FL HALEIGH CUMMINGS: Missing from Satsuma, FL - 10 Feb 2009 - Age 5

Haleigh's photo is shown age-progressed to 15 years. She was last known to be sleeping in her home, in the area of Hermit's Cove in Satsuma, Florida, on the evening of February 9, 2009. Haleigh was discovered missing during the early morning hours of February 10, 2009. She may still be in the local area. Haleigh's ears are pierced.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Haleigh was last known to be sleeping in her family's trailer in the 200 block of Green Lane in the area of Hermit's Cove in Satsuma, Florida, late in the evening on February 9, 2009. She went to bed at 8:00 p.m. Her father's live-in girlfriend of five months, Misty Janette Croslin (sometimes identified in the media by her later married name, Misty Cummings), went to sleep in the same room at 10:00 p.m. Haleigh's three-year-old brother was also sleeping in that room.

Haleigh's father, Ronald Lemyles Cummings, finished working second shift and arrived home sometime after 3:00 a.m. on February 10. Misty told him she'd just discovered Haleigh was missing from her bed. The rear door to the trailer was several inches ajar and the screen door had been propped open with a cinder block. Ronald and Misty called 911 at 3:37 a.m. to report Haleigh's disappearance.

The police found no sign of forced entry to the trailer, but they are uncertain whether the back door was locked. Ronald and Misty have insisted that it was, and Ronald maintains the trailer was broken into.

Haleigh's younger brother told investigators that a man dressed in black had come to their home that night and taken his sister. Authorities aren't sure how much credence to give to his story, given his age. An extensive search of the area turned up no sign of Haleigh. Her father stated she wouldn't have left home by herself at night, as she is afraid of the dark.


In October 2009, six months into the marriage, Ronald filed for divorce. He cited irreconcilable differences as the reason, mainly the stress caused by Haleigh's disappearance and the subsequent police investigation and media attention. The divorce became final within days; since Ronald and Misty had only been married a short time and they didn't share any property or have any children together, there was little to discuss.

Police repeatedly questioned Misty about Haleigh's disappearance and looked into the possibility that she wasn't in fact at home when the child disappeared. Misty describes herself as a devoted caregiver to Haleigh and her brother and said she had been home the entire night and hadn't left the children alone.

Investigators have been publicly skeptical of Misty's story, stating she failed four polygraphs and one voice stress test, and changed her story multiple times; they described her accounts as "consistently inconsistent."

NCMEC -

Have you seen this child? HALEIGH CUMMINGS

Missing From: SATSUMA, FL. Missing Date: 02/10/2009. Haleigh's photo is shown age-progressed to 15 years. She was last known to be sleeping in her home, in the area of Hermit's Cove in Satsuma, Florida, on the evening of February 9, 2009. Haleigh was discovered missing during the early morning...

api.missingkids.org

NamUs -

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Charley Project -

Haleigh Ann-Marie Cummings – The Charley Project

HALEIGH CUMMINGS is still missing from Satsuma, FL since Feb 2009.

Haleigh was discovered missing during the early morning hours of February 10, 2009. She may still be in the local area.

www.crimewatchers.net

 

[Cousin Dupree]

IIRC, RC had a better attorney than Croslin was able to afford. Add to that, LE has verified that RC was at werk when HaLeigh disappeared while on Croslin’s watch. Croslin is where she belongs. She may have even gotten a lighter sentence for manslaughter had she told the truth.

I think they all know what Really happened.

 

[Mel70]

I agree. Both Misty and the fathers behavior was suspicious to me.

 

[KareBear]

HaLeigh goes missing in Feb, they get married like 2 months later.. then get divorced 6 mos after that? What the..??

 

[Cousin Dupree]

HaLeigh goes missing in Feb, they get married like 2 months later.. then get divorced 6 mos after that. What the..??

This whole freaking case is a bunch of really disgusting people.

 

[Kimster]

This whole freaking case is a bunch of really disgusting people.

They were all constantly on illegal hard drugs. That was their way of life.

 

[Kimster]

PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — Thursday marks 13 years since Haleigh Cummings disappeared from her Satsuma home in Putnam County.

Authorities said she was 5 years old and a Kindergarten student at Browning-Pearce Elementary School when she went missing on Feb. 10, 2009.

Her babysitter Misty Croslin, who was 17 at the time, was the last person to see her, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office said. Croslin reported Haleigh missing, launching a manhunt for the little girl.


Haleigh’s disappearance garnered national attention, but she has never been found.

‘We do not forget:’ 13 years since Haleigh Cummings’ disappearance in Putnam County

Haleigh would be 18 years old now. Her case remains one of Florida’s seven unsolved AMBER Alerts.

www.actionnewsjax.com

 

[Mel70]

I just watched a documentary on this. She was sleeping on a mattress on the floor in the same bedroom of the parents. The father was at work and Misty said she was sleeping also in their bed in the same room. The father said "B***h you lost my kid?!". Then married 17 yr old Misty and divorced her 8 mths later. There are a couple reasons why he would have done that. I think it was in some way to cover himself. I truly believe Misty knows everything that happened. Sleeping only a few feet away. And not that it hasn't happened. But the child disappearing in the night in most cases was a lie from people in the house. I think this fits the criteria.

 

[Kimster]

I just watched a documentary on this. She was sleeping on a mattress on the floor in the same bedroom of the parents. The father was at work and Misty said she was sleeping also in their bed in the same room. The father said "B***h you lost my kid?!". Then married 17 yr old Misty and divorced her 8 mths later. There are a couple reasons why he would have done that. I think it was in some way to cover himself. I truly believe Misty knows everything that happened. Sleeping only a few feet away. And not that it hasn't happened. But the child disappearing in the night in most cases was a lie from people in the house. I think this fits the criteria.

I watched this case closely for many years. My opinion at this stage is that HaLeigh ingested some drugs or something else that killed her. When her dad came home and heard the story, he decided that he might be implicated since it was his house and drugs. They were known to be heavily into the hard drug lifestyle, which isn't safe for any children! I don't come by my opinion on my own, either. The rumor of HaLeigh ingesting narcotics swarmed around the people on the fringe in this case.

She is likely in the bottom of the river, again, another strong rumor that circulated around their friends and family not long after she went missing.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I just watched a documentary on this. She was sleeping on a mattress on the floor in the same bedroom of the parents. The father was at work and Misty said she was sleeping also in their bed in the same room. The father said "B***h you lost my kid?!". Then married 17 yr old Misty and divorced her 8 mths later. There are a couple reasons why he would have done that. I think it was in some way to cover himself. I truly believe Misty knows everything that happened. Sleeping only a few feet away. And not that it hasn't happened. But the child disappearing in the night in most cases was a lie from people in the house. I think this fits the criteria.

I almost never believe a young child leaves at night and walks out in the dark. And 9 times out of 10 they are clothed(?) or have shoes on or so the parents say... Nope.

 

[Mel70]

I watched this case closely for many years. My opinion at this stage is that HaLeigh ingested some drugs or something else that killed her. When her dad came home and heard the story, he decided that he might be implicated since it was his house and drugs. They were known to be heavily into the hard drug lifestyle, which isn't safe for any children! I don't come by my opinion on my own, either. The rumor of HaLeigh ingesting narcotics swarmed around the people on the fringe in this case.

She is likely in the bottom of the river, again, another strong rumor that circulated around their friends and family not long after she went missing.

They did cover the river theory and searched thoroughly. But I just think they didn't find her. That river is very muddy. It's certainly not the first case where you're certain that a person is in a body of water but never found.

 

[Mel70]

Oh yeah. And it showed the footage in the car when Misty got busted for selling prescription drugs. She got 25 yrs. Her dad asked for leniency. Psh.

 

[Cousin Dupree]

I watched this case closely for many years. My opinion at this stage is that HaLeigh ingested some drugs or something else that killed her. When her dad came home and heard the story, he decided that he might be implicated since it was his house and drugs. They were known to be heavily into the hard drug lifestyle, which isn't safe for any children! I don't come by my opinion on my own, either. The rumor of HaLeigh ingesting narcotics swarmed around the people on the fringe in this case.

She is likely in the bottom of the river, again, another strong rumor that circulated around their friends and family not long after she went missing.

That makes the most sense. The marriage was so she wouldn't have to testify against him, I believe.

 

[Mel70]

That makes the most sense. The marriage was so she wouldn't have to testify against him, I believe.

That would make sense. But it wouldn't make it to testify against him that fast. But things went terribly wrong and maybe because she was 17?. You were 12 when my daughter was born. Ugh.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I don't know, I've always thought it certainly could be either of these two or both. IF his alibi is iron clad and he got home after 3 and they called authorities by 3:30, it is more likely she did something. How solid is that time frame?

If the child ingested drugs, it certainly could be the fault of either and I can believe that is the rumor and/or they may have even contributed to it. After all, it is a less damaging story than that she was murdered. A 5 year old certainly could do that, not denying it but I'm not sure I think it but I'm not discounting it either.

I have thoughts in cases that just come from other cases and life. Misty was a minor herself and I guess with this "man". It isn't uncommon for someone a child herself to be jealous of his other female child... I have seen it, even in older wives. It is almost like sibling rivalry for attention and affection and $$ sometimes even. It is one thought I have... And she was with her allegedly...

Can't recall offhand but is there any independent time of when she was last seen by someone other than these two?

They are both pieces of work and it is likely both know what happened unless she did something to her and has never come clean with him...

 

[Regina]

I think investigators need to start over because as cold cases are solved, I'm seeing that even in cases where LE believed they had a POI or suspect, DNA shows they were wrong, and in this case, while I try to understand the reasons why LE focused on Misty, I see no evidence that she has any knowledge of who even might have abducted Hayleigh.

 

[Cousin Dupree]

I think investigators need to start over because as cold cases are solved, I'm seeing that even in cases where LE believed they had a POI or suspect, DNA shows they were wrong, and in this case, while I try to understand the reasons why LE focused on Misty, I see no evidence that she has any knowledge of who even might have abducted Hayleigh.

I don't think she was abducted. That was the cover story. As @Kimster pointed out she probably died of a drug overdose.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I think investigators need to start over because as cold cases are solved, I'm seeing that even in cases where LE believed they had a POI or suspect, DNA shows they were wrong, and in this case, while I try to understand the reasons why LE focused on Misty, I see no evidence that she has any knowledge of who even might have abducted Hayleigh.

As usual, with little time these days, I haven't looked back into this but did read a few posts to refresh on it.

She was home with her. I mean it is easy to see the reason for the focus. And we don't know (I don't think, can't recall) who she did in questioning by investigators, whether they caught her out in things that didn't make sense, etc. or seemed truthful. Apparently he has an alibi.

I do get though that they also should look or should have looked at a possibility of abduction/possible abductors but maybe they did. Maybe it was ruled out. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe they know who did this or have enough to know but not enough to charge. I don't know this but would have to refresh on it but do know we never know the things investigators know. Maybe it is time they let some of that info out. It has been 13 years.

 

[Regina]

I don't think she was abducted. That was the cover story. As @Kimster pointed out she probably died of a drug overdose.

Well, if she was abducted, what are the stats? Specifically, is the perp more likely a family acquaintance or a neighbor? I think I see it most often is a neighbor, especially in cases where the perp entered the home.
(Not that acquaintances don't enter the home, just that I see it's most often a neighbor than an acquaintance.)

 

[GrandmaBear]

Well, if she was abducted, what are the stats? Specifically, is the perp more likely a family acquaintance or a neighbor? I think I see it most often is a neighbor, especially in cases where the perp entered the home.
(Not that acquaintances don't enter the home, just that I see it's most often a neighbor than an acquaintance.)

I don't know, you see an awful lot of abductions where it a family friend or acquaintance, former bf, step uncle, etc. of someone, etc. They often have a reason to be there, know the layout, etc. Probably far more common than a neighbor but if one is talking more "stranger" abduction or one where they may know of each other, etc., then yeah, someone who lives in the trailer court. Was this a court, I can't recall...

I don't think this was an abduction but can see that others might. I think it is a typical staged scene most likely. Wonder where the cinder block came from? Their own yard, porch, etc.? Kind of doubt someone hauled one with imo.

 

[Regina]

I don't know, you see an awful lot of abductions where it a family friend or acquaintance, former bf, step uncle, etc. of someone, etc. They often have a reason to be there, know the layout, etc. Probably far more common than a neighbor but if one is talking more "stranger" abduction or one where they may know of each other, etc., then yeah, someone who lives in the trailer court. Was this a court, I can't recall...

I don't think this was an abduction but can see that others might. I think it is a typical staged scene most likely. Wonder where the cinder block came from? Their own yard, porch, etc.? Kind of doubt someone hauled one with imo.

Oh, yes, it's my understanding that the cinderblock came from the house, and so can't you imagine how easily such a rough surface would/should collect skin cells?!
Excellent point, thanks for bringing it up!

About acquaintance vs neighbor, I think I was just trying to differentiate in my own mind between 'lives nearby vs lives outside the neighborhood'...
Anyway, my impression of the neighborhood is that it's a rather rural mobile community...