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Search Expands For Missing Putnam County Girl

The Associated Press

Crystal Sheffield, left, mother of missing 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings, weeps as Johnny Sheffield, Crystal's father, tries to comfort her on Wednesday.

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The Associated Press

Published: February 13, 2009

Updated: 02/13/2009 05:55 pm

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Haleigh Cummings

SATSUMA - Searchers looking for clues into the disappearance of a 5-year-old girl who vanished from their home said they had "a very productive" Friday and found several items of interest.

But Capt. Steve Rose with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office would not discuss what was found, but said teams will continue to search the woods and waterways near Hayleigh Cumming's home Saturday.
Rose said investigators believe the girl is still alive.

"We continue to believe this is an abduction. Whether she was abducted from her home or Haleigh left on her own and somebody picked her up, or course, that person has no rights to Haleigh and that is considered an abduction," Rose said at a news conference.

Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy said about 50 volunteers with Texas EquuSearch, including some on horseback, are combing areas of thick brush and marshland looking for Haleigh Cummings, who disappeared early Tuesday. The search area was widened beyond the initial 5 miles from the girl's home.

"We are still extremely concerned about her safety and whereabouts," the sheriff said.

Hardy said the girl's family members will be interviewed again, but refused to say exactly who.

The girl's parents are divorced and the she was being watched by the father's 17-year-old girlfriend, Misty Croslin, when she vanished from the father's home.

Hardy refused to comment on the family members authorities have talked to or whether their stories were consistent.

The sheriff said investigators have looked into more than 350 leads, but have not made any arrests.

"The world is a suspect," the sheriff said.

Several dozen sex offenders and predators living in the area have all been interviewed and their homes checked, Hardy said.

Dominick Pape, special agent in charge of the Jacksonville office of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, said forensic evidence collected during the investigation such as DNA and fingerprints would be a priority.

About 20 agents are working around the clock at a command center parked near the doublewide mobile home where the girl went missing.

"We have yet to make a recovery and we are working toward that," Pape said.

The sheriff's office was called about 3 a.m. Tuesday when the father, Ronald Cummings, returned from work and his girlfriend said the child missing.

The blue mobile home is located in a wooded area off a dirt road. Toys are strewn around the yard and it is still blocked off by yellow crime tape and a deputy parked in a car.

"The bottom line is we have a 5-year-old girl missing and we don't know where she is," the sheriff said.

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