2010.06.21 - Bone found in river not Haleigh's

Kimster said:

So they really were analyzing a bone?

Please link when you can. WOW

ETA: Found links in the media thread.

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UF lab examined remains in search for Haleigh Cummings
Experts determined a bone wasn't of the missing girl, but was a Native American's.

"Snip" http://www.ocala.com/article/20100621/ARTICLES/6211007/1402/NEWS?p=3&tc=pg

Erica Brough/The Gainesville Sun

By Cindy Swirko Staff writer


Published: Monday, June 21, 2010
( page 3 of 3 )

As it turns out, human remains were found in the St. Johns River by law enforcement scuba divers searching for Haleigh Cummings in April - but they weren't those of Haleigh.



They were a lot older, as in an American Indian who lived along the river hundreds of years ago - a determination made by the experts in bones at Human Identification Lab.

"Those divers found a human bone, it just wasn't (Haleigh)," said Mike Warren, the lab's director.

The lab has been involved in high-profile criminal cases including those of Haleigh Cummings and Caylee Anthony.

Warren says he has memorized the dental structure of Tiffany Sessions, a University of Florida student who disappeared in 1989, so he can easily identify her should remains be found.

"We treat all of our cases as high-profile cases," Warren said. "They are still the remains of somebody who had family."

A human body has 206 bones - more or less in some cases - and Warren can identify all of them. So adept is Warren that he can pick out the most minute ear bone from the ashy remains of a cremated person.

The lab receives human remains that are skeletonized, decomposed or are burned or fragmented beyond recognition.



For three days in April, divers and deputies searched for remains of Haleigh off a boat ramp in the St. Johns River.

Most of what the divers found was easily identified, most notably a deer skeleton that was erroneously reported to be a human skeleton by some television media.



"We look at bones for thousands and thousands and thousands of hours. We know what every little piece of human bone looks like. If I can't recognize it, it's not human," Warren said. "A lot of it is an experience type of thing. There are some twists - if you don't smell any decomposition, you could put a flame under (a bone) and if you smell hair burning, that means there is collagen in the blood. In Florida, that takes about a year to leech out."

Warren said the lab was involved with earlier searches for Haleigh Cummings.

Sheriff's Lt. Johnny Greenwood said having the lab nearby is a big asset to law enforcement, saving local agencies time and money.

"They are very helpful to be able to identify bones very quickly to eliminate us from having to take the time to send them off to a lab," Greenwood said. "When they do respond to a scene, it expedites the search. You can rule out animal bones very quickly."

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Gwen said:

NewsJax has a story that includes Teresa and Annette speaking....but I don't know how to post the link.

They believe she is still alive.

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They believe she is still alive.

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Police: Bone Found In River Not Haleigh's
Putnam County Investigators Searched River In April For Missing Girl

UPDATED: Monday, June 21, 2010
"Snip" http://www.news4jax.com/news/23976333/detail.html

At the time, Sheriff Jeff Hardy said Haleigh was likely dead, and the investigation had moved from a missing person case to a homicide investigation. In a news release Monday, the Sheriff's Office said the case is still considered an active criminal investigation. (At the time? So, now what? I have not read any news release from LE. Active criminal or Homicide? That is what I would like to know. Did they find anything of significance at the river I wonder?)

Haleigh's family said they never once believed the girl's body would be found in the river.

"She's out there somewhere alive," said Annette Sykes "Unless they can prove to me she's not, then this family is looking for a live little girl." (Where are they looking? I have not heard anyone make any plea for Haleigh.)"Every day is about finding Haleigh," said Theresa Neves. "You get up in the morning and pray this is the day, and you go to bed each night and pray."

Neves said she told Haleigh's father, that the bone found by investigators was not Haleigh's.

"He's glad that everyone knows that the bones aren't Haleigh's," Neves said. (He is glad that everyone knows, not glad that the bones are not Haleigh's?)

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Gwen said:

Did any of you see the video of Teresa and Annette? I was trying to link to the video, but when I went back all I could find was the link you all have. It was at Annette's house I think. Wonder if they will put it back up in the archives or not?

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Justin Tyme said:

This was reported today. I am not sure how to link as it's on all the local news. This doesn't surprise me as I still think that she's buried close to where RC or TN resided.

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MADJGNLAW said:

:waitasec: Is it just me or does this reaction not seem strange? TN said that Ronald said, "He's glad that everyone knows that the bones aren't Haleigh's,". I would of expected a grieving father to say, thank God they are not of Haleigh or something to that effect. Instead all he cares to say is " Glad the Public Knows they are not her bones" Not that he is glad that it was not her bone? :waitasec: Odd, Maybe it is just me.
(BBM)

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MADJGNLAW said:

:waitasec: Is it just me or does this reaction not seem strange? TN said that Ronald said, "He's glad that everyone knows that the bones aren't Haleigh's,". I would of expected a grieving father to say, thank God they are not of Haleigh or something to that effect. Instead all he cares to say is " Glad the Public Knows they are not her bones" Not that he is glad that it was not her bone? :waitasec: Odd, Maybe it is just me.(BBM)

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