaps
impossible, to ever find Somer and valuable evidence.

"She might have been under too much debris," he said. "... In any
abduction murder case, your crime scene is wherever the body is found.
Time and the elements cause degradation of any forensic value."

Beseler, who is still awaiting forensic testing done in the wake of
Somer's discovery, added, "It has had to unnerve the person who did
this that we found her body so quickly."

By late this week, about 50 detectives from the Sheriff's Office, FBI, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the U.S. Marshals Service were working the case.

The crucial discovery of Somer's body so soon may provide a wealth of
"forensic evidence," including possible fingerprints, fibers and DNA
samples, said Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing
and Exploited Children.

"You have the ultimate evidence of the crime scene," Allen said. "...
While it is a tragedy and an outrage, it does provide substantial
evidence for a positive ending. You've got somewhere to start."

He called the sheriff's decision to rapidly follow the trucks
"brilliant" and a tactic that will likely be followed by other
law-enforcement agencies in the future.

Woods, in Putnam County, said investigators searched the landfill as
part of Haleigh's investigation as well. Such searches are routine
parts of missing-child and suspected-abduction cases.

"I personally was inside a dumpster, searching that morning," Woods
said. The "meticulous" landfill search came a little later, but that's
because trash pickup in the area did not occur immediately after
Haleigh was reported missing as it did in Somer's case, he said.

'Somebody knows'

Allen emphasized that cases such as Haleigh's, in which the child is not found within days or months, should not be forgotten.

"The reality in each of these cases is: Somebody knows," Allen said.
"Somebody knows where Haleigh Cummings is. It's really important that
we not let the world forget."

"The key to this case is us getting that one tip, that one lead from someone who knows something," Woods said.

Meanwhile, back at the memorial for Somer at the corner of Debarry
Avenue and Horton Drive in Orange Park, Kaliyah Allen, who lives near
the Thompson home but does not know the family, said the investigators
working the case appear to be handling it well.

"I think they're doing the best they can without exposing too much
information and hurting their case," she said. "They're building a
case. Honestly, I think they're doing a good job."

Haleigh Cummings Update: Tommy Croslin Arrested

Posted on November 5th, 2009
The brother of Misty Croslin, the last person to see a missing Satsuma girl alive, is once again behind the bars of the Putnam County jail.
Hank Thomas “Tommy” Croslin Jr. was booked in to the Putnam County jail Thursday morning at 11:40 and charged with misdemeanor narcotic equipment-possession or use and a felony drug charge for possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.
Reporters spoke with Lt. Johnny Greenwood to ask if Croslin’s arrest had anything to do with rumours of an ambulance call to 116 Tyler regarding a 42-year-old man frothing at the mouth and how this arrest might impact other cases pending against Croslin. Greenwood replied:
“I have spoken with our Communications Center and we have not had a rescue call at 116 Tyler Lane today. Regarding your question of Tommy Croslin’s bond on the previous arrest, that will be up to the judge or possibly the bail bondsman that bonded him out last time. If there was a condition in his bond paperwork concerning any future arrests, the bail bondsman could possibly move to have his bond revoked if he/she desires.”
Tommy Croslin was recently released on bond regarding the alleged theft of a gun from his blind neighbor. This is the same neighbor his mother, Lisa Croslin, is accused of stealing checks from and forging at least one of those checks for $400.
While awaiting bond on his gun theft charge, Tommy Croslin told investigators he didn’t think that his sister Misty Croslin was at home in the 10pm hour that February night then 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings was taken while she was being watched by Misty.
Misty Croslin was the babysitter for Haleigh Cummings and a Ronald Cumming Jr. before marrying the children’s’ father, Ronald Cummings Sr., shortly after was abducted from the mobile home they shared in Hermit’s Cove near Satsuma, FL.
Just weeks ago Misty and Ronald divorced and young Haleigh is still missing.
Haleigh is described as a 5 year old white female. She is approximately 3′0, 39 lbs, blonde hair & brown eyes. Unknown clothing description.
Haleigh was last seen at her residence in the Hermit’s Cove area of Putnam County on February 9, 2009 between the hours of 8-10pm.
A statewide Amber Alert has been issued. An additional $30,000 in rewards have been posted.
If you have any information and wish to remain anonymous, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477) or you can Text your tip by Texting “TIP231 plus your message” to CRIMES (274637).

The brother of the last person to seen Haleigh Cummings before the Putnam County kindergartner disappeared in February has been arrested on drug charges.
Hank Thomas Croslin, Jr., 23, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia after he was found slumped over in the front seat of a van near a school bus stop in Satsuma.
Putnam County investigators who responded to a report of a non-responsive person said they were told Croslin, whose sister Misty Croslin, 17, was the last person to see Haleigh, had not moved after dropping his son off at the bus.

He told deputies he had dropped his son off at 8 a.m. and taken a nap because he was sleepy, according to a police report.Authorities said the arrest is unrelated to the disappearance of Haleigh, who remains missing. Her 6th birthday was in August.

Deputies found methadone, hydrocodone and other narcotics in the van during a search just before 9 a.m. Thursday.
Hank Croslin lives about a block from the intersection of Buffalo Bluff Road and Tyler Street in Satsuma where he was awakened by rescue personnel, according to a Putnam County Sheriff's Office report.
He was charged and jailed in lieu of $1,500 bail.
In September, he was charged with grand theft of a .38 caliber handgun that was reported missing by a former neighbor. He was questioned then about Haleigh's disappearance but authorities said it was unrelated to the theft arrest.

The often vilified former pro-bono attorney for the biological
mother of 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings who was abducted from her
Satsuma, FL home in February is walking away this week with some sense
of vindication.
The Florida Bar Association has dismissed the complaints against
attorney Kim Picazio alleged by Crystal Sheffield The Florida Bar File
No. 2010-50,286 (171)
In the complaint, Crystal Sheffield alleged that:
“…Ms. Picazio violated Rule 4-1.6 by disclosing confidential
information concerning her representation of Crystal related to the
search and investigation of her missing child, Haleigh Cummings.
Crystal also contend that Ms. Picazio did not act with diligence in
filing a modification of he child support. Ms. Picazio responded to the
allegations in the complaint and rebuttal with specific denials of each
allegation and a detailed history of her involvement in the case.”
One of Picazio’s rebuttals to the complaint was rather harmful to Crystal Sheffield and the perception some may have of her:
“…Ms. Picazio also contends that your current living situation,
health concerns, inability to work, and drug addiction/seizures
prevented her from filing a petition for a change in custody. All
lawyers, as officers of the court, have an obligation to refrain from
filing frivolous pleadings or papers, and may.be subject
to court-imposed sanctions for having done so, This.is an area that
falls within the exercise of professional judgment by the lawyer, and
is not appropriate as a reason for discipline to be imposed.”

Tommy Croslin, the brother of the woman who is the last person to
seeing missing 6-year-old Haleigh Cummings of Satsuma, FL is once again
behind bars in Putnam County. Croslin was arrested Thursday on a
battery charge for fighting with his father and is being held without
bond.

Hank Thomas Croslin Senior (Hank) and his son Hank
Thomas Croslin Junior (Tommy) had just finished fighting. Hank was on
the porch when we arrived. Tommy was inside the house talking to
Sergeant Manning. Neither Hank nor Tommy wanted to admit who started
the fight.
Hank stated that he and Tommy were wrestling. Hank refused to write
a written statement. Hank was uncooperative and would not provide any
additional information.
Tommy looked flushed and his eyes were watery. Tommy stated he had
thrown a bag of DVD’s to Hank. Tommy stated Hank got mad and hit Tommy
in the head. Tommy stated his left eye was swollen where Hank hit him.
Tommy refused to write a written statement. Tommy kept a hostile
posture throughout the investigation and was extremely uncooperative.
Tommy continued to try instigating verbal altercations with his father,
Hank, and his mother, Lisa Carmen Croslin.

Lisa, Kristina Renee Prevatt were present at the house during the
disturbance and so was a 17-year-old white female whose name was
redacted from the report.
Lisa stated that Tommy had started the fight. Lisa stated that Tommy
had thrown a bag of DVD’s at Hank and Hank got upset. Lisa stated Tommy
then hit Hank in the head and they started to fight. Lisa refused to
write a written statement.
Three of Tommy’s children were also present during the disturbance.
Just days ago, a judge granted Misty Croslin’s request to remove a
restraining order against her brother Tommy following a fight between
her then-husband Ronald Cummings and him.
Misty Croslin’s brother Tommy was first arrested this past summer on
a gun theft charge at which time during his incarceration he told
police he checked on the mobile home of Ronald Cummings where his
sister was to be watching his children, Haleigh and Ron Jr. the night
of Haleigh’s disappearance. It was that time he stated he banged on the
door and got no answer stating to police he believed no one was home.
This fed into tips received early in the investigation that Misty had
left the home sometime during the night while Ronald Cummings was
working at PDM in Palatka, FL.
Tommy was released on a reduced bond under the condition he remained in Putnam County.
A few weeks ago, Tommy Croslin was arrested on drug charges after
being found passed out in his car with drugs in the front seat near the
place where he had dropped of one of his children to get on the school
bus.
The fact that Kristina Rene “Nay Nay” Prevatt and the unidentified
white 17-year-old female witness to the fight Thursday morning–widely
believed to be Misty Croslin–who were both at the scene has raised the
eyebrows of many including Private Investigator William “Cobra” Staubs.
Prevatt has a history of jail time in Putnam County on drug charges
and assorted misdemeanors and has admitted to Private Investigator
Staubs that she introduced Misty Croslin to a man named Greg Page.
Prevatt also admitted to Staubs that she served as Misty’s driver
during that weekend of sex and drugs with Page days before little
Haleigh Cummings was taken from her home while in Misty’s care the
night of February 9, 2009.