Haleigh Cummings #4 3/04/09 - 3/08/09

[fatcatlurker]

Okay so reviewing the case so far I've noted things I overlooked to be;

1. skylights in the bedroom with full moon; makes it brighter if she was snatched.
2. children had separate rooms set up but for some reason refused to sleep in them per great grand mom.
3. per local police dispatch a train had just passed thru at that time on that night.
4. dispatch article leads us to believe canine did do search of house immediatly that night. 

[Wyks]

http://www.news4jax.com/video/18875478/index.html

In this video at .25sec you see Haleigh's actually bedroom w/toddler bed with no mattress on bed, because that mattress is in the Master bedroom.  Just something that maybe was overlooked by me; I got confused and wondered if Haleigh actually had a bedroom and why the mattress on the mbr flr.  I find it interesting that they had set up a room for her and she wasn't sleeping there.  I wonder if there was a reason for this...like she had started to get creepy vibes in that room and refused to sleep there recently?  I know in the video of new owner of the previous trailer the children shared a room, well, according to her.  So it just stands out to me that she had a room but wasn't using it and I'd like to know why??  So many damn questions here for me.

In a recent interview, I heard one of the gma's say that both kids were afraid to sleep alone in their rooms. 

As a parent, I know that it would take a bit of time/effort on the parent/caretaker's part to help them both work this out.  There are several things they could do, use nightlights, leave the doors open, assure them they'd be in the next room, etc.  Personally, I wouldn't just make them sleep in their rooms and not help them deal with their fears... Nor would I just bring them into my room at night, every night, either.  There are things that can help. 

Could be they were working on it and that was one night Misty may not have had patience or wanted to be consistent, whatever.  Could be they just figured the kids would grow out of their fears, I don't know cuz they aren't explaining much.  But a lot of kids do have fears of one thing or another and IMO it's up to the parent/caretaker to help them face their fears and get over them, not give in to them. 

[GramaMonkey]

from WS


The door situation has really bothered me since we got a firsthand look last night.

Scenerio:

You are going to enter the home through THAT side entrance. You have to PULL open the screen door and then place the cinderblock to hold it in place.

Then (either its unlocked or you "pick it") you now turn the door handle and you PUSH the solid door open. When you push that door open, you are also going to push anything (laundry) that is on the floor behind the door. So, whatever what was on the floor is going to end up BEHIND the door (laundry will now be between the door and the wall).

There will be nothing on the floor to HOLD that door open as you have pushed it out of the way when you opened it. So, now you have to PUT something in front of that door on the floor to keep it from swinging shut. Plus, you have to know that the door does slowly swing shut (which you could observe once inside and past the door).

Point is - there just isn't something on the floor to "block" the solid door from swinging shut if you entered through it (you pushed everything out of the way just by opening the door). You have to make an effort to put something there to stop it from swinging back shut.

Does that make sense?

NOW with this.... and you add the fact that she only stated the door was wide open which is the door with the brick......this was IMO staged! JMO

[islandmonkey]

Thought this was interesting, in the basement at WS one of the new posters, who lives in this mobile home park, is saying the owner of the trailer that Ron is living in, you would have to know where the light switch is in order to turn on the kitchen light. If you didn't you would have no idea where it is at. I find that rather strange, I mean it couldn't be that hidden could it? 

Maybe we should go back to the video and see if WE see it~wonder where it is located that would make it difficult to find

[no rose colored glasses]

from WS


The door situation has really bothered me since we got a firsthand look last night.

Scenerio:

You are going to enter the home through THAT side entrance. You have to PULL open the screen door and then place the cinderblock to hold it in place.

Then (either its unlocked or you "pick it") you now turn the door handle and you PUSH the solid door open. When you push that door open, you are also going to push anything (laundry) that is on the floor behind the door. So, whatever what was on the floor is going to end up BEHIND the door (laundry will now be between the door and the wall).

There will be nothing on the floor to HOLD that door open as you have pushed it out of the way when you opened it. So, now you have to PUT something in front of that door on the floor to keep it from swinging shut. Plus, you have to know that the door does slowly swing shut (which you could observe once inside and past the door).

Point is - there just isn't something on the floor to "block" the solid door from swinging shut if you entered through it (you pushed everything out of the way just by opening the door). You have to make an effort to put something there to stop it from swinging back shut.

Does that make sense?

NOW with this.... and you add the fact that she only stated the door was wide open which is the door with the brick......this was IMO staged! JMO

Yes, I read that also, and my opinion is like you, I feel it was staged.

[cookie]

We don't know that he and Misty are actual addicts tho

True, and I say that only because I don't know them personally (Thank God) but if they are NOT drug addicts, they both must be extremely unhealthy. They both look(ed) like hell - pale, watery eyes, bags, tired, slurring words, hysterics, cussing, screaming, forgetful, etc.  OR - could be due to the loss of HL.

Am so glad I wasn't reading forums or posting in them back during the Jessica Lunsford case, cuz I totally jumped the gun and judged Mark (the dad) based on his appearance, etc.  I had him pegged from the start.  And to my chagrin, he turned out to be a very nice man who had nothing to do with what happened to his daughter.  In fact, at the trial, he showed a LOT of class, patience, and self-control.  While I would likely have hopped that rail several times and choked the crapola out of that horrific perp.  As it turns out, I greatly admire Mark now. 

So I have to stop and think about that, in this case.  While I hear ya, luckyday, I just don't want to go with Ron and Misty (on appearances) the way I did with Mark.   Am gonna try to give them the benefit of the doubt for now. 

Their words and actions tho, that's another story.  Will continue to sift thru those until it all makes sense. 
 

  wonder how well any of us would look if our little 5 yr old girl was missing? hair all done, makeup on...perfectly coiffed?  I think not....sad that appearances of parents are entering into this discussion really....If they looked perfect then some would criticize that too.. And I might add, the other side of the family doesn't look much better than Ron and Misty as one would expect in a situation of the abduction of a child..

I would look like hell if this had happened to me. I'm sure that you would mistake me as some strung-out tweeking crack-no. And I prefer to judge folks based upon their actions not their appearances or their lifestyle. While you may not be the type of parents that like to have their very young children close to you at night - many do. Lots of parents share sleeping arrangements out of sheer convenience. There is the very real possibility that because Ron wasn't around at night and this just seemed to be a better way for them all to get a good night sleep to go to school. Misty is only 17 so this may have been a more comfortable method for her to watch the kids. There is absolutely no substantiation of any rumors that there were ANY drugs found during this investigation. They have been surrounded by LE and I highly doubt that there is any opportunity for them to be feeding any "addiction" and I don't buy the "addict" label.

I think there is obvious proof that Ron has a past record. And that is fair game. But can it not be possible that since he was working a full-time job and from many reports had gotten his act together that bashing his character is a little....ummmm.....wrong?

I find it almost astonishing that the rumors - that were proven wrong - about Mark Lunsford continue to be repeated. This man was living with his parents - you don't know why - but by all accounts it was the best arrangement for him, Jessica and the parents all the way around. Heaven forbid that he is human - and after waiting for his daughter to go to sleep - spent some adult time with another adult. Returning home before his daughter even woke up. Seemingly safe with her grandparents. Of course hindsite is 20/20 - who would have ever thought that a predator was watching his every move and an incredible series of bad events and bad luck would befall him and his daughter.

Remember that Elizabeth Smart was snatched right from under her family's noses with her sister right there in the room. It doesn't take a family living a lifestyle that you don't approve of to have this happen to them. IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU TOO.

excellent post there Lily.....here here....

[TxLady2]

Too many posts to quote, so please bear w/me.

The "hobo" comment gave me a laugh. I also agree that scenario is prolly unlikely.

As far as HL's matress, either on Greta or NG on Friday, it showed HL's room with a brass headboard/frame and no matress. The matress was in the master bedroom.

As far as the nookie comment, we can only hope not much action was going on around the sleeping children. Maybe Ron slept in another room after getting off work at 3am?

I think LE was not only looking for a body behind the walls or the hot water heater, but any evidence of foul play; ie drugs/gun/knife/plastic bags, etc.

The chloraform comment is interesting. One would have to be living under a rock not to have read all the details re: chloraform and the Anthony case. So, technically, a perv/drug dealer/kidnapper could have gotten the idea from the Anthony media circus.

Some kids like to sleep close to the parents. I feel it stems from not nipping this in the bud when they are infants.

That hobo comment was from me. When my older two sons were little, they used to slip down to the tracks and talk to some of the hoboes who were camped out, cooking over an open fire. The boys said they were usually pretty nice. When I found out I had a fit about it. The hoboes travelled all over the country, sometimes stopping at a place for a day or two, then hopping another freight to move on. I get the shivers thinking one of my kids could have been jumping on one of those trains with them! But they were not perverts, just homeless guys who liked to travel and didn't have the money to do it the right way.
Chloroform was my comment too, and it has been around and been used for putting ones to sleep for a long, long time. I've read enough mystery books, and seen enough movies in my 60+ years to know that it is not a recent thing.
I agree that LE might have been looking for a murder weapon or drugs, as well as a body.
As for the sleeping in the same room.... I see a lot of posters defending this, and I know that my own kids have slept with me in the past when they were small, and lots of kids are afraid of the dark. BUT.... it is not a good idea to allow small children in the same room if any sexual activity is going on. I know from experience that is traumatic to a child to wake up and witness that.
Perhaps Misty felt more secure with both the kids in the same room when he was at work, but CPS frowns on kids not having their own rooms and beds, and it is a fact Ron has already dealt with them fairly recently. Witness his remarks about being instructed on how far he could go to discipline them, and he and Haleigh had an agreement. It is possible that this is the reason for the mattress being on the floor... when they knew a social worker was coming, they put it on Haleigh's bedframe in a hurry, so it would appear she slept in her own room. After the visit, it went back to the master bedroom.
I also read a comment or two elsewhere that Ron and Misty might not have had a sexual relationship, but if they did, they had the whole house. Fooey! If they slept in the same bed, and as young and healthy as they are, there was something going on. So wouldn't it be simpler to start training the kids to stay in their own beds in their own rooms? Takes a little patience, but it can be done. Were they planning on them being in their room till they started college? And if the house is too dark, they sell nightlights in Wal Mart pretty cheap... I have them in almost every room in my house, in strategic places, so when I get up in the night, I won't stumble over something and break my neck. Twenty dollars would provide enough lights to keep the dark out of every room.

[fatcatlurker]

Thought this was interesting, in the basement at WS one of the new posters, who lives in this mobile home park, is saying the owner of the trailer that Ron is living in, you would have to know where the light switch is in order to turn on the kitchen light. If you didn't you would have no idea where it is at. I find that rather strange, I mean it couldn't be that hidden could it? 

Maybe we should go back to the video and see if WE see it~wonder where it is located that would make it difficult to find

Good idea.  I just want the facts.  I'm so tired of speculation and if it's something we can see with our eyes than we know it's bs and have to wonder why a person would be making false claims, right?  I never get too upset by these cases, but watching the video with Haleigh's bedroom and looking at all her stuff, it just broke my heart.  I can't even imagine what the families are going thru and hope I never have to. 

[Dolce]

Ron comes across as about as educated as Misty to me.  Misty though is very young, and I think that is why listening to her throws me for a loop.  She is scared, and you can tell, I do not blame the scare on Ron, but on the situation at hand.  If someone came in and took the child while she was sleeping in the same room, hell that would scare me sh!tless. 
For now, while the terminology is odd, I am going to put it in the back of my mind for a rainy day, and chalk it up, for now, to lack of common terminology.  (I keep waiting for Earl and Joy to come walking by with this bunch)

Hey Dolce..
First let me tell ya I think you look absolutely BEAUTIFUL with your baby bumps!!

I just have to say this. It breaks my heart when I read statements like "Ron isn't educated"! Having a Master's Degree right now wouldn't help him bring Haleigh home.  I read the very same statements about Mark Lunsford and Steve Groene and neither men-hold a Master's Degree and neither harmed their littleones.  jmo...

I am in agreement with you Littleone, I am not saying because he is uneducated that he has done something wrong, I am simply attempting to understand the terminology he has decided to use in much of his dialogue to the press and within his statements.  Some are saying him showing possesion within his dialogue could show abusive mentality and a reason for Misty to be scared of him, I am saying its his verbal terminology, possibly an outcome due to his education.
There are a lot of possibilities within this case, I am open to all of them.  I am not taking a side of Crystal or Ron at this point, I do find their tactics against one another pointing fingers rather than being a united front to be disturbing, but again, I am chalking that up, for now, to bad blood.

[Dolce]

gosh, all this talk from folks about 'eating' their words. i dont undertand that really. i mean, who cares who guessed right as long as shes found and the truth is revealed.

i dont think at this point that ron or crystal did anything to haleigh. it make no sense, it would have to have been premeditated if either did since ostensibly both have alibis. why would either plot to 'abduct' her in some convoluted scheme, when they both have enough alone time with her where they are in sole charge of her, and could do as they pleased?

folks love to bring up inconsistent media interviews, but its important to bear in mind that they are edited for maximum titillation and to fit into a very rigid time slot. what all ended up on the cutting room floor? we just dont know. little details dont get the same kind of ratings as a 'bombshell!' and you can bet if theres something salacious, rumor or not, to focus on, that thats what well be seeing in that few minute sound spot.

this is a crime that occurs in all socioeconomic levels, and judgements made on looks, lifestyle and economic status behooves noone, because sadly it could happen to any one of us.

Good post Peanut.

[TxLady2]

As for judging Ron and Misty for how they look.... remember the Anthonys all looked pretty decent, not like druggies or criminals, yet a lot of folks still ridiculed them for everything they could think of. I guess that's the nature of some people. We all see what we want to see, not what is actually there sometimes.

[momm0f4]

Hello All, Im new to posting here although I have been lurking for a while... Figured this place was right for me, cause this case is driving me bannanas lol..

like everyone else, Im absolutley not sure what happened but I am leaning towads abduction. I guess only because there are quite a few things that I feel is totally possible although many feel they are impossible..

As far as someone coming in and taking a kid out of a room you are sleeping in, It happens to me all the time! I have 4 kids and none of them like to fall asleep in their own beds, so half the time they will crash on the living room floor or my bed. My 2 yr old, I put him to bed earlier than the rest of us go to bed so I put him to sleep in my bed because it is the quietest room. There have been several occasions where my husband has taken him from right beside me and put him in his own bed without me ever hearing or feeling a thing..

I guess what Im saying is if they play "musical beds" a lot *like my kiddos* then it makes it possible that 1, someone could very much come in there and take a kid out of the room without her noticing. And 2, it makes it possible that she wouldn't notice Haleigh missing right off. Maybe she did get up to go to the bathroom, see the light, see the door and then realize oh my gosh, I put Haleigh to bed right there and she isn't there anymore.

I dunno 

[luckyday]

[quoteThere is absolutely no substantiation of any rumors that there were ANY drugs found during this investigation. They have been surrounded by LE and I highly doubt that there is any opportunity for them totru be feeding any "addiction" and I don't buy the "addict" label.][/quote]
True. LE has not commented either way. In fact, LE has not commented on much except the a/c guy and the perv they arrested are clear and that Ron was at work. That's it in a nutshell.

FCL: As far as Misty possibly getting drugs for Ron, he may have told her to lock the door behind her. Maybe, and I say "maybe" she was already "in her cups" and just plain forgot to lock it, comes back and HL is gone.

I also agree that the back door w/the cinder block and the other door with the clothes blocking said door was staged.

[Wyks]

... snipped with respect

If Misty did leave the home, and leave the kids alone, and if a predator went in and snatched Haleigh, she would need police protection from Ron in order to admit to that.  Because, IMO, he woulld kill her if he ever came to think that she did that.

Hi janetruth, good to see you! 

I agree with this 100%.  Especially since we've heard what Ron has said.  We can see the control he has over Misty, and (if she did leave the home) I'm betting when she heard him say that, her heart just sank.  Still and all, she has had time alone with LE, with her family as well, she has had the opportunity to admit what she may have done, and to voice her fears of Ron at the same time.  But then I have to remember, she's barely 17.  And because of what we've heard of her past, her family may not be the type she can turn to for helpful support.  She may feel she's on her own, with no one to help or understand, that she has to do for herself.  This may be part of why she's hiding things.   

Am hoping that LE has a mental health worker talking with her, with the rest of the families involved too.  They need someone who is skilled in dealing with emotions, to be supportive, to help these folks tell what they know as well as handle life at the moment. 

Misty needs this type of support right now, IMO.  She seems to be hiding a great deal, (either out of fear, or whatever reason) and if LE ever wants that info from her, am thinking they need to use a different approach like this. 

It could be that LE might offer some type of immunity for her, but at the very least am hoping they offer some type of witness protection for her future. 

[luckyday]

Didn't g grandma Sykes say the kids fell asleep with the tv on every night?? (IMO, not a good habit) Maybe there is no tv in the kids room; thus  - one of many reasons the kids were sleeping in the master bedroom.

Re: the train. Is this an Amtrack?????

[luckyday]

Am hoping that LE has a mental health worker talking with her, with the rest of the families involved too.  They need someone who is skilled in dealing with emotions, to be supportive, to help these folks tell what they know as well as handle life at the moment. 

Misty needs this type of support right now, IMO.  She seems to be hiding a great deal, (either out of fear, or whatever reason) and if LE ever wants that info from her, am thinking they need to use a different approach like this. 

It could be that LE might offer some type of immunity for her, but at the very least am hoping they offer some type of witness protection for her future.

In total and complete agreement with this!!!!

[fatcatlurker]

Thought this was interesting, in the basement at WS one of the new posters, who lives in this mobile home park, is saying the owner of the trailer that Ron is living in, you would have to know where the light switch is in order to turn on the kitchen light. If you didn't you would have no idea where it is at. I find that rather strange, I mean it couldn't be that hidden could it? 

Maybe we should go back to the video and see if WE see it~wonder where it is located that would make it difficult to find

Good idea.  I just want the facts.  I'm so tired of speculation and if it's something we can see with our eyes than we know it's bs and have to wonder why a person would be making false claims, right?  I never get too upset by these cases, but watching the video with Haleigh's bedroom and looking at all her stuff, it just broke my heart.  I can't even imagine what the families are going thru and hope I never have to. 

I call bs, after reviewing video posted below.  You can clearly see a light switch 3.34 thru and up to another switch by back hall door at 4.  Now maybe there is another light switch over on the wall in the kitchen area, but I see atleast 2 in the immediate area that could be a light on in the kitchen area. 
Just what I see.  You guys are really lucky I can't do screen captures yet....tee hee.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/crime/2009/03/06/ng.haleigh.teary

Just what I see on video.

[islandmonkey]

Hello All, Im new to posting here although I have been lurking for a while... Figured this place was right for me, cause this case is driving me bannanas lol..

like everyone else, Im absolutley not sure what happened but I am leaning towads abduction. I guess only because there are quite a few things that I feel is totally possible although many feel they are impossible..

As far as someone coming in and taking a kid out of a room you are sleeping in, It happens to me all the time! I have 4 kids and none of them like to fall asleep in their own beds, so half the time they will crash on the living room floor or my bed. My 2 yr old, I put him to bed earlier than the rest of us go to bed so I put him to sleep in my bed because it is the quietest room. There have been several occasions where my husband has taken him from right beside me and put him in his own bed without me ever hearing or feeling a thing..

I guess what Im saying is if they play "musical beds" a lot *like my kiddos* then it makes it possible that 1, someone could very much come in there and take a kid out of the room without her noticing. And 2, it makes it possible that she wouldn't notice Haleigh missing right off. Maybe she did get up to go to the bathroom, see the light, see the door and then realize oh my gosh, I put Haleigh to bed right there and she isn't there anymore.

I dunno 

True~but FBI Profilers state that abducting a child from a home where others are in the same room are about 1%, I can think of Polly Klaas and Elizabeth Smart.

[fatcatlurker]

... snipped with respect

If Misty did leave the home, and leave the kids alone, and if a predator went in and snatched Haleigh, she would need police protection from Ron in order to admit to that.  Because, IMO, he woulld kill her if he ever came to think that she did that.

Hi janetruth, good to see you! 

I agree with this 100%.  Especially since we've heard what Ron has said.  We can see the control he has over Misty, and (if she did leave the home) I'm betting when she heard him say that, her heart just sank.  Still and all, she has had time alone with LE, with her family as well, she has had the opportunity to admit what she may have done, and to voice her fears of Ron at the same time.  But then I have to remember, she's barely 17.  And because of what we've heard of her past, her family may not be the type she can turn to for helpful support.  She may feel she's on her own, with no one to help or understand, that she has to do for herself.  This may be part of why she's hiding things.  

Am hoping that LE has a mental health worker talking with her, with the rest of the families involved too.  They need someone who is skilled in dealing with emotions, to be supportive, to help these folks tell what they know as well as handle life at the moment. 

Misty needs this type of support right now, IMO.  She seems to be hiding a great deal, (either out of fear, or whatever reason) and if LE ever wants that info from her, am thinking they need to use a different approach like this. 

It could be that LE might offer some type of immunity for her, but at the very least am hoping they offer some type of witness protection for her future. 

Not to beat a dead horse, but my husband would need immunity for a time period as well if he did this.  She does appear to be hiding something.  I re-watched the vid w/gvs when she asks her if she drank that night and her eyes go down and left and appears as a lie to me. JMO of that particular incident.

[luckyday]

I call bs, after reviewing video posted below.  You can clearly see a light switch 3.34 thru and up to another switch by back hall door at 4.  Now maybe there is another light switch over on the wall in the kitchen area, but I see atleast 2 in the immediate area that could be a light on in the kitchen area. 
Just what I see.  You guys are really lucky I can't do screen captures yet....tee hee.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/crime/2009/03/06/ng.haleigh.teary

Just what I see on video.

Well hells bells!! This vid w/NOT play for me. Don't know why, new laptop w/all the latest gadgets!!!

Have a question as a newbie: Is it me? Am I losing it? On hallucinogenics I am not aware of??? W/be reading a post and the damned board keeps moving!! Freaking me out and I don't "freak" easily.