HALEIGH CUMMINGS - 5 yo - Satsuma FL - The Beginning

Nancy Grace 3/12/2010

Misty Hints at Unrevealed Evidence

Transcript: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1003/12/ng.01.html

PART 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOo6zba41Q0
PART 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1MPrjVt7Ok
PART 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtcAtuXNc9o
PART 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AenQWiedG0c
PART 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obemTptSE-0
PART 6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk1Bjjak7LU

Needs bumping. I've gone over this case again recently. IMO Haleigh was abducted - probably by a stranger - possibly while Misty was out although I can imagine someone who had watched them for a while might be bold enough to go in while Misty was home. From a perps point of view there were 3 children home alone. Misty is still a child herself at 17 and she looks much younger than that. I've gone over again what she has said and read again all the comments everywhere about her inconsistent answers. A lot of those inconsistencies are miss-communication IMO. Misty is a teenager and my own teenager and I often have conversations where we are talking at cross purposes. An example that is often talked about is Misty saying she got up to go to the toilet and then on another occasion she said she got up to get a drink. If you ask me she was probably intending to do both. When I get up in the night I always do. She just didn't say "I got up to go to the toilet and get a drink". I don't even think I would have said that either. The fact that she didn't get to go to the toilet before she noticed Haleigh wasn't in her bed is probably why she dropped the part about going to the toilet on some occasions. The other discrepancy was where they were all sleeping. People got suspicious because that was always changing. Looking at what she said, I don't think it really changed. She just didn't think to elaborate when she was asked. For weeks reporters kept asking her questions about it but they never asked the question clearly because they didn't know that there were two mattresses in the one room where they all slept. She would be asked "Were you sleeping together?" Sleeping in the same room to Misty is together so she responds yes. Then when the media report she was sleeping in the same bed as Misty and she says that Haleigh had her own bed. Throw in the "she was sleeping in front of the TV" comment by Misty and people are now picturing Haleigh in the lounge. It went round and round like this until everyone had written her off as a liar. All the time Misty and Junior were on one mattress in the room and Haleigh was on the other mattress in front of the TV in the same bedroom. It's a pity the media didn't just ask her to explain the sleeping arrangements in the first place. Not only is she young, she doesn't seem that bright and she's a drugy as well. I also understand that to a 17 year old, if she was completely innocent, she may not realize the importance of being exactly precise about her answers. If someone did indeed go in and take Haleigh they must live close by IMO. I can't see a car not being noticed coming and going in that quiet spot and someone would be taking a huge risk taking a car. They may have left a car not too far away though but I think it's someone close.

Excellent thoughts and great picture review of the scene Kiwi!!!
My money is still on Misty's relatives from Tennessee. Cannot be just coincidence that they decide to leave just before the child is discovered missing.

Family members of missing child Haleigh Cummings appeared in court
Wednesday morning for pretrial hearings on various drug trafficking
charges.

Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings, her former stepmother,
Misty Croslin and Cummings' cousin, Hope Sykes, appeared in a
bustling courtroom shortly after 9 a.m. in response to charges that
stem from a month-long narcotics investigation that ended in January in
which the three were allegedly dealing in $3,900 worth of prescription
drugs.

Cummings, 26, was the first to stand before the court, but
was interrupted as an accused murderer awaiting his own pretrial
hearing cut himself.

As Judge Terry LaRue began to read each of
the five charges Cummings faces, a deputy declared to the court that an
inmate was bleeding, quickly leading Clint Horvatt into a holding room.

Horvatt is accused of shooting his fiance, Summer Smith, to death in 2008.

The 33-year-old used a small piece of metal smuggled out of the
Putnam County Jail between his fingers to cut his
left wrist, Lt. Johnny Greenwood, Putnam County Sheriff's Office
spokesman, said.

With a bandaged wrist, he was eventually led out
and was taken to Putnam Community Medical Center for treatment for
"superficial wounds," Greenwood said.

"No stitches were necessary," he said. "We are conducting an investigation as to how he
got (the metal)."

Horvatt's trial was set for Sept. 13. He faces first-degree murder charges.

Meanwhile, Cummings stood quietly as his pretrial was continued
to May 13 for five counts of trafficking in Hydrocodone.

Misty Croslin, the 18-year-old who was babysitting Haleigh the
night she disappeared, took the stand next in handcuffs and shackles.
Croslin faces eight total counts of trafficking in Hydrocodone, with seven of
the charges in Putnam County and one within St. Johns County.
Her attorney, Robert Fields, was granted permission to move Croslin's next
pretrial to June 3 due to issues coordinating depositions.

Hope Sykes, 19, pleaded no contest to one of two counts of trafficking in
Hydrocodone, as she took the floor 20 minutes later.
Sykes' attorney explained there were surveillance tapes containing a drug
transaction with Sykes present.
"That certainly supports your plea," LaRue said.
Sykes faces up to 30 years in prison for the felony charge.

Several family members of Cummings and Sykes were
present during the hearings, including Teresa Neves, Cummings' mother.

"I believe Hope Sykes has to do what is best for her, and if that is what
she and her attorney feel is best for her, then we fully support that,"
Neves said.

Neves said they are trying to keep the focus on
Haleigh, who was reported missing from her Satsuma home by Croslin at
3:27 a.m. on Feb. 10, 2009. No sign of the child has been found, though
numerous searches have been conducted.

Neves said it "is very hard" to see her family behind bars. "Haleigh is what we have to spend
all of our energy on, and it's hard to know there are other things going
on beyond our control," she said.

Croslin's brother, 23-year-old Hank Croslin Jr., was present Wednesday afternoon to face one count of
trafficking in Hydrocodone in the same case.
His pretrial was continued to May 13.

When asked how Cummings was handling everything, she replied that he is having a "very hard time right now."
"He is fighting a lot of depression - he thought Haleigh would be home by now," Neves said.
Neves continues to hold hope that 6-year-old Haleigh is alive, and someone has her.

"Somebody out there knows
something and you never know who it's going to be," she said. "All you
can do is keep looking and asking and hoping and praying."

More jailhouse conversations between Misty Croslin and her father,
Hank Croslin, have been released. In the conversations, Misty and her
father talked about Misty's drug charges. But the tone quickly changed
as the conversation turned to Haleigh Cummings.
Haleigh disappeared Feb. 9, 2009, while in Misty's care. At the time,
Misty was dating Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings. Misty told
investigators she put Haleigh to bed that night, and when she woke up,
Haleigh was gone. Misty and Ronald were married, but divorced a short
time later.
At one point in the jailhouse conversations, Hank and Misty talk of
those charges. But his tone changes when the conversation turned to
Haleigh.
Hank: I tried to tell you. I know I tried to tell
you. But no, you had to do your own thing just like you always had.
Well, it's too late to cry over spilled milk anyway, so just forget
about it. We all gotta do what we gotta do. I don't understand why it's
happening, but it's happening. Don't cry.
Misty: I hate this man! They're trying to ruin our
whole lives.
Hank: Yea, whoever did this thing to Haleigh is the one
that ruined our lives. They need to ruin the person's life that did
this, not ours!
Misty is facing a list of drug charges after she was arrested with
her brother, Tommy, and ex-husband Ronald in January. All three are all
charged with multiple counts of trafficking hydrocodone. Misty and
Ronald are both being held on bail totaling nearly a million dollars.
Wednesday Haleigh's aunt, Hope Sykes, pleaded no contest to her
charges on trafficking hydrocodone. She could face up to 15 years in
prison.

New search underway

http://www.news4jax.com/video/23137274/index.html

A search is being conducted in Putnam County following a lead to
detectives last night in the Haleigh Cummings disappearance, authorities
said this morning.

The search is being conducted off County
Road 309 and includes woods and water, said Lt. Johnny Greenwood of the
Putnam County Sheriff's Office. He said authorities are not saying who
provided the information or the nature of the evidence they are looking
for.
Dozens of searchers and several boats are being used. The location is
around Shell Harbour about five miles south of where Haleigh vanished
from her Satsuma home on Green Lane.
"Although various resources are being utilized to conduct this
search, it is just one of many operations conducted during this
investigation," a statement from the Sheriff's Office said.

The
Putnam County girl was 5 years old when she disappeared in February
2009 from her home. Her father, Ronald Cummings, and his then-girlfriend
who reported her missing, Misty Croslin, are both in jail on
prescription drug charges.http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2010-04-13/story/authorities-conducting-haleigh-cummings-search

A short time ago, Haleigh's family arrived at the Putnam County Jail,
where Sheriff Jeff Hardy said that officials are conducting interviews
with the family in addition to the search.

Haleigh's father and mother, Ronald Cummings and Crystal Sheffield;
her grandparents; and her great-grandmother, Teresa Neves are among those called to the jail.

According to a friend of the family, Lisa Finnley, the relatives were meeting with the sheriff.
She described the atmosphere as tense, saying some members of the family were in tears.

Hardy declined to confirm or deny if Haleigh has been found.


http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/mostpopular/news-article.aspx?storyid=154683&provider=top

thanks mom in il for the link

Websleuths Haleigh Thread.
For those that aren't familiar with WS go to the last page for current info and discussion.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101398

Satsuma FL ---- Investigators are searching a Florida river for a
5-year-old girl who disappeared from her father's mobile home more than a
year ago.The Putnam County Sheriff's Office is searching the St.
Johns River for Haleigh Cummings, who disappeared in Satsuma, about 60
miles south of Jacksonville, in February 2009.Misty Croslin,
Haleigh's father's live-in girlfriend, called 911 and told investigators
that the child was missing when she awoke and a back door propped open
with the brick.Authorities have tracked down thousands of leads
and searched the rural area on foot, with dogs and via helicopter. They
have also previously searched other parts of the St. Johns River with
boats.Croslin and Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings, were
arrested in January in a drug sting.

SATSUMA, Fla. -- Investigators were back out in
Satsuma, Fla. looking for clues in the Haleigh Cummings investigation
Tuesday. She's the 5-year-old girl who disappeared from her bed in her
father's mobile home 14 months ago.

Sources
told WFTV a suspect is in custody, but wouldn't provide any additional
details.

Meanwhile, investigators would not give out the
exact location of the search, to keep onlookers away. They would only
say it's near previous searches for the girl.


"A search is
currently being conducted as the result of one of the many leads
received thus far in this case. The area being searched is in the
Satsuma area of Putnam County. The exact location is not being released
at this time in an attempt to prevent unnecessary congestion from
onlookers. Although various resources are being utilized to conduct this
search, it is just one of many operations conducted during this
investigation. Due to the sensitivity of this investigation, the name of
the person providing the tip and the physical evidence alleged to be in
this area, will not be released," investigators wrote in a release
issued Tuesday.

wftv.com

PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. -- Police have converged on the St. Johns River
following a tip in the disappearance of Haleigh Cummings, but have not
found anything yet.
"We have not found Haleigh," said Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy today.
Hardy vowed that the investigation would continue" as long as it
takes." Teams planned to search through the night for the 5-year-old
who disappeared in February 2009, the Associated Press reported.
[b][b]MORE FROM SHERIFF HARDY[/b][/b]
The sheriff's office said this morning that authorities were acting
on a tip received Monday, but kept details of the search close to the
vest. The search is focused along the St. Johns River between Welaka
and Satsuma near county Road 309.
Haleigh's family members left the Putnam County jail earlier this
afternoon, where Hardy said officials had conducted interviews with the
family for about two hours.
According to a friend of the family, Lisa Finnley, the atmosphere at
the office had been tense, saying some members of the family were in
tears.
PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH THE CASE
Asked if she had closure, Haleigh's grandmother Teresa Neves, Ronald
Cummings' mother, replied, "No, that's all I can say" as she was
leaving.
Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings, who has been in jail on unrelated
drug charges was among the family taken to the sheriff's office. He was
returned to Putnam County jail in shackles afterwards.
Misty Croslin, Haleigh's former stepmother, has been in St. Johns
County jail on drug charges unrelated to the case. Today, she was taken
out of the jail but remained in police custody. according to a public
information officer for St. Johns County Office confirmed that Croslin
remains in custody.
She returned to the St. Johns County jail this afternoon. Her
attorney Robert Fields, said today that the tip did not come from his
client.
Several law enforcement boats have been scouring the river near the
boat ramp at the end of Shell Harbor Road, which is blocked off by
deputies. The river area where police are now was searched about a year
ago.
Deputies also are going door-to-door talking to neighbors along that road.
The nature of the tip, the type of search being conducted and the
specific location are being withheld because of the sensitive nature of
the investigation, said Putnam Lt. Johnny Greenwood.
There will be no statements issued unless warranted, he said.
Haleigh, 5, was last seen in her father Ronald's home in February
2009. Ronald's then-girlfriend Misty Croslin, now his ex-wife, said
she put Haleigh to bed that night, and that was the last anyone saw of
her.
Since the disappearance, there have been extensive interviews, but
no arrests; detectives have said Croslin knows more than she's saying,
but is not a suspect.http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=154683&catid=3&GID=ntsN+hZfhMwMLg2hdKfqpynm1R71ODRxxteLlYQFtpc%3D

The
good news about Nadia Bloom was the top story on most 6 p.m. newscasts.
But WOFL-Channel 35 focused on a possible break in the saga of missing
Haleigh Cummings.
“Sources close to the investigation tell me that they have a person
in custody,” WOFL’s Kelly Joyce said from Putnam County. “That person
told them that they could find Haleigh’s body at the bottom of the St.
Johns River here today, and I’m told they found something, but the
Putnam County Sheriff’s Office isn’t saying what they found.”
WESH-Channel 2 relayed images of the St. Johns search via its new HD chopper.
WESH’s Gail Paschall-Brown reported that Putnam County officials
said the area hadn’t been searched before. She also recounted the case:
Haleigh was 5 when she disappeared in February last year.
In the WESH report, an unidentified authority could be heard saying
that detectives had private discussions with the family today.
Misty Croslin, who was the last person to see Haleigh, was taken out
of jail for more questioning today, Paschall-Brown reported. Croslin
later married and divorced Haleigh’s father, Ron. Both are being held
on drug-trafficking charges.http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2010/04/haleigh-cummings-is-there-a-break-in-the-case.html

Breaking news!

A black box was seen being removed from the St. Johns River today.
Could it contain the body of Haleigh Cummings? Authorities announced
that a new tip has led them to search the St. Johns River for a second
time. They have stated they will continue to search the waters
throughout the night if needed.

Putnam County, Florida authorities have not stated who the tip came
from but have said that it is credible. Many have suspected that Misty
Croslin, Haleigh Cummings’ stepmother may have spoke with investigators
in order to strike some sort of plea deal as she is currently
incarcerated on drug charges.

Will Haleigh Cummings’ body be found?

Haleigh Cummings vanished on February 10, 2009 prompting an Amber
Alert. From the onset of the investigation Misty Croslin gave
conflicting statements. She has also failed lie detector tests and
stress tests.

Some scenarios suggest that the tipster may be another person close to the case who may have recently been arrested.

Authorities for the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office have stated that
they will not make any statements or hold press conferences unless
their discovery warrants them.
An unnamed source who lives in the area has reported that investigators
are conducting door to door searches and are looking for one particular
vehicle: a 1990's model Chrysler van, gray in color.

The search for Haleigh Cummings has touched the community of Satsuma,
Haleigh's home at the time of her disappearance.
But Tuesday, as officials scoured part of the river in response to a
new tip, the town was not waiting for good news necessarily; residents
spent the day just hoping for an end.
"In the last year, every place we go into
has got the signs here about Haleigh," said Dean Ellis. "It's just
heartbreaking to think that somebody's done something to this
child.""Putting it to rest one way or the other (so) that this can be over
with because it's such mental anguish for this whole
community..." Ellis said. "If there's not going to be any good news,
I think, closure is the only news that will make a difference."
Sherlain Moody's 10-year-old daughter attended school with Haleigh.
"All the teachers, they're all still wearing the pins and stuff," Moody said.
Her daughter still doesn't understand what happened to her classmate,
she said. "She's been just kind of sad a little bit, justsad, asking
'What happened to Haleigh? Where's Haleigh, Mom?'"

http://archives.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1004/13/ng.01.html

Misty Croslin has reportedly written a letter telling what happened to Haleigh


Several sources are reporting that Misty Croslin wrote a letter to a family member
revealing what she knows about the night Haleigh Cummings disappeared.
The letter is being examined by authorities in Satsuma, Florida for its
authenticity and validity.
Will this new evidence finally lead investigators to Haleigh?
Remember when the story broke that Tommy came by and stole a gun?
Well now the story seems to be that Tim and Joe, Misty’s cousin, came
by to steal the gun but it wasn’t there. Joe got pissed and took
Haleigh.
It has also been reported that Misty Croslin’s attorney has known
what Misty has been hiding since she was arrested on drug trafficing
charges when she sold prescription pain killers oxycodone and oxycoton to an undercover officer.
This is not verified but its being passed around by Art Harris, a freelance reporter that has been covering this case.
http://mistycroslin.com/tag/joe-overstreet/

cindmo wrote:http://archives.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1004/13/ng.01.html

Divers, K-9 Teams Search River, Woods on Haleigh Cummings Tip; Haleigh Suspect in Custody

PART 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIsXgVaZBs8 (SIERRA1947)
PART 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8_0Ewrh0gI
PART 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgz4Wlzs23k
PART 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VVGBY5jFBg
PART 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN3Aqhw_1pE
PART 6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1OGnzfYtMU
PART 7: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCga0JEvvcc

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