FL HALEIGH CUMMINGS: Missing from Satsuma, FL - 10 Feb 2009 - Age 5 (3 Viewers)

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.
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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

 

[Summer_Breeze]

‘I hope one day those children will be able to return home:’ 3 missing children cases unresolved

Friday marks 14 years since 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings was reported missing from her home in Satsuma, FL.

www.actionnewsjax.com

By Alexus Cleavenger, Action News Jax
February 10, 2023 at 2:06 pm EST

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Friday marks 14 years since 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings was reported missing from her home in Satsuma, FL.

Today also marks 18 years since two Jacksonville boys vanished.

5-year-old Haleigh Cummings disappeared Feb. 9 of 2009 and was reported missing the morning of Feb. 10 by her babysitter, Misty Croslin, who was also the last person to see Haleigh alive.

She’s the former girlfriend of Haleigh’s father, Ronald Cummings.

Both Haleigh’s father and his then girlfriend have been investigated in Haleigh’s disappearance. Neither were ever charged. The two went to prison on drug trafficking charges in 2010.

In 2019 Action News Jax spoke with the lead detective in Haleigh’s case for the 10-year anniversary.

“It’s kind of saddening that we haven’t figured it out yet. This is a place where a little girl went missing from,” said captain Dominic Piscitello with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.

I reached out to the Putnam county Sherriff’s Office this morning to see if there were any new updates and there are no new developments.

 

[Olenna]

From the same news source - actionnewsjax - 10th Anniversary:

Haleigh Cummings disappearance: Detectives revisit case on 10-year anniversary

“It’s kind of saddening because we haven’t figured it out,” Piscitello said. “This is a place where a little girl went missing from, an innocent child that had no control over anything in her life. She was merely a mechanism of her family and she is potentially gone because of what her family was or wasn’t, they didn’t keep her safe.”

For that article, Annette Sykes was interviewed. She told the reporter that she had stage 4 cancer and her last wish was to see Haleigh again.
Do we know if Annette's still with us?

 

[Olenna]

Saw that FDLE tweeted Haleigh's missing notice today.

I wonder if Tommy (imo he knows everything) has to stay in the state?

 

[Cousin Dupree]

Saw that FDLE tweeted Haleigh's missing notice today.

I wonder if Tommy (imo he knows everything) has to stay in the state?

I don't think he knew when he got home, but I think Misty eventually caved and told him everything. I agree he does know everything, but is refusing to say anything.

 

[Olenna]

I don't think he knew when he got home, but I think Misty eventually caved and told him everything. I agree he does know everything, but is refusing to say anything.

When the players all were sentenced - not for Haleigh's death - but for doing what addicts do, my impression was that big-brother Tommy (he had the van) was either present and partying, or suckered-in some way as accessory after the fact.

Why else did Misty keep trying to frame him, and then Joe, with all her squirrely lies? Whatever Tommy's involvement - however he tried to "help" or "cover up" ... it lost Tommy his wife's trust, lost him his own family. She couldn't leave Croslin world fast enough.

Even Timmy bolted to hide his wife's hometown in New England.

Hank and Lisa hung out near jail, being frequent fliers: got arrested, got locked up, got released, went back to visit Misty/Tommy in jail, wash, rinse, repeat until death.

After Tommy lost his own family, Tommy self-medicated himself .... right into LE's trap.

Not sure Ron ever heard the truth from Misty - but ... if drugs did kill Haleigh and Ron realized it ... and the drugs were Ron's ... Ron's smart enough (and likely was counseled) to stick with the "I don't know what happened, I was at work" defense. And have a chance to have a relationship with his son.

Ron loved Haleigh & BB, for sure. Right after he loved guns and drugs ... he next loved Haleigh and BB. A court decided long ago that Ron bested Crystal as a capable loving parent ... And Ron's family loved Haleigh & BB, and to prove it, they made sure the world knew that NOTHING was ever Ron's fault. Including statutory rape, dealing drugs, hiding guns in covered culverts and fighting.

So many thoughtful, frustrating threads on this family and we'd close them with the same 5 words:

Haleigh never had a chance.

 

[Regina]

Why is it reported that Haleigh disappeared on the 9th?
Also, what specifically (and prior to her arrest) is LE referring to when they declare Misty lied?

 

[Kimster]

From the same news source - actionnewsjax - 10th Anniversary:

Haleigh Cummings disappearance: Detectives revisit case on 10-year anniversary

“It’s kind of saddening because we haven’t figured it out,” Piscitello said. “This is a place where a little girl went missing from, an innocent child that had no control over anything in her life. She was merely a mechanism of her family and she is potentially gone because of what her family was or wasn’t, they didn’t keep her safe.”

For that article, Annette Sykes was interviewed. She told the reporter that she had stage 4 cancer and her last wish was to see Haleigh again.
Do we know if Annette's still with us?

Good question. I looked around the web and couldn't find a notice for her.

 

[Kimster]

Why is it reported that Haleigh disappeared on the 9th?
Also, what specifically (and prior to her arrest) is LE referring to when they declare Misty lied?

Former detective in the Haleigh Cummings case believes he knows who could crack it

Haleigh Cummings, 5, was at home in Satsuma one February night in 2009 with her little brother and her father's teenage girlfriend, Misty Croslin. When her father came home from work, Haleigh was gone.

www.firstcoastnews.com

A retired detective discusses the different stories she told during the interview above.

 

[Cousin Dupree]

I think that Croslin and others were getting blotto on, whatever, Haleigh found the stash and overdosed. They then had to dispose of the body and came up with the abduction story.

 

[Olenna]

Why is it reported that Haleigh disappeared on the 9th?
Also, what specifically (and prior to her arrest) is LE referring to when they declare Misty lied?

Recollections:

Haley was reported to 911 as missing at 3:17 AM Feb 10th and Misty spun a first-response story (with a bed time for herself and the kids) that left Haley's disappearance at some point after a Feb 9th 9 pm-ish ("bedtime") until waking between 1-2 AM (when Misty goes to bathroom and notices Haleigh is gone, starts looking for her, calls Ron at work).

Over the months and months of investigation, Misty told many many versions of the story of who what where when and why was at the trailer after Ron left for his work shift - Feb 9th pm. Ron goes to work. Ron's employer confirmed Ron was there his entire shift, on security camera, he races home at 3 AM upon Misty's call. After Ron went to work who last saw Haleigh? Grandma Sykes & Misty & maybe an AC repair guy. (Grandma Sykes with laundry in the afternoon.) Teresa - Ron's mom shows up either before or after Ron shows up after Misty calls Ron. This part of the story, told by relatively sober adults, is fact.

At first Misty denied folks visited the trailer between dinner and bedtime that evening. Misty denied leaving the trailer that night.

For months, Misty's story morphed and shape-shifted. Misty allowed that folks or friends or family or strangers may have or did visit after dinner. Various folks. Misty may have stepped out of the trailer herself. Or maybe that was another night. On 2nd thought she didn't leave the night Haleigh disappeared. Or maybe she hid under covers out of fear and couldn't see but could hear something about Haleigh. Or maybe she was dreaming. But Misty knew definitely the shirt Haleigh wore to bed, described it exactly. Which turns out was the exact shirt LE found rolled up in the trailer. Here it is, can't be, oops, oh maybe Misty's memory of that night is ... just a drugged haze. Tommy Croslin, Misty's big brother, whose kids were playmates of Haleigh, was one potential named "visitor". At one point, Misty suggested brother Tommy was somehow involved moving Haleigh out of the trailer. She casually threw pedophilia as motive. She was recorded with Tommy (both in prison) with another story version.

Misty was like a damaged squirrel in a papered room with a pen tied to its tail.

So ... the folks-visit story changed over time from no visitors to visitors that came:
(a) to hang and party (drugs) or
(b) to settle a business beef (over a gun) or
(c) to settle a business beef (over drugs) or
(d) to settle a business beef by kidnapping a resisting Haleigh or
(e) by foot, by van, by pickup
(f) to kidnap Haleigh while Misty shuddered under covers holding Butterbean or
(g) to take a crying Haleigh out in a bag while Misty saw only the bag or
(h) to take a quiet Haleigh out in a bag or
(i) to take Haleigh to a certain spot in the river and
the identity of the visitors - who ranged from strangers to various Misty relations to Misty/Ron family/friends - changed with the stories.

10 years after the fact, police told reporters that Misty had taken a shower prior to LE responders arriving that night.
TEN YEARS LATER.
Okay then.

As usual, we only know what the press thinks they've confirmed from what they felt was a real source.

Ron's family (mother/grandmother) - may have told themselves 15/16 year old Misty was a lost soul - semi-illiterate school dropout - who could be trained for Ron's childcare needs while Ron worked. Misty came from a toxic family bonded by addiction and co-dependency. Haleigh and Butterbean's bio-mom Crystal was a never-able-to-recover addict and Ron, who had his mom and grandma as available caregivers, won custody when Crystal failed to show for the hearing; child services kept a watch for a while. Misty was less caregiver and more a street urchin - duplicitous with a survivor instinct - as one might be if raised the baby of a drug-addicted family. But she liked kids. At 15/16, she became Ron's (then 23/24) child caregiver and then live-in girlfriend. She complained (sometimes) that the kids were a handful (of course they were). And she didn't have time for herself or to socialize with friends. Ron was dependable enough to hold a job, enjoy the kids, and at the same time, he sold drugs, and made enemies, had a violent temper. Both liked to party. Ron did not like it when Misty left the kids alone to party with friends. They fought about that; family said Ron/Misty argued abut that the last day Ron saw Haleigh.

After losing Haleigh Ron married Misty hoping for who knows what under a glaring national spotlight. The spotlight dimmed, Misty's stories grew, Ron got fed up with Misty, reversed the marriage, still kept dealing drugs with the Croslin gang until they were stopped by LE's drug sting.

To this day, (other than Misty) it seems (to me) brother Tommy is most likely to have first-hand info re Haleigh's disappearance.

It's Misty that surely knows.

Tommy (and Hope, Ron's cousin) was part of the LE drug sting that sent them (and a few others) to jail and to the crucible of pressure to trade guilty plea and truth about Haleigh for lesser time. Of Tommy, Misty, Ron ... only Ron was cut a sentencing break. Maybe he had a better lawyer/cut a better deal.

I understand that Butterbean legally landed with Teresa and continued to spend time with Crystal over the years.

That gives me a hopeful headache - hoping Butterbean had/has a chance outside Ron's high risk orbit.

Haleigh never had a chance.

 

[Olenna]

I think that Croslin and others were getting blotto on, whatever, Haleigh found the stash and overdosed. They then had to dispose of the body and came up with the abduction story.

magic 8-ball says:

very likely

 

[Olenna]

Former detective in the Haleigh Cummings case believes he knows who could crack it

Haleigh Cummings, 5, was at home in Satsuma one February night in 2009 with her little brother and her father's teenage girlfriend, Misty Croslin. When her father came home from work, Haleigh was gone.

www.firstcoastnews.com

A retired detective discusses the different stories she told during the interview above.

Fresh evidence on Haleigh Cummings, a five-year-old girl who disappeared from home without trace 10 years ago

This article ^^ from 2020 (I just read it today) says:

"Investigators still believe that Croslin is the key to solving the crime. She was the last to see Haleigh alive, and the evidence seems to implicate her in the disappearance one way or the other.

For one, PCSO deputies found no signs of forced entry into the family's trailer, with Captain Dominic Piscitello revealing that Croslin had taken a shower before they reached the residence and that there were a lot of strange things about her that night that caught their attention.

Furthermore, detectives have described her statements about the night as inconsistent and said that she has changed her story multiple times over the past decade.

In footage from the interview room where she was being questioned by the detective that features in 'Real Life Nightmare,' Cummings can be seen confronting her about the disappearance.

"You didn't wake up", he says, to which she sobs and responds, "I would never let nothing happen to her if I knew something. I wouldn't let someone just take her."

"You didn't get out of bed?" he asks. "You sure you didn't unlock the door?" She answers, "I didn't even hear anything."

The docuseries also includes footage of Croslin walking through the crime scene just days after Haleigh vanished and crying after finding the shirt Haleigh was wearing the night she went missing.

"When these indicators start popping up that her story to us, as far as the clothing is not adding up, that's when everything starts going from the outside and starts focusing right back on Misty again," said John Merchant, a former lead detective on the case."

 

[Olenna]

On the Scene: A Talk With Missing Haleigh Cummings' Family

^^^
greta van susteren interview w Crystal and Teresa, 19 days in.


A year later, HaLeigh leaves behind family falling apart

^^^
I'd never read this St Augustine article from 2010. Deep dive on both family's history by newspaper one year post missing date. Pretty interesting.

 

[Regina]

A retired detective discusses the different stories she told during the interview above.

I was asking about inconsistencies prior to her arrest.
In that video clip, Merchant said he doesn't believe that Misty wouldn't have heard anything. And then he's concluded that no one could have gotten into the home.

Haley was reported to 911 as missing at 3:17 AM Feb 10th and Misty spun a first-response story (with a bed time for herself and the kids) that left Haley's disappearance at some point after a Feb 9th 9 pm-ish ("bedtime") until waking between 1-2 AM (when Misty goes to bathroom and notices Haleigh is gone, starts looking for her, calls Ron at work).

Over the months and months of investigation, Misty told many many versions of the story of who what where when and why was at the trailer after Ron left for his work shift - Feb 9th pm. various Misty relations to Misty/Ron family/friends - changed with the stories.

10 years after the fact, police told reporters that Misty had taken a shower prior to LE responders arriving that night.

I recall her saying that she put the kids to bed at about 8, that she went to bed at about 10 and woke up at 3-something (she said she saw the number 3) and saw the kitchen light was on, and that's consistent with all I've heard directly from her up until the time of her arrest.
She said she woke up to go to the bathroom, although years after her incarceration, she said she doesn't know why she woke up. I believe the latter is how it happened, that is, she doesn't know why she woke up, but was getting up to use the bathroom when she saw that the kitchen light on and went to see whether Ron was home. (That's actually what she said, that when she saw the kitchen light on, she thought Ron was home.)
Now, apparently a police report states that she said she got up and went to the kitchen to get a drink. Well, I think if she did say that, it could also be true. I wouldn't see it as changing her story, but adding to it, which is not the same thing.

I don't know what to say about info that Misty took a shower prior to arrival of police. Is that what she said? That after she called 911 she took a shower?

 

[Regina]

The docuseries also includes footage of Croslin walking through the crime scene just days after Haleigh vanished and crying after finding the shirt Haleigh was wearing the night she went missing.

Why did Misty find the shirt as opposed to LE?
Well, did they take it into evidence and send it for analysis?

 

[Regina]

Over the months and months of investigation, Misty told many many versions of the story of who what where when and why was at the trailer after Ron left for his work shift - Feb 9th pm.

Again, I'm only interested in statements prior to her arrest.
And re that, she said that the ac guy came by, and her brother and his children. As for the grandmother, it's been my impression that LE isn't positive whether she came by that night or not.

 

[Olenna]

yer welcome.

Why did Misty find the shirt as opposed to LE?
Well, did they take it into evidence and send it for analysis?

LE found the shirt.

As I recall, LE kicked out Ron/Misty and worked that trailer/house over as a crime scene for 10 days or so... Found exactly ZIP evidence ... at least that was made public. LE consistently says nothing from the trailer search or from Misty's various statements leads anywhere.

Timmy/Chelsea had a van that ... had been used/moved and damaged "without their knowledge/permission" ... that van also spent a month with LE. (Gramma Holler (Flo) has the theory there. )

Timmy & Chelsea bolted town with their 3 kids ... right after their van was returned by LE.

Lindsey divorced Tommy.

 

[Olenna]

Again, I'm only interested in statements prior to her arrest.
And re that, she said that the ac guy came by, and her brother and his children. As for the grandmother, it's been my impression that LE isn't positive whether she came by that night or not.

Grandma (Annette) brought the kids' laundry over (finished) after Ron went to work, saw Haleigh, and even remembered what the kids were eating - peas - iirc. Fact if we believe Annette. That was an important statement b/c Annette saw Haleigh after Ron left work work which cleared Ron.

If you read enough, you'll find that Ron and Misty were fighting the entire weekend prior and Annette was pissed b/c Misty gave herself a "vacation" and let Ron high and dry and without a caregiver for a few days the week prior.

Misty's "friends" Nay Nay and Amber were interviewed by police about the week prior. Amber being the mom of one of Ron's other children. (cough-cough).

Misty made a variety of statements for the entire year prior to her arrest. Lots of them. To the press, to various investigators, to LE, through her counsel.
Her direct statements, lumped together = conflicting distraction/noise. She was frequently emotionless and vague and "didn't know".

 

[Olenna]

Per her FB, Hope is home; with current pix of cousin Ron.

 

[Regina]

Grandma (Annette) brought the kids' laundry over (finished) after Ron went to work, saw Haleigh, and even remembered what the kids were eating - peas - iirc. Fact if we believe Annette. That was an important statement b/c Annette saw Haleigh after Ron left work work which cleared Ron.

Well, my point was that I don't think LE confirmed the info. The only LE person who I recall spoke who spoke about it- that a grandmother said she saw Haleigh at 7 pm- came across to me as skeptical of the info.
Anyway, do you know what time the ac guy was there?