FDLE: We need to focus on Haleigh's face, not her clothing Contributor: Katie Kosciolek Email: kkosciolek@tvjaxfl.com Last Update: 6:35 pm SATSUMA, Fla. -- A pink shirt that was in the original Amber Alert description for Haleigh Cummings is now in investigators hands. Investigators wouldn't say how they obtained the shirt, but FDLE Special Agent in Charge, Dominick Pape, said they don't want people focusing on the pink shirt because they have that item. Special Agent in Charge Pape reiterated throughout the news conference Tuesday, "We need information...information is key." "Now is the time to find her and focus on her physical description," said Special Agent Pape. Investigators are asking everyone to look at the updated Amber Alert on the FDLE website. You can go view the updated Amber Alert by clicking on the following link: http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/mcicsearch/FlyerNewPerson.asp?Case_Id=28474&case_nbr= Sheriff: "Don't give up hope." SATSUMA, Fla. -- "Don't give up hope," is a what Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy reiterated during a press conference Monday afternoon. Day seven in the search for Haleigh Cummings still left many questions unanswered. When asked if any tips have led to any suspects, Sheriff Hardy said they are following up on all tips, but did not say if there are any persons of interest or suspects. Sheriff Hardy said investigators have been in contact with the familiy and Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings, is being cooperative. He went on to add that they have not abandoned the search. "The search is not limited to Putnam County," he said. Florida Deparment of Law Enforcement Special Agent, Dominick Pape, said they will look anywhere in this country, if they get a valid lead. Frustation as the search for Haleigh ends Day Six SATSUMA, Fla. -- "Nothing of significance" is beginning to be a familiar phrase in the daily news briefings in the search for missing five-year-old Putnam County girl Haleigh Cummings. The most significant development on day six of the search was the moving of the command post off the street where Haleigh is believed to have disappeared. The Putnam County Sheriff's office, the lead agency in the search, said it was time to let neighbors have their lives return to normal. Additionally, the E.O.C. is better equipped for this part of the investigation. For day six of the search, investigators and teams searched by ground and boat to look for any sign of Haleigh. In the end, Chief Rick Ryan of the Putnam County Sheriff's office reported they again came up empty. Nearly 300 people took part today in the search for the little girl missing without a trace. Ryan said crews will be back out tomorrow to search two more areas. If nothing is found, he says the ground search will be suspended at that point. One difference in tomorrow's search, the group Equusearch will not be involved. Equusearch is a specialized team of searchers with specialized equipment who have helped with many high profile missing children cases across the country. After several days in the county, the Texas based group is ending its search tonight. Nearly 300 people took part in today's search, including 170 from Equusearch. Ryan says he is confident in the areas searched, they "have left no stone unturned." While the ground search may be suspended tomorrow, Chief Ryan stressed that police work will continue. The department has at least 500 leads they are following. Ryan also said both family and non-family members will continue to be interviewed as part of the process. This case is still be treating as an abduction. Haleigh was last seen Monday night when her father's girlfriend says she put the girl to bed. A statewide Amber Alert was issued Tuesday morning for the little girl. Haleigh's father says the blond haired girl was missing when he returned home from work that morning around 3 a.m. The trailer where Haleigh lives had no signs of forced entry but a back door was propped open. Ronald Cummings says his girlfriend was awake and frantic that Haleigh was missing from her bed. Investigators say they're treating the disappearance as an abduction because house-to-house searches of the neighborhood found no evidence that she wandered away. Frustration was clearly evident on the faces of investigators today. In an exchange with a reporter, Chief Ryan said "this is not C.S.I. We can't wrap this up in an hour." The reference to the hit CBS show just one example of the frustration investigators feel. http://www.cbs47.com/content/topstories/story/FDLE-We-need-to-focus-on-Haleighs-face-not-her/Y3pjMCMMN06UOUAMXyXjfw.cspx?rss=1

Deputies Tweak Haleigh’s Description In Amber Alert Tuesday, February 17, 2009 11:40:24 PM SATSUMA -- Despite following up on hundreds of leads, deputies said they're no closer to finding missing 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings. At a press conference Tuesday morning, Capt. Steve Rose, with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, said detectives canvassed the Satsuma neighborhood Monday night and found new people they had not spoken to about the girl's disappearance. "We were able to come up with several good leads that we are following up on," Rose said. "Those leads, as I said, were a result of doing the neighborhood canvas last night." So far, all of those leads have come up short. At an afternoon press conference, deputies said they slightly change the Amber Alert out for Haleigh, saying she wasn't wearing a pink shirt when she vanished as first thought. Other than that, investigators said not much has changed about their case, and they're appealing to the entire nation for help. Several people have taken polygraph tests, including Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings, 25, and his girlfriend, Misty Croslin, 17. Croslin was the last person to see Haleigh before she disappeared. Ronald Cummings told deputies he left his daughter and son in bed in Croslin's care. Croslin said when she got out of bed, she could not find Haleigh. Investigators would not release information about what the polygraph tests showed, or comment on whether they still believe Croslin is telling the truth. Officials would also not answer questions about Croslin, including where she was, and if she had access to a car during the time Haleigh disappeared from her Satsuma home. "We are still looking at everybody as a suspect," Rose said. The ground search for the missing child has ended, but investigators will continue to work on leads. Father Begs For Search To Continue Ronald Cummings pleaded for searchers to continue looking for his missing daughter as authorities switched gears in the case Monday. Law enforecement and volunteers with Texas EquuSearch conducted their last ground search Monday in a wooded area about 10 miles from the Putnam County girl's home. Afterward, volunteers began packing up to leave, something Cummings said is his worst nightmare. "Law enforcement is discouraged. Volunteers, I don't know, but I encourage anybody that wants to help look for my daughter come back and help me look," Ronald Cummings said. Putnam County sheriff's investigators have moved their command post to the Emergency Operations Center in Palatka, where they plan to follow as many as 500 leads. Cummings pulled Texas EquuSearch founder Tim Miller aside to plead for his team to stay. In the end, Miller told Cummings he had to leave. "He was begging for us to stay, but I explained to him that we have other cases," Miller said. "Let's move forward, and if something comes up, we'll come back." Cummings, however, made one final call to his daughter, hoping she was listening. "For the perpetrator or perpetrators, please bring her home. Please bring her home safe," Cummings said. "And if she's watching, baby, I love you. I'll never give up on you." Have You Seen Haleigh? If you have seen Haleigh Cummings or know anything about her disappearance, Call 911. http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/2/17/amber_alert__haleighs_father_begs_for_search_to_continue.html

Police Follow Tip Haleigh's Dad's Girlfriend Wasn't Home Investigators Following More Than 1,000 Tips POSTED: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 UPDATED: 11:44 pm EST February 17, 2009 PALATKA, Fla. -- Since an Amber Alert was issued for 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings one week ago, more than 1,000 tips have poured into a Crimestoppers hot line; and until Tuesday afternoon investigators have not released specific information about the leads they've received. However, on Tuesday, new information was released that Haleigh's father's girlfriend, 17-year-old Misty Croslin, may not have been at home the night Haleigh disappeared. Investigators in Putnam County said they are looking into the Croslin tip as a possibility. Haleigh was reported missing just after 3 a.m. last Tuesday when Croslin told authorities she woke up and found the child missing. Within minutes, Croslin and Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings, placed frantic calls to 911. A massive search was under way by first light and an Amber Alert was issued. Since the investigation began, Croslin has told detectives and told Channel 4 that she put Haleigh and the girl's younger brother to bed at about 8 p.m., and that at 10 p.m. both children were still in bed. Misty Croslin tearfully describes waking up, finding the back door of their mobile home open and Haleigh gone. Croslin said when she awoke at about 3 a.m. to use the bathroom she noticed Haleigh was missing. "I didn't make it to the bathroom. I seen the kitchen light on and I walked in the kitchen and the back door is wide open," Croslin told Channel 4's Laura Mazzeo. "I go in the room and she's gone. And that's all I know. When I went to bed she was there and then when I got up and she was gone." Croslin has been interviewed by detectives and volunteered to take a lie-detector test -- which she said she passed -- but had not spoken publicly until midday Thursday when she spoke to Mazzeo. "I didn't hear anything at all. If I'd heard something, I would have got up and I wouldn't have let them take her," Croslin said. Croslin said Haleigh and her 3-year-old brother "look at me like their mom." "I love her like she's my own," she said. "I just want her to come home." Croslin said she doesn't blame herself, but she's emotionally devastated and just want to know that Haleigh is safe. "I wished they'd took me instead of her, because I could have fought," Croslin said. "She's only 5; she can't really do anything. What do they want with a little 5-year-old?" Detectives said the lead that Croslin may not have been home when Haleigh went missing is just one of many tips they are looking into. Investigators also revealed on Tuesday new information about Amber Alert that was issued last week, say they have the pink T-shirt Haleigh was originally thought to be wearing the night she disappeared. "We obtained information through our investigation that young Haleigh was not, in fact, wearing the pink shirt at the time of her disappearance," Putnam County Chief Deputy Rick Ryan said. "What we need people to focus on (Haleigh's) face because we do not know at this time what the clothing was." Tuesday afternoon, officials said they have received almost 1,200 leads -- double the number they had on Monday -- but there have been no confirmed sightings of Haleigh. Still, officials said all tips are welcome and anyone with information about Haleigh's disappearance should call at 888-277-TIPS or the FDLE's Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse at 888-FL-MISSING. Hope Service Held For Haleigh Over the past week, family and friends of Haleigh have come together to pray for the child's safe return during candlelight vigils. On Tuesday afternoon, instead of gathering for an outdoor candlelight vigil, they met a church a few miles from the Cummings' home. Hundreds of people, some who do not know Haleigh or her family personally, gathered at Dunns Creek Baptist Church to pray for the missing 5-year-old girl. "It's horrible that sometimes it takes tragedies to pull people together to wake them up and make them realize what's really important in this life," said Nancy Mann, who attended the hope service. Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings, and her mother, Crystal Sheffield, sat side-by-side throughout the service as they held their son and listened to words of encouragement. Croslin was also at the service, sitting on Cummings' other side. Pastor Terry Wright said although some would argue that Tuesday's service was pointless because too many days have passed in the search for Haleigh, he said he's choosing not to adopt an attitude of despair. "We're choosing to have hope because we believe in a God bigger than the statistics," Wright said. The pastor ended the hope service by asking everyone to pray for Haleigh and for her family before they left. http://www.news4jax.com/news/18735417/detail.html

More information about the missing Marion County sex offender By Jim Ross Staff Writer Published: Monday, February 16, 2009 at 3:14 p.m. Last Modified: Monday, February 16, 2009 at 3:14 p.m. Putnam County officials have heard about Chad Eugene Reynolds, 25, a Marion County registered sexual predator who has been missing since early February. They have talked to Reynolds' family members in Putnam County, and right now they do not believe he is connected with Haleigh's case. Still, they would like to talk with him. Reynolds, who was released from prison last November, was arrested in connection with a lewd and lascivious act upon a child younger than 12. The incident occurred in Putnam County. Court records provide these details about the case: On Sep. 3, 2002, Reynolds broke into a doublewide mobile home in Interlachen, which is west of Palatka. He was 19. He had a small pocketknife and it was late at night.\ He stole cash. He also used the knife to cut away a section of the shorts and underwear of an 11-year-old girl and then touched her private area, the records showed. He was sentenced to serve seven years in prison (with credit for time served in jail awaiting resolution of his case) and 10 years of special probation for sex offenders. Marion Sheriff's Office Capt. Tommy Bibb said investigators have been trying to Reynolds. Bibb said he is concerned for the man's well-being, considering he has not called his mother since leaving to go watch the Super Bowl. "We have no reason to believe he is connected with her (Haleigh's) disappearance," Bibb said, adding they contacted Putnam authorities. "We are concerned about his welfare." All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged. http://www.gainesville.com/article/20090216/articles/902160910&tc=yahoo

No leads yet in case of missing sexual predator By Austin L. Miller Staff Writer Published: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 1:21 p.m. Last Modified: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 1:23 p.m. OCALA - The Marion County Sheriff's Office reported no new leads in the case of registered sexual predator Chad Eugene Reynolds, 25, of Ocklawaha, who was reported missing earlier this month. Deputies have checked with the man's friends and family, and so far nobody has seen Reynolds. Sheriff's Capt. Tommy Bibb said detectives are checking videos from stores near the Lowe's on U.S. 441 in Lady Lake to see if Reynolds can bee seen talking with anyone or if anyone picked him up. According to the Sheriff's Office, Reynolds left his mother's home at 3 Bay Court Run in Ocklawaha on Super Bowl Sunday to watch the game at a local bar. That was the last time he was reported seen. Reynolds' mother, Debora Reynolds, reported him missing on Feb. 5. She said his disappearance is usual because he would come home every day and would call her frequently. "Our primary concern is trying to locate him," Bibb said Tuesday. If found, however, officials say Reynolds will be arrested on a warrant for violation of probation. Reynolds was sentenced in Putnam County to seven years in prison for armed burglary and lewd and lascivious molestation of a child younger than 12. The crime occurred on Sept. 3, 2002. He was released in November 2008 and was currently on 10 years of community supervision, according to the state's Department of Corrections Web site. Bibb stressed that at this point there is no evidence to suggest that Reynolds is connected to the search in Putnam County for missing 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings. But Marion County officials have contacted the Putnam County Sheriff's Office about the missing sexual predator. Deputies say Reynolds had borrowed a vehicle from a woman, and he told her it had broken down by the Lowe's. Since then, detectives say the vehicle has been located and processed for evidence. Investigators found nothing out of the ordinary. Anyone with information about the case can call the Marion County Sheriff's Office at 732-9111 or Crime Stoppers at 368-STOP, or visit www.ocalacrimestoppers.com. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged. http://www.ocala.com/article/20090217/ARTICLES/902170271/1001/news01?Title=No-leads-yet-in-case-of-missing-sexual-predator

Putnam County Sex Predator Arrested Sheriff: No Direct Connection To Haleigh; Not Going To Exclude Anybody UPDATED: 4:05 pm EST February 19, 2009 PALATKA, Fla. -- A registered sexual predator who lives one mile from the mobile home where 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings disappeared 10 days ago was arrested Thursday, but Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy said there's no direct link to the girl's disappearance. Timothy Randolph Loucakis, 50, was charged with violating the terms of his probation after officials said he was not home at 10 p.m. Wednesday night, which violated his curfew. "We know where he was, by GPS, and we do have a team going down to that area just to do a preliminary search of that area," Hardy said Thursday afternoon. Hardy said Loucakis was interviewed two hours after Haleigh was reported missing early the morning of Feb. 10. Deputies searched his home and checked his GPS monitoring bracelet, which showed he had not left his "home zone" during the time Haleigh disappeared. Later that day, officers with the Florida Department of Corrections also visited Loucakis the same morning the Amber Alert being was issued for Haleigh. "I'm not going to exclude anybody," Hardy said. "This man is a sex predator -- that means he's a dangerous individual." Channel 4 learned that Loucakis was sentenced to five years in prison in 2001 on a conviction of promotion of sexual performance by a child and was to remain on probabion with GPS monitoring until December of this year. Hardy also confirmed Thursday that detectives received unconfirmed sightings of Haleigh in Tennessee and they have questioned a Tennessee relative of Misty Croslin -- the girlfriend of Haleigh's father who was the last person to see the 5-year-old. "We're questioning a lot of people," Hardy said. "We have polygraphs going on as we speak." Croslin herself was brought to the sheriff's office for additional questioning on Thursday, but Hardy said her interveiw was routine and she will be returned to her home later in the day. On Wednesday, Cummings and Crystal Sheffield, Haleigh's mother, were each brought to the sheriff's office for interviews. "As leads develop, we will always be going back to the family members," Florida Department of Law Enforcement agent-in-charge Dominick Pape said. "As this case goes on and we feel the need to bring them in, we will. They've been very cooperative with us." Dad To Haleigh: "We Will Find You" Ten days after 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings disappeared from her mobile home, an obviously fatigued father faced the news media Thursday, thanking all who have helped searched for the kindergartener, the media for spreading the word and to law enforcement for their tireless efforts to find the girl. Ronald Cummings also said he doesn't suspect his 17-year-old girlfriend did anything wrong the night Haleigh disappeared. "I don't have any suspicions of anybody," Cummings said. "Obviously, if I knew what was going on, I would have my daughter." Cummings became defensive when asked questions about his background, reports that he had a fight with a cousin over a gun, and other events in the days before Haleigh disappeared. "It's about my daughter gone missing, not what's going on in my life," Cummings said. "People say a lot of things and they don't know what they're talking about." Haleigh's paternal grandmother, Teresa Neves, said Putnam County detectives told them they have several good leads, but referred all questions about the investigation to the officials. Cummings ended the 10-minute briefing with a message for his daughter: "I would like to tell my daughter, if she's watching, baby, I love you and we will find you," Cummings said. "I love you." Neves' message was to whomever took Haleigh: "Why don't you have a heart and bring her home?" Neves said. Leads Pour In; Reward Increased In the 10 days that have passed since Haleigh disappeared, more than 1,300 tips have poured into a Crimestoppers hot line. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office said they are checking out each one. Searching, Praying For Haleigh After more than a week of around-the-clock searching and investigation, officials were asked if they were discouraged that Haleigh was not located. "Are we frustrated? Absolutely. We wish we had this resolved day one -- with three hours. But discouraged? Absolutely not," Pape said. "The men and women on this team, they're there every hour, every day giving 100 percent, and they will do that until we get resolution." Officials also announced that a Putnam County resident who wants to remain anonymous donated a $10,000 reward. That would be added to a $5,000 reward previously offered by the Carole Sund/Carrington Foundation and the $1,000 Crimestoppers reward for any tip that leads investigators to Haleigh. Anyone with information about Haleigh's disappearance should call at 888-277-TIPS or the FDLE's Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse at 888-FL-MISSING. http://www.news4jax.com/news/18751153/detail.html

Witness reports seeing missing Florida girl in Knoxville Yvette Martinez Updated: 2/19/2009 1:53:33 PM Posted: 2/19/2009 1:39:29 PM The search for a missing 5-year-old Florida girl is broadening, with at least one tip coming in from as far away as Knoxville. A woman at the Carraba's restaurant in West Knoxville called police on Sunday afternoon to say she saw a girl matching Haleigh Cummings' description. The witness told investigators a white man walked out with a young girl, shielding her face as they got into a red Toyota RAV4 with Florida plates. The call launched a grid search, which included the Knoxville Police Department and Knox County Sheriff's Office. The Tennessee Highway Patrol confirmed the search but said no troopers were involved. Investigators were unable to locate the child and did not find any proof indicating the child was Haleigh Cummings. http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=78516&provider=rss

Haleigh Cummings Developments in TN Reported by: Kristen Cosby Email: kcosby@tvjaxfl.com Last Update: 8:40 pm PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla.-- The Putnam County Sheriff's Department questioned a man in Tennessee about the disappearance of missing 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings. Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy said the man questioned is a relative of Misty Croslin. Croslin is Haleigh's father's 17-year-old girlfriend. She was supposed to be watching Haleigh at the time of the girl's disappearance. The Sheriff's department would not reveal what kind of relative the man is to Croslin. Haleigh's paternal grandmother, Teresa Neves, said Croslin's cousin visited Putnam County days before Haleigh's disappearance. Neves said the cousin and Haleigh's dad, Ronald Cummings, got into a fight about a gun during that visit. She also said the cousin left town the same day Haleigh disappeared. Ronald Cummings denies that fight ever happened. "There was no fight with no cousin over a gun," said Ronald Cummings. Someone spotted a girl they thought was Haleigh in Croslin's cousin's home state- Tennessee. The spotting was in a Knoxville Carrabba's Restaurant parking lot Sunday at 2 p.m. The Knoxville Police department said that person called them and said they spotted Haleigh in a red, Toyota RAV4. The caller said she was with a white man and white woman and they looked like they were trying to shield the girl's face. Knoxville police responded, but never found anyone matching the description. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement seized a vehicle as evidence in this case, but they will not describe it. Haleigh Cummings disappeared from her bedroom February 9. She has blond hair, brown eyes and a birthmark near her left ear. http://www.cbs47.com/content/topstories/story/Haleigh-Cummings-Developments-in-TN/F7bHkZR8Y02bZFU_CnxzoQ.cspx?rss=1

Missing Florida Girl's Family: Pedophile Cousin Took Haleigh Cummings Sunday, February 22, 2009 The family of a little Florida girl who apparently vanished while she was sleeping is afraid she was taken by a pedophile cousin. The mother and paternal grandmother of 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings said Friday the man in question is a cousin of Misty Croslin, the teenage girlfriend of Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings. Police are questioning the cousin, who is from Tennessee and was visiting when Haleigh disappeared before dawn Feb. 10, according to MyFOXOrlando.com. "What we've been told is that he's a sexual pedophile," said Haleigh's mother Crystal Sheffield. The child's grandmother, Teresa Neves, said Croslin described him as a "jerk" and she was worried. "I couldn't tell you anything about him," a distraught Neves told reporters Friday, adding that she only knew of the cousin by his first name Joe. "I can't tell you how they could have taken her from a family that absolutely adores her." The family's plea for the child's return came as news emerged about a tip from Tennessee called in by a woman claiming to have seen a man in a restaurant with a little girl resembling Haleigh, according to MyFOXOrlando.com. The tipster, who reportedly phoned Knoxville detectives Sunday, said the man she saw was in a red Toyota RAV4 and appeared to be trying to shield the little girl with him. Knoxville police said they didn't locate the car but turned the information over to Florida authorities on the case, according to MyFOXOrlando.com. Putnam County investigators said they impounded a car in the case, but they wouldn't give a description of the vehicle, the station reported. Sheffield told FOX News' Geraldo Rivera Saturday that Ronald Cummings had been abusive to her when she first got pregnant. "He punched me in the back of the head and before then, he was verbal," she said. "I mean he was just very abusive." Sheffield also said she was told by her cousin of an incident where Cummings apparently hit Haleigh after the child bumped into him or smarted off to him. "She said he just backhanded her. And she fell flat on her face on the porch," Sheffield said. Cummings, however, denies he had ever been abusive to Haleigh or Sheffield. "Never, ever have I ever hit my child," he said. "Never, never have I ever hit any woman, period. Never." On Thursday a sexual predator was arrested near the trailer home where Haleigh lives with 24-year-old Cummings, 17-year-old Croslin and Haleigh's little brother Junior. Police said Timothy R. Loucakis was brought in on charges unrelated to the missing child. "Word is getting out that we have a sexual predator in custody, and we do, but we have no reason to link it to Haleigh," said Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy. He said Loucakis missed his curfew, but GPS tracking showed him "within his home zone" — and not near Haleigh — when she reportedly vanished. Detectives are still "not excluding anybody" as a suspect in the girl's disappearance, Hardy said. Loucakis was convicted of "promoting a sexual performance by a child" in May of 2001 and is currently listed as a sexual predator, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Web site. "What we're concerned about was he wasn't where he was supposed to be," Hardy said. On Friday, police announced that the reward for information leading to Haleigh had risen to $20,000 but they offered no other details of their progress in solving the mystery. Authorities have been investigating a tip that casts doubt on a story told by Croslin that she was home when she discovered the child missing. The source said she wasn't in the trailer when Haleigh vanished last Tuesday. Investigators say they're looking into the report. They're also studying inconsistencies in descriptions of what the girl was last seen wearing. Croslin told them Haleigh had a pink shirt on the night she vanished, but police said this week they have that item of clothing in their possession. The girlfriend has also reportedly told different stories to cops and the media about the timing of her discovery that Haleigh was gone and where she and the child were that night. Cummings and Croslin have both taken lie detector tests. They told FOX News they "passed" the polygraphs. Police haven't released the results. The family has been at the center of investigations done by the state child welfare agency, but details of those cases haven't been disclosed because of confidentiality laws. Neves said her son would never hurt Haleigh and pleaded Friday for her granddaughter's kidnapper to bring her home. "I want to say to my baby, we love you sweetheart, and we will find you," she said through tears. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,497744,00.html

Amber Alert -- Brother Says Haleigh Was Taken By 'Man In Black' Tuesday, February 24, 2009 11:40:48 AM SATSUMA -- News 13 has learned the brother of missing 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings told investigators that a man dressed in black snuck into her room two weeks ago and took the girl from their bed. Haleigh's mother, Crystal Sheffield, said the girl's father, Ronald Cummings, Jr., told her the same story. "When I see him , all he said is, 'I want to find my sissy,' and he said something about somebody in black took her," Sheffield said. "He said they were all dressed in black, but I didn't question him, I'm not going to question him." The reward for information on Haleigh's whereabouts has increased to $20,000. Investigators said they are going through more than 1,600 leads in the case. Have You Seen Haleigh? If you have seen Haleigh Cummings or know anything about her disappearance, call 911 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 277-TIPS -- that's (888) 277-8477. http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/2/24/amber_alert__brother_says_haleigh_was_taken_by_man_in_black.html

Geraldo questions Haleigh's father SATSUMA - The family of a missing Florida girl is accusing Geraldo Rivera of crossing the line. The FOX TV host asked Haleigh Cummings' father if he ever hit his 5-year-old daughter or her mother while she was pregnant. During an interview in Satsuma Saturday Rivera also questioned Ronald Cummings about reports he told people he knows who took his daughter. "You told them you are 75 percent sure who took Haleigh," Geraldo said. "There is no way. I do not know who took Haleigh. If I had 5 percent of where Haleigh was that I would be there now and not here," Cummings responded. After a brief exchange, Cummings asked Geraldo to leave or said he would call the police. Haleigh has not been since in more than two weeks, since she vanished from her father's mobil home. Investigators in Putnam County say they're following up on more than 1,600 leads. Meanwhile, Haleigh's family is warning people about a fake website collecting money in her name. Family members say it's not affiliated with them, and Haleigh's name is even misspelled on the site. http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/haleigh_cummings_geraldo_022409

Amber Alert -- Haleigh's Father Orders Geraldo Rivera To Leave Monday, February 23, 2009 4:52:00 PM SATSUMA -- Over the weekend, the father of missing 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings was so upset over questions from Fox News reporter Geraldo Rivera that he banned him from the community. Rivera was interviewing Ronald Cummings when he asked him about accusations made by Haleigh's mother that the father had abused her and their daughter. Cummings got upset and called deputies, who ordered Rivera to leave. Daily Updates Suspended Deputies in Putnam County have suspended their daily news conferences about the search for the 5-year-old. On Monday, Sheriff Jeff Hardy announced his office has given out all the information it can about the hunt for the girl, who now hasn't been seen for two weeks. The sheriff's office, though, maintained it is continuing to follow leads in the case, and has gotten and investigated 1,600 tips. Reward Up To $20,000 The reward for information on the whereabouts of 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings has been increased to $20,000 as the search for the missing Putnam County girl enters its third week. Investigators said they are going through more than 1,600 leads in the case. No organized search efforts took place over the weekend, but about 140 officers acting on tips searched two areas Friday, but found nothing. Family members and friends of Haleigh's family came together Sunday night to hold a candlelight vigil and pray for the child's safe return home. Haleigh has been missing for nearly two weeks since disappearing from her father's Satsuma home Feb. 9. Speculation Over Sex Offender Investigators said a known sex offender was in Central Florida visiting his cousin, Misty Croslin, when Haleigh disappeared. Croslin, 17, is the girlfriend of Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings, and was the last one to see the missing girl. Family members said they do not care who has the girl; they just want her back. "As far as the cousin, I mean, Ronald wants Haleigh home, and he doesn't care who has her, how they got her. He wants her home," said Teresa Neves, Haleigh's grandmother. "You know, if it's the cousin, then we hope they lock him up." Have You Seen Haleigh? If you have seen Haleigh Cummings or know anything about her disappearance, call 911 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 277-TIPS -- that's (888) 277-8477. http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/2/23/amber_alert__haleigh_reward_upped_to_20000.html

Missing Girl’s Family Reacts To Geraldo’s Interview Reported by: Matt Saffer Email: msaffer@@tvjaxfl.com Last Update: 2/23 5:51 pm SATSUMA, Fla. -- Standing outside the tent her family has been under for the past 14 days, Annette Sykes says she can’t believe what Geraldo Rivera put her grandson through. “When he opened the door---it was disgusting…to say the least…it was disgusting for anybody to put a man with his child gone like that through what he put him through,” said Sykes. Geraldo Rivera showed up to Ronald Cummings tent over the weekend to ask him questions about his daughter’s disappearance. While there, he asked if Ronald was a drug user, if he abused women and if he was a police informant. “They can sling dirt all they want, all that does it take the focus off Haleigh,” said Sykes. She said it took everything she had to hold back during Geraldo’s interview. “It infuriated me…But me, I would have liked to punch him…and I almost did,” said Sykes. After only asking a handful of questions, Ronald’s father stepped between the two and told Geraldo the interview was over. In a few minutes, Putnam County Deputies arrived to serve Geraldo with a trespassing notice. The family tells us Geraldo wouldn’t sign it, but also promised to never come back. “She’s been gone two weeks now and the media slows down a little more everyday you know because it’s getting longer and longer…the longer that she’s gone, I know that it tends not to be a big story to ya’ll but it is to us…and we just have to keep her face on the news…just to keep her there,” said Sykes. The family tells us Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy personally came by to deliver “No Trespassing” signs to the family. Family members say that was a wonderful sign that the sheriff’s department is doing all it can to keep things calm and keep the focus on finding Haleigh http://www.cbs47.com/content/topstories/story/Missing-Girl-s-Family-Reacts-To-Geraldo-s/zvC6DMSla0CSkCEFHztRvQ.cspx?rss=1

Reward Increased in Cummings Disappearance Contributor: Kate Novakowski Email: knovakowski@tvjaxfl.com Last Update: 4:44 pm PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. -- The reward for finding Haleigh Cummings is now $25,500, after a anonymous donor gave $5,000 to help in the search. The additional money was announced Tuesday by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. The reward will be given to anyone with information leading to the whereabouts and/or arrest and conviction of a suspect. Reward Goes Up For Missing 5 Year Old PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. -- The reward for finding Haleigh Cummings is now $20,000, after a anonymous donor gave $4,000 to help with the search. While the increase in reward keeps spirits high in Haleigh's camp, investigators have not found any new information leading to Haleigh's disappearance. On Thursday, investigators arrested sexual predator,Timothy Loucakis, 50, but officials say his arrest is not linked to Haleigh's investigation. Investigators searched around Loucakis' home today and found nothing of interest. Detectives also searched an area south of State Road 17 and Satsuma. The Federal Department of Law Enforcement says they are following every lead they receive and have dozens of crews working on this investigation. http://www.cbs47.com/content/topstories/story/Reward-Increased-in-Cummings-Disappearance/x8OEvxPu20ye1zju4x4rpQ.cspx?rss=1

Cummings Family: Rumors Person Was Inside Home Are False Reported by: Matt Saffer Email: msaffer@tvjaxfl.com Last Update: 2/24 8:23 pm SATSUMA, Fla. --- Annette Sykes says reports that her great-grandson saw a man dressed in black inside the house the night his sister disappeared are false. Sykes says Crystal Sheffield, Haleigh Cummings biological mother, went on the Nancy Grace show and said four-year-old Ronald Jr. told her a man in black took his sister. “I thought it was ridiculous…should never had been anything said,” said Sykes. “If he hadn’t been asleep, he would have been up saying something…I mean he’s not going to let somebody take his sister out of there.” Sykes says she was at the Cummings household within 15 minutes of the abduction. She says she also took Ronald Jr. to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office where he was interviewed by detectives. “I carried him for the child psychologist to interview him…he spent quite a lot of time with two or three different ones. They said his story changed. Each time you ask him something, you know, you ask it a different way and he’d change his story,” said Sykes. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office confirms Ronald Jr. was questioned, but would not elaborate on his answers or the questions asked. They did say they have followed up on every lead that originated from that interview. Crystal Sheffield was not available to comment. http://www.fox30online.com/content/topstories/story/Cummings-Family-Rumors-Person-Was-Inside-Home-Are/retraOmmEkGCL_R0FwZ4DA.cspx?rss=10