Crystal S., Haleigh's mother #7

I find Crystal & Marie's recent iv quite curious. To begin with, neither take the opportunity to plead for Haleigh's safe return, rather they just blame Ron & Misty. Unless they are 100% certain Ron & Misty are responsible (and they certainly don't say that), why would they not take the opportunity, when speaking to the press, to plead for her safe return (as Ron always does). Why do they always waste these opportunities by trashing Ron?

And I also find it very odd that Marie says if the families could make peace she thinks it would help find Haleigh, then goes on to bash Ron & Misty and puts the blame on them for Haleigh being missing.

“I feel like that maybe if the families could speak with each other and put differences aside that maybe it would help the case, but there is too much going on down there and it is being pushed our way to blame us for what happened in Putnam County,” Griffis said from her home outside Sanderson where Sheffield also lives.
...........
“I don’t know what, I don’t know how but they were the last people to see my granddaughter,” Griffis said. “They’re the last two people to see her. They’re accountable for her whereabouts.”
-----------------
Sheffield, 24, is more blunt about Cummings.

“I really do feel like he is covering for Misty and she is covering for him,” she said.
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/me...aleighs_family_remains_divided_6_months_later

Why can't these people stop bashing Ron and focus on finding Haleigh????....hmmmmm.

Also, does anyone else find it odd that a woman who refused to pay child support for her own children and had a stranger bail her out of it, is now running a campaign to make sure other people's kids have school supplies? Very very weird.

I read that article, it seemed like a pretty good one in my opinion. Pretty honest from both sides of the family. I think I would question my estranged husband....if I was estranged....and in this predicament too. And especially with all the rumors floating around, who else do these young parents have to blame but each other??? Law Enforcement has certainly given them no leads or hope that it is anyone else! If you ask me the statement given as follows...Sheffield’s mother, Marie Griffis, said law enforcement authorities have asked the two families not to have contact beyond the exchanges of Ronald Jr......is a very disturbing statement! LE has asked these two families not to have contact? What right do that have to do that? It sounds to me like LE is keeping them from speaking with each other to keep pressure on these two families thinking maybe someone will crack. In my opinion there is no-one to crack and LE is more than happy to keep Haleigh's mom and dad separated and unable to make a UNITED FRONT against them. Ridiculous...in my opinion.

Haleigh is still gone Ron and Crystal, working separately to bring her home is not working! Put the past in the past and put your differences aside and make a united front for your daughters sake!

I agree Elle,

I would feel the same way about the people who were with my child last. And if I was the father, I would look at the mother because of all the past history and not knowing who else could have taken her. It's a shame. I think in the end, when Haleigh is found, everyone will be shocked.

JMO

bunnyphoenix1 said:

I find Crystal & Marie's recent iv quite curious. To begin with, neither take the opportunity to plead for Haleigh's safe return, rather they just blame Ron & Misty. Unless they are 100% certain Ron & Misty are responsible (and they certainly don't say that), why would they not take the opportunity, when speaking to the press, to plead for her safe return (as Ron always does). Why do they always waste these opportunities by trashing Ron?

And I also find it very odd that Marie says if the families could make peace she thinks it would help find Haleigh, then goes on to bash Ron & Misty and puts the blame on them for Haleigh being missing.

“I feel like that maybe if the families could speak with each other and put differences aside that maybe it would help the case, but there is too much going on down there and it is being pushed our way to blame us for what happened in Putnam County,” Griffis said from her home outside Sanderson where Sheffield also lives.
...........
“I don’t know what, I don’t know how but they were the last people to see my granddaughter,” Griffis said. “They’re the last two people to see her. They’re accountable for her whereabouts.”
-----------------
Sheffield, 24, is more blunt about Cummings.

“I really do feel like he is covering for Misty and she is covering for him,” she said.
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/me...aleighs_family_remains_divided_6_months_later

Why can't these people stop bashing Ron and focus on finding Haleigh????....hmmmmm.

Also, does anyone else find it odd that a woman who refused to pay child support for her own children and had a stranger bail her out of it, is now running a campaign to make sure other people's kids have school supplies? Very very weird.

Click to expand...

BBM..I beg to differ please read below:

Early Friday morning, HaLeigh's mother, Crystal Sheffield, and maternal grandmother, Marie Griffis, announced the school supply drive and issued another plea for anyone with information about the child to call investigators.

"Although it has almost been six months since HaLeigh's disappearance, I still have hope that my daughter will come home," Sheffield said in the statement. "I am begging once again from the bottom of my heart for whoever has my sweet daughter to let her go. Please, she needs to be home with her family. She does not belong with anyone else

http://www.gainesville.com/article/...?Title=Haleigh-s-kin-to-mark-her-6th-birthday

I do not find it odd that they are doing this drive for the children in Haleigh's name. It is also a way that they can bring awareness to Haleigh's case. Just as Ron's family is releasing balloon's.
At least Crystal's family are still willing to talk w/ investigators despite their frustrations.

They are NOT talking to investigators.

I will find the article from today.

Haleigh's family remains divided 6 months later

Grandmother wants peace but sees too many issues

• By Dana Treen
• Story updated at 7:35 AM on Monday, Aug. 10, 2009

Six months into the unsolved disappearance of Haleigh Cummings, those who deeply love her believe she is still alive.
It’s about the only thing the two families closest to the investigation of her disappearance agree on.
With Monday marking the six-month anniversary of her case and next week’s arrival of her sixth birthday, her divided family has even scheduled separate events in Putnam County.
“It doesn’t matter what anybody says, we just want the safe return of Haleigh,” said Annette Sykes, whose grandson Ronald Cummings is Haleigh’s father. “Nothing else matters.”

Cummings and Crystal Sheffield, the long-estranged parents of Haleigh and her 4-year-old brother Ronald Jr., see each other only to exchange the boy at a pre-arranged stop in Florahome, about midway between Cummings’ home in southern Putnam County and Sheffield’s in western Baker County.
Tension between Cummings, Sheffield and their families has hummed like high-voltage background noise since the beginning of the case.
Sheffield’s mother, Marie Griffis, said law enforcement authorities have asked the two families not to have contact beyond the exchanges of Ronald Jr.

“I feel like that maybe if the families could speak with each other and put differences aside that maybe it would help the case, but there is too much going on down there and it is being pushed our way to blame us for what happened in Putnam County,” Griffis said from her home outside Sanderson where Sheffield also lives.
She said her family has been accused of abducting Haleigh and hiding her with family out of state.
She said she has no idea how her granddaughter vanished but said the kindergartner was living with Cummings and his 17-year-old girlfriend when she was reported missing.
“I don’t know what, I don’t know how but they were the last people to see my granddaughter,” Griffis said. “They’re the last two people to see her. They’re accountable for her whereabouts.”

Cummings said he and former girlfriend Misty Croslin — who he has since married and is now Misty Cummings — have been unfairly targeted.
“There should have been more attention to Crystal’s family,” he said. “I think they should have paid more attention to everyone rather than just me and Misty.”
He said questioning should have been broader.
“They didn’t have the big picture,” he said. “Why do they not question everybody?”

Cummings: It went ‘personal’
In recent interviews at Sykes’ Welaka home where Ronald Cummings, 25, and his wife live, he told the Times-Union the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office focus was shortsighted.
Standing outside wearing T-shirts with Haleigh’s likeness, Ronald and Misty Cummings said they gave dozens of hours of interviews in February and March, including her longest, which she said occurred just before the couple were married.

“I think the longest time I was in there was eight hours,” she said.
Ronald Cummings said the investigation went in the wrong direction.
“They took a child-abduction investigation and made it a personal investigation,” he said. “Instead of keeping the focus on finding Haleigh, they made the focus on Misty and what she was doing one weekend and what happened six months ago and what happened seven years ago. It was tunnel vision.”

Cummings has cut off interviews with investigators.

“Besides ‘No I didn’t have nothing to do with my child being missing,’ what do you say?” he asked.
Maj. Gary Bowling, director of law enforcement for the department, said detectives would like to interview Cummings again but have been resisted.
The interviews with Misty Cummings have produced different pictures, he said. She was alone with Cummings’ children the night Haleigh disappeared. She has told authorities she woke up about 3 a.m. and found the 5-year-old missing.
“We’ve said from day one Misty’s story is absolutely filled with inconsistencies,” Bowling said.


http://www.jacksonville.com/news/me...aleighs_family_remains_divided_6_months_later


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My opinion on this is that both families are not worthy of children, BUT, that said...

I CANNOT, and I mean I absolutely cannot see the puzzling support for Ronald. Almost obsessive support, and it has become so personal to posters over the last few months, almost like they cannot admit RC is not father material, even hold him up as an honorable man.

Compare to other MP cases we discuss and you WILL NOT see support for others who have a child go missing on their watch. He is not.

And really, I'm not even arguing it.
Just my observation that RC is a match waiting for a gas can.

IMO.

AmandaReckonwith said:

Haleigh's family remains divided 6 months later

Grandmother wants peace but sees too many issues

• By Dana Treen
• Story updated at 7:35 AM on Monday, Aug. 10, 2009

Six months into the unsolved disappearance of Haleigh Cummings, those who deeply love her believe she is still alive.
It’s about the only thing the two families closest to the investigation of her disappearance agree on.
With Monday marking the six-month anniversary of her case and next week’s arrival of her sixth birthday, her divided family has even scheduled separate events in Putnam County.
“It doesn’t matter what anybody says, we just want the safe return of Haleigh,” said Annette Sykes, whose grandson Ronald Cummings is Haleigh’s father. “Nothing else matters.”

Cummings and Crystal Sheffield, the long-estranged parents of Haleigh and her 4-year-old brother Ronald Jr., see each other only to exchange the boy at a pre-arranged stop in Florahome, about midway between Cummings’ home in southern Putnam County and Sheffield’s in western Baker County.
Tension between Cummings, Sheffield and their families has hummed like high-voltage background noise since the beginning of the case.
Sheffield’s mother, Marie Griffis, said law enforcement authorities have asked the two families not to have contact beyond the exchanges of Ronald Jr.

“I feel like that maybe if the families could speak with each other and put differences aside that maybe it would help the case, but there is too much going on down there and it is being pushed our way to blame us for what happened in Putnam County,” Griffis said from her home outside Sanderson where Sheffield also lives.
She said her family has been accused of abducting Haleigh and hiding her with family out of state.
She said she has no idea how her granddaughter vanished but said the kindergartner was living with Cummings and his 17-year-old girlfriend when she was reported missing.
“I don’t know what, I don’t know how but they were the last people to see my granddaughter,” Griffis said. “They’re the last two people to see her. They’re accountable for her whereabouts.”

Cummings said he and former girlfriend Misty Croslin — who he has since married and is now Misty Cummings — have been unfairly targeted.
“There should have been more attention to Crystal’s family,” he said. “I think they should have paid more attention to everyone rather than just me and Misty.”
He said questioning should have been broader.
“They didn’t have the big picture,” he said. “Why do they not question everybody?”

Cummings: It went ‘personal’
In recent interviews at Sykes’ Welaka home where Ronald Cummings, 25, and his wife live, he told the Times-Union the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office focus was shortsighted.
Standing outside wearing T-shirts with Haleigh’s likeness, Ronald and Misty Cummings said they gave dozens of hours of interviews in February and March, including her longest, which she said occurred just before the couple were married.

“I think the longest time I was in there was eight hours,” she said.
Ronald Cummings said the investigation went in the wrong direction.
“They took a child-abduction investigation and made it a personal investigation,” he said. “Instead of keeping the focus on finding Haleigh, they made the focus on Misty and what she was doing one weekend and what happened six months ago and what happened seven years ago. It was tunnel vision.”

Cummings has cut off interviews with investigators.

“Besides ‘No I didn’t have nothing to do with my child being missing,’ what do you say?” he asked.
Maj. Gary Bowling, director of law enforcement for the department, said detectives would like to interview Cummings again but have been resisted.
The interviews with Misty Cummings have produced different pictures, he said. She was alone with Cummings’ children the night Haleigh disappeared. She has told authorities she woke up about 3 a.m. and found the 5-year-old missing.
“We’ve said from day one Misty’s story is absolutely filled with inconsistencies,” Bowling said.


http://www.jacksonville.com/news/me...aleighs_family_remains_divided_6_months_later


.............................................................................................................................

My opinion on this is that both families are not worthy of children, BUT, that said...

I CANNOT, and I mean I absolutely cannot see the puzzling support for Ronald. Almost obsessive support, and it has become so personal to posters over the last few months, almost like they cannot admit RC is not father material, even hold him up as an honorable man.

Compare to other MP cases we discuss and you WILL NOT see support for others who have a child go missing on their watch. He is not.

And really, I'm not even arguing it.
Just my observation that RC is a match waiting for a gas can.

IMO.

Click to expand...

Amanda I'm sorry I changed my post to clarify I was speaking of Crystal and her family in regards to still speaking w/ investigators.

This part I found most interesting:

The Haleighbug Center was closed after Sheffield had medical problems that included seizures. Shirts and posters, donated toys and other items were brought to Baker County where Sheffield lives on family property with her fiance, their toddler daughter and his two children.

“I searched all I could down there,” she said. “My body couldn’t take it.
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/me...aleighs_family_remains_divided_6_months_later

Flossie JMO said:

This part I found most interesting:

The Haleighbug Center was closed after Sheffield had medical problems that included seizures. Shirts and posters, donated toys and other items were brought to Baker County where Sheffield lives on family property with her fiance, their toddler daughter and his two children.

“I searched all I could down there,” she said. “My body couldn’t take it.
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/me...aleighs_family_remains_divided_6_months_later

Click to expand...

Hi Flossie,

Just wondering why you find that part interesting. Marie was the one who said that right? Or was it Crystal that said that? TIA

Hi Elle.

Crystal said it. It reminded me of when she said it hurt to leave em but I'm not gonna put myself through that. And when she missed all the doctor appointments and maybe she just didn't want to get out of bed, missing Junior's appointment, when HaLeigh went in the canal etc

I am happy to see Crystal putting out this press release today.

PRNewswire Press Release sent to Southeastern US today.

HaLeigh Ann-Marie Cummings Missing for Six Months and Birthday School Supply Drive Event Planned

Missing Five Year Old HaLeigh Ann-Marie Cummings from Satsuma, Florida
GLEN ST. MARY, Fla., Aug. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- HaLeigh Cummings disappeared from her home in Satsuma, Florida, approximately 75 miles east of Gainesville, during the early morning hours of February 10, 2009. She is 3' tall and weighs 39 pounds. She has blonde hair and brown eyes. It has now been six months since her disappearance.

HaLeigh's mother Crystal Sheffield continues to search for her daughter and is not giving up her fight.

SOURCE Crystal Sheffield

http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayR...STORY=/www/story/08-10-2009/0005074653&EDATE=

I don't get it. But okay. Stress plays ugly games with a person's body. I'm glad she's home where she believes she can be more healthy. I cannot imagine how one could begrudge a mother whose daughter is missing any chance to maintain her own personal health.

amorfati said:

I am happy to see Crystal putting out this press release today.

PRNewswire Press Release sent to Southeastern US today.

HaLeigh Ann-Marie Cummings Missing for Six Months and Birthday School Supply Drive Event Planned

Missing Five Year Old HaLeigh Ann-Marie Cummings from Satsuma, Florida
GLEN ST. MARY, Fla., Aug. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- HaLeigh Cummings disappeared from her home in Satsuma, Florida, approximately 75 miles east of Gainesville, during the early morning hours of February 10, 2009. She is 3' tall and weighs 39 pounds. She has blonde hair and brown eyes. It has now been six months since her disappearance.

HaLeigh's mother Crystal Sheffield continues to search for her daughter and is not giving up her fight.

SOURCE Crystal Sheffield

http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayR...STORY=/www/story/08-10-2009/0005074653&EDATE=

Click to expand...

That's a good press release, I am glad to see it as well.

I am curious about the part I bolded, has she started searching? In Baker county?

Flossie JMO said:

That's a good press release, I am glad to see it as well.

I am curious about the part I bolded, has she started searching? In Baker county?

Click to expand...

I think it's admirable that Crystal puts herself out there to let people know that she continues to hope for Haleigh's return.

amorfati said:

I am happy to see Crystal putting out this press release today.

PRNewswire Press Release sent to Southeastern US today.

HaLeigh Ann-Marie Cummings Missing for Six Months and Birthday School Supply Drive Event Planned

Missing Five Year Old HaLeigh Ann-Marie Cummings from Satsuma, Florida
GLEN ST. MARY, Fla., Aug. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- HaLeigh Cummings disappeared from her home in Satsuma, Florida, approximately 75 miles east of Gainesville, during the early morning hours of February 10, 2009. She is 3' tall and weighs 39 pounds. She has blonde hair and brown eyes. It has now been six months since her disappearance.

HaLeigh's mother Crystal Sheffield continues to search for her daughter and is not giving up her fight.

SOURCE Crystal Sheffield

http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayR...STORY=/www/story/08-10-2009/0005074653&EDATE=

Click to expand...

Thank you for the link. This part is heartbreaking:
"Every day I wake up wondering if I will get a call saying they found my angel. HaLeigh, mommy and daddy love you more than anything in this world, we will never give up on you. Someone out there knows something, please just let someone know if you do. I will not mention your name, all I want is my daughter home safe and sound. I LOVE YOU ALWAYS HALEIGH."

And this from Grandmother:
"It's been an agonizing six months since my granddaughter's disappearance and it is pure torture waking up each morning wondering where she may be; if she is okay, if she is being fed, clothed and given 'love' most of all. More importantly is where is HaLeigh? I never imagined ever having to go through such pain, but we will get up and continue in our daily task of finding HaLeigh."

How do they face each day not knowing? How does one live with that kind of fear? Grief? Anger? Emptiness?

No, I don't have a link proving that Haleigh's mother misses her. I do notice that Crystal always mentions Daddy in her messages to Haleigh. I am glad she can take the high ground there.

I dunno, she's been pretty nasty in the media. I wouldn't say she takes the high road, jmo.

Flossie JMO said:

I dunno, she's been pretty nasty in the media. I wouldn't say she takes the high ground, jmo.

Click to expand...

She does in fact mention Daddy loves you when she talks to Haleigh via a statement to media. I don't know about high ground....lol. In this case I am wondering if there is any...I feel that nothing has been off limits to anyone, be it family members or media or bloggers or whoever.
You are correct there has been an awful lot of nastiness on both ends. Although I will say that Ronald has not that I can recall responded to the drug allegations made by Crystal and her family in a nasty way. I remember him just trying to keep the focus on Haleigh and stating that it should not be about him and the drug allegations it should be about Haleigh. I respected him for that just like I respected Crystal for sending out the message to Haleigh that Mommy and Daddy loves her and will never stop looking for her.

Ronald has shown class imo. Did you read yesterday's article Elle? No taking the high road imo

Flossie JMO said:

Ronald has shown class imo. Did you read yesterday's article Elle? No taking the high road imo

Click to expand...

Committing an act of violence on another person is classy?? GMAB...my standards are quite different regarding what is classy.