2009.03.17 Today's Current News - ***NO DISCUSSIONS HERE PLEASE ***

[Angel Who Cares]

2009.03.17 Today's Current News - ***NO DISCUSSIONS HERE PLEASE ***

Haleigh Cummings: Her dad says he didn't take NYC honeymoon and begs, "Bring my daughter home"
posted by halboedeker on Mar 16, 2009 10:26:42 PM
<snipped>
Ronald Cummings says he took no honeymoon last week in New York.

In an interview tonight with HLN's Nancy Grace, the father of missing Haleigh Cummings defended his trip to the Big Apple with his bride.

"I went there for an exclusive with the 'Today' show," Cummings said. "I did not go there on a honeymoon at all. It was not a honeymoon at all."

Cummings also made a plea about his missing child. "Bring my little girl home, please, whoever's got her, bring her home," he said. "I'll give everything I've got to bring my daughter home."

Article:
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/en...oneymoon-and-begs-bring-my-daughter-home.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Abuse Allegations
Last Update: 11:42 pm
<snipped>
Allegations of physical abuse and drug abuse in the Ronald Cummings household prompts an attorney to call for a DCF investigation.

Kim Picazio, the attorney for Haleigh's mother Crystal Sheffield, says there is reason to believe Sheffield's youngest son, Junior, is not safe living with his father.
Picazio says, "We have been in touch with the DCF. We have been in touch with the Sheriff's Office. And we've got a conference set up to meet with those authorities."

We tried to contact Ronald Cummings' family about the attorney's claims. They did not return our calls. But in an appearance on a cable news show Monday night, Cummings said the accusations of abuse are just taking the focus off Haleigh.

"Abuse Allegations": VIDEO 1:58
http://www.cbs47.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=30431@video.fox30online.com

Article:
http://www.cbs47.com/content/topstories/story/Abuse-Allegations/zlX-oSxWmkat6YsReR46pw.cspx

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Haleigh's family relocates
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 1:11 AM EDT
<snipped>
In conjunction with friends, Crystal Sheffield, Haleigh Cummings' mother, is creating a new headquarters for people to stop by with any information regarding her missing daughter.
"I know a lot of people that want to help and don't know how," Jeremiah Regan, a friend of the Sheffields, said. "The building will be open 24 hours a day with an open-door policy, even if people just want to stop by and give their blessings for the family."

"I had the resources and wanted to help," Regan said, "So we set goals, made a list and are getting it done."
"He did everything," Sheffield said Monday. "I didn't know anything about it until they told me it was going to be done."

Along with a fresh coat of paint, the former hot dog stand will soon contain donated desks, carpet and curtains.
"We want to make it a warm environment, not cold," Regan said.

The maternal side of the family is in need of donations such as couches, office supplies or volunteer time, Regan said.

With his assistance, the Sheffields have recently purchased a Web domain called Haleighbug.com, where pictures and updates will be posted. The Sheffields also started the Haleighbug Foundation, where donations can be sent to the mother's side of the family.
"We are looking to develop it into a charity to help other mothers with missing children," Regan said.

Article:
http://www.palatkadailynews.com/articles/2009/03/17/news/news01.txt

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Claims Of &#8220;Inconsistency&#8221; Addressed
Last Update: 6:43 pm
<snipped>
With tears in her eyes, Annette Sykes told us her grandson is a good father, who has nothing but love for his children.
&#8220;It&#8217;s very, very aggravating especially because I know they&#8217;re lies,&#8221; said Sykes.
&#8220;It enrages me, it really does&#8230;I&#8217;ve been around his children all their life&#8230;they&#8217;re happy, they&#8217;re loved, I mean anybody that sees them, you can&#8217;t fool everybody.&#8221;

Sykes said she&#8217;s been watching national news coverage of her great granddaughter&#8217;s disappearance and says she can&#8217;t believe the negative press Haleigh&#8217;s father and new step mother Misty have received.
&#8220;It&#8217;s getting nasty&#8230;it&#8217;s getting to the point of nasty, it really is,&#8221; said Sykes.
She went on to address claims that Ronald abused his children and did drugs in front of them.
&#8220;Ronald spanked his children the way children services says you can spank them---on their rear end. He has never done drugs around his kids---that is an outright lie.&#8221;

Sykes also said Haleigh&#8217;s new step mother has only been inconsistent with deputies about minor details revolving around what happened the night Haleigh disappeared.
&#8220;I&#8217;m so sick of hearing that I can&#8217;t stand it&#8230;the girl is 17-years-old&#8230;how many hours they questioned her? 30 hours? You&#8217;re going to tell me that a 17-year-old girl can fool the FBI, the FDLE, the Sheriff&#8217;s Department, the Police Department and every other person in the world and she can outsmart all of them? I don&#8217;t think so.&#8221;

Both Haleigh&#8217;s mother and father have been asked to leave the two separate camps the two had set up. Both were right up the street from the home Haleigh was taken from and both were in violation of county ordinances.
Ronald Cummings has moved his memorial site to his Aunt&#8217;s home in Welaka. Crystal Sheffield and her family have begun to rent out a building in downtown Satsuma where they say they will sit and wait for Haleigh until she comes home.

Article:
http://www.cbs47.com/content/topsto...istency-Addressed/ev2Pb1U-b0mBCCdkBKpkSQ.cspx

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Attorney Urges DCF To Investigate Abuse Allegations In Cummings' Home
Custody Fight For Missing Girl's Brother
POSTED: Tuesday, March 17, 2009
UPDATED: 8:03 pm EDT March 17, 2009
<snipped>
As investigators began their sixth week of trying to solve the disappearance of Haleigh Cummings, the focus of the case shifted in light of some serious allegations.
The missing girl's 4-year-old brother, Junior, is the subject of an escalated custody fight that includes some claims about the children's father, Ronald Cummings. Their mother, Crystal Sheffield, is alleging abuse.

On Tuesday afternoon, Sheffield's attorney, Kim Picazio, said she met with the Department of Children and Families and urged them to investigate allegations of abuse at the Cummings' home.
She said officials would investigate some claims of possible physical abuse of Junior.

"I don&#8217;t believe that anyone knew exactly what was going on in that household until the spotlight was shown upon it. Why now? Well, we're still not going to let Junior just sit there in an unsafe environment just because Haleigh is missing," Picazio said. "Is she supposed to allow her other child, who has not been taken under the nose of a 17-year-old child, to be abducted or to be abused in that household? Is she supposed to sit by and watch when she know what's going in that household? She would be remiss. They would be calling her reckless. They would have the right to take action against her. So no, we are not going to wait. We're not going to allow Junior to sit in an unsafe household."

The attorney said her meeting with DCF was about serious claims of physical abuse and neglect involving Haleigh and Junior.
"When a parent beats a child until the child is bloodied, that is a crime in this county and where I'm from and in New York City. Just because this is a small town, and just because this is Putnam County, there are still laws here that need to be adhered to. It's legally and morally wrong, and he needs to be brought to justice," Picazio said.

VIDEO: Attorney Of Missing Girl's Mother Contacts DCF
http://www.news4jax.com/video/18953849/index.html

Article:
http://www.news4jax.com/news/18952306/detail.html

 

[Salem]

Snodgrass donation story: http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/florida/news-article.aspx?storyid=134030&catid=4

Salem