TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Girl's Disappearance Deemed Abduction

ADVERTISEMENT

By RAY REYES and JOSH POLTILOVE

rreyes@tampatrib.com jpoltilove@tampatrib.com

Published: February 13, 2009

Investigators were interviewing 44 registered sex offenders in the disappearance of a 5-year-old Putnam County girl that they are treating as an abduction.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office says it is handling the disappearance of Haleigh Cummings as an abduction because house-to-house searches of the neighborhood offered no evidence she wandered off.

The search and investigation are ongoing.

The 44 sex offenders being questioned live within five miles of Ronald Cummings' home in Satsuma, about 84 miles north of Orlando. Neighbors and family members also were being interviewed by detectives.

Haleigh last was seen Monday. Her father told investigators she was missing when he returned home from work about 3 a.m. Tuesday. Ronald Cummings said his girlfriend was awake and frantic that Haleigh was missing from bed.

The girlfriend, 17-year-old Misty Croslin, told a 911 dispatcher that a back door that usually was locked had been propped open with a brick.

On Thursday, Ronald Cummings said he and Croslin have passed polygraph tests, according to CNN.com.
Cummings also told NBC's "Today" show he did not think Haleigh had left their home in the middle of the night.

"I know somebody took her," he said. "I know for a fact she didn't wander off. She's afraid of the dark."

Four years ago, 9-year-old Jessica Marie "Jessie" Lunsford was abducted from her Citrus County home. After authorities spent several days searching, she was found buried near the trailer of John Evander Couey, who now is on death row.

Jessica's dad, Mark Lunsford, said he could not sleep Tuesday night because of the news about Haleigh. "The only thing screwing me up on this is watching the dad. I know how he feels," he said by phone from his Homosassa home.

Lunsford had advice for Haleigh's father. "Don't think you can hold this in and deal with it. Call me. I know what you're going through."

Lunsford said it is routine for investigators to focus on family members and that Cummings should not allow himself to grow angry or feel threatened. During the search for Jessica, the relationship between Lunsford and his father, Archie Lunsford, became strained. Citrus County deputies initially focused on Archie Lunsford as a suspect.

"The family will take the brunt at first," Lunsford said. As if speaking to Cummings, he added, "Take what they dish out. If the answer's different, they're man enough to apologize."

Information from The Associated Press and CNN.com was used in this report. Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 259-7920. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT