Show transcripts

[klaasend]

Will post show transcripts here.  I see NG is spending most of the show 2/11 on this case so we'll have a transcript later tonight/tomorrow.

[ospainter]

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0902/11/ng.01.html

NANCY GRACE

Search for Florida 5-Year-Old Missing From Own Bed

Aired February 11, 2009 - 20:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


NANCY GRACE, HOST: Breaking news tonight, Satsuma, Florida. A 5- year-old girl tucked into bed, five hours later, she vanishes into thin air, gone, the back door propped wide open. Tonight, the search by land, by air, by water for 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings. And just released, the stunning 911 call. We have the call, that call from the father hysterical. He comes home from the night shift to find his little girl gone.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just woke up, and my back door was all open and I can`t find our daughter.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This pastor and these friends and family are afraid this is just the beginning, praying it`s not, but preparing for if it is. Haleigh`s dad, Ronald Cummings, says he was working the night shift early this morning and came home around 3:00 AM to this house on Green (ph) Lane in the Hermit`s (ph) Cove area of Satsuma. He tell us the back door was open and Haleigh was missing from her bed, so he called 911.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

RONALD CUMMINGS, FATHER: I just got home from work, my 5-year-old daughter is gone. I need somebody to be here now, I`m telling you.

911 OPERATOR: OK.

911 OPERATOR: Listen to me. Listen to me. We`ve got two officers...

CUMMINGS: If I find whoever has my daughter before y`all do, I`m killing him. I don`t care. I`ll spend the rest of my life in prison, I`m telling you. You can put it on the report, and I don`t care.

911 OPERATOR: OK. It`s OK, sir. We`ve got them on the way. OK, can you give me any -- what kind of description of her pajamas that she was wearing?

CUMMINGS: I don`t (DELETED) know! I was at work!

911 OPERATOR: OK, sir, we`ve got them coming, OK?

(END AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just want whoever`s got her to bring her home. That`s all I want is my baby home!

CUMMINGS: I think we got four or five counties` police officers looking for her now, dogs, bloodhounds, K-9s. We can`t find her nowhere. Helicopters. Somebody has her. They have her hidden. I just want my daughter back. That`s it. That`s all I want.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Tonight, every minute counts in the search for Haleigh. Her father is joining us live.

Breaking news tonight in the desperate search for a beautiful 2-year- old Florida girl, Caylee. Six months of searching culminates when skeletal remains found in a heavily wooded area just 15 houses from the Anthonys` confirmed to be Caylee, manner of death homicide, the little girl`s remains completely skeletonized. This after a utility meter reader stumbles on a garbage bag containing a tiny human skeleton, including a skull covered in light-colored hair. The killer duct tapes the child`s mouth, then finishes off by placing a child`s heart-shaped sticker over the duct tape, little Caylee`s tiny skeleton double-bagged like she`s trash.

Bombshell tonight. As we go to air, local WKMG confirms Caylee has been cremated. This is after the Anthonys` lawyer denied it. Why? Little Caylee`s cremation in direct opposition to the tot mom`s wishes, Caylee`s ashes reportedly not even kept at the Anthony home because of safety concerns.

And have fingerprints been identified on duct tape over Caylee`s mouth? Will duct tape fingerprints be the direct link to tot mom? And how can her team defend against fingerprints? This after tot mom chooses not to watch Caylee`s memorial on TV, instead meeting with her lawyer. And what do investigators make of brother Lee`s secret coded message to tot mom from the memorial pulpit? The sheriff orders all jailhouse visits recorded of the tot mom, but is a private jailhouse memorial out of the camera`s eye in the works?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEE ANTHONY, CAYLEE`S UNCLE: How are you?

CASEY ANTHONY, CAYLEE`S MOTHER: Oh, man. I don`t want to start crying.

LEE ANTHONY: No, I don`t, either.

CMA, I miss you! I love you. I need you to know this. I will never forget the promise that I made to you!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lee Anthony, at yesterday`s public memorial for little Caylee, and at this point, using the initials CMA. And we believe he`s -- well, he could be referring to Casey.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Anthony family attorney, Brad Conway, is telling us for the first time tonight confirming that Caylee was cremated within the last few days. He tells us, quote, "Casey made it clear that she did not want Caylee`s remains to be cremated. This is a decision the family made to protect Caylee. This was a hard choice for them."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some day, I want to go and visit her grave and tell her how much I miss her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re hearing there likely won`t be a marked headstone, like Casey wants, because George and Cindy are afraid someone may vandalize it.

CASEY ANTHONY: Come on! I`m so beyond frustrated with all of this that I can`t even swallow right now, it hurts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Good evening. I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us. How -- how -- could a 5-year-old Florida girl vanish from her own bed, a bed she was sharing that night with her baby-sitter and her 4-year- old brother?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Haleigh`s dad, Ronald Cummings, says he was working the night shift early Tuesday morning and he came home to find his daughter missing.

CUMMINGS: Gave me a hug and a kiss (INAUDIBLE) told me she loved me, she`d see me when I got home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She`s a daddy`s girl.

CUMMINGS: She wasn`t there when I got home!

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

911 OPERATOR: OK. When did you last see her?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just, like -- you know, it was about 10:00 o`clock. She was sleeping (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: OK. How old is your daughter?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She`s 5.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Haleigh was sleeping in the bedroom with her 2- year-old brother and her dad`s 17-year-old girlfriend, who says she didn`t wake up or hear anything.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s not like that baby just disappeared out of thin air.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why is why Putnam County deputies are combing the area. Even though there was no sign of forced entry, investigators believe Haleigh`s disappearance is an abduction.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

911 OPERATOR: All right. You said your back door was wide open?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, with a brick. Like, there was a brick on the floor. Like, when I went to sleep, the door was not like that.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

CUMMINGS: I know somebody took my little girl! I`m sorry! Piece of trash that will be wasted when it`s all over!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: How could this little girl just vanish into thin air out of her own bed? The father, working the night shift, comes home to find his baby girl is gone.

I want to go straight to him, everyone. The tip line, 386-329-0808 -- 386-329-386-329-0808. Let me remind you that every minute counts. Every minute that she has been gone counts. One minute could save her life.

With me right now, the father of little Haleigh, Ronald Cummings, is with us. Mr. Cummings, you and your family are in so many prayers across the country right now. Please tell us what happened when you got home from work that night. I believe it was around 3:00 AM.

CUMMINGS: Actually, it was about 3:25, 3:27.

GRACE: OK.

CUMMINGS: And I pulled into the yard, and my girlfriend opened the front door, and I already knew something was wrong because she`s not up at this time. She told me -- I said, What are you doing up at this time? She said, Your back door`s wide open and your daughter`s gone.

GRACE: What is her description -- what scenario took place?

CUMMINGS: She got out of bed and went to use the restroom and came back to find that my daughter was not in bed with her.

GRACE: OK, what time did...

CUMMINGS: And the back door was wide open and she was -- and she was gone.

GRACE: Ronald, what time did she put Haleigh to bed?

CUMMINGS: She puts them to bed every night at 8:00 o`clock.

GRACE: At 8:00 o`clock. When she put...

CUMMINGS: And...

GRACE: When she put her to bed at 8:00 o`clock, did she also put to bed the little 4-year-old boy?

CUMMINGS: Yes, she did.

GRACE: OK. What time did she go to bed?

CUMMINGS: Approximately 10:30, 11:00.

GRACE: At 10:30, 11:00. At that time, was little Haleigh in the bed asleep with the brother?

CUMMINGS: Yes.

GRACE: And they all slept together in the same bed, correct?

CASAREZ: Yes.

GRACE: So sometime between 11:00 PM and 3:30 AM, Haleigh goes missing. Now, did she call 911?

CUMMINGS: No, she did not, not until after I was there. She tried to call me, but I was pulling in the driveway. So I asked her how come she was trying to call me, she needed to call 911. So she immediately called them then.

GRACE: And where does the biological mother live, Ronald? Ronald, where does the mom live? OK, I think somehow -- I think I`ve lost his connection. Liz, see if you can bring Ronald back up. Ronald, where does the mother...

CUMMINGS: I got you. I got you.

GRACE: OK. Good. Everyone, Ronald Cummings is joining us there at the command center in Satsuma, Florida. Mr. Cummings, where does Haleigh`s mother live?

CUMMINGS: In Baker County, in Glenn St. Mary (ph).

GRACE: What is that, about 150 miles away?

CUMMINGS: I would say approximately 90 to 100.

GRACE: Now, have you and your girlfriend both taken a polygraph, right?

CUMMINGS: Yes, I have. Passed it with flying colors. Yes, she has. Passed hers.

GRACE: And you volunteered to do that and you`ve been cooperating with police, right?

CUMMINGS: Yes. Why not? I don`t have anything to hide. I just want my daughter back. Anything that`s going to help them eliminate more people, that`s the best thing.

GRACE: Exactly. Mr. Cummings, you said the door was propped open. Describe to me what you saw when you got home.

CUMMINGS: I came in the house and immediately checked all the bedrooms, the bathroom, everywhere, just to be sure, and walked to the back door, it was wide open. As I walked out the back door, the screen door was propped open with a cinderblock.

GRACE: Everyone, joining me from Satsuma, Florida, is Mr. Ronald Cummings. He was at work as usual when his daughter goes missing. Take a listen to this 911 call.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

911 OPERATOR: What does she look like? How tall is she? Give me some description of her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She has, like -- like, long hair, curly, like, curls.

911 OPERATOR: Long curled. What color?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She`s white.

911 OPERATOR: OK. What color hair?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She`s got brown hair.

911 OPERATOR: OK. Brown hair?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Oh, my God! (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: OK. How tall is she, about? Or how much does she weigh? Do you know that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Huh?

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And if anybody around here that knows me has got my granddaughter, bring her home. Just bring her to my house and drop her off. You know where I live. Just bring her home. Just bring her back to us. She`s my sixth generation grandchild, grandbaby, and we want her back. Just bring her back to us. She`s our heart. She`s my first baby from my first baby. I want her back. Please bring her home. Bring her to somebody. Drop her off somewhere and call 911. Somebody`ll pick her up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

911 OPERATOR: OK, listen to me. I`m getting this information. I`m not the officer driving out there, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

911 OPERATOR: They`re coming out there to handle that situation. I need to gather all her information from you over the phone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

911 OPERATOR: It has nothing to do with me driving out there. The officers are taking care of that, OK? They`re coming out there, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

911 OPERATOR: OK. I`m going to stay on the phone with you, OK...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

911 OPERATOR: ... until they get there, all right? Tell him we`ve got them coming. He needs to try to calm down a little bit, OK? The officers are going to come out there and do what they can. We can`t have him screaming and yelling at the officers whenever they get there, OK?

911 OPERATOR: OK, was your back door locked do you know?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. The back door always stays locked.

FATHER: I need somebody (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: OK, let me speak to her (INAUDIBLE)

CUMMINGS: I just got home from work, my 5-year-old daughter is gone. I need somebody to be here now, I`m telling you.

911 OPERATOR: Listen to me. Listen to me. We`ve got two officers...

CUMMINGS: If I find whoever has my daughter before y`all do, I`m killing him. I don`t care. I`ll spend the rest of my life in prison, I`m telling you. You can put it on the report, and I don`t care.

911 OPERATOR: OK. It`s OK, sir. We`ve got them on the way. OK, can you give me any -- what kind of description of her pajamas that she was wearing?

CUMMINGS: I don`t (DELETED) know! I was at work!

911 OPERATOR: OK, sir, we`ve got them coming, OK?

(END AUDIO CLIP)

GRACE: A 5-year-old Satsuma, Florida, girl vanishes out of the bed she was sharing with her baby-sitter and her 4-year-old brother. Tonight, the father is with us -- he has just passed a polygraph test -- begging for your help. We are taking your calls live.

Back to Ronald Cummings, the father of 5-year-old Haleigh. Mr. Cummings, was the bedroom door open when they went to sleep?

CUMMINGS: Yes, it was.

GRACE: And what kind of a...

CUMMINGS: Yes, it was.

GRACE: OK. And what kind of a lock do you have on your door, the one that was propped open with a cinder block?

CUMMINGS: It`s just a little plastic lock on a -- just a regular screen door plastic lock.

GRACE: Do you know where the cinderblock came from that was propping the door open?

CUMMINGS: Don`t have a clue. I don`t mess with none of that, so I don`t know. I very rarely am in the back yard at all unless I`m washing my car. So it could have came from around my shed. I`m renting. I don`t know if the previous renters had it or what, but I`ve never seen it, I don`t believe.

GRACE: So to your knowledge, you`ve never seen it.

CUMMINGS: Not that I believe. I mean, I may be mistaken and have seen it before, but I know it wasn`t where it`s at now.

GRACE: Joining me right now, Natisha Lance. She`s standing by there at the Satsuma command center. Natisha, what can you tell me?

NATISHA LANCE, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Well, Nancy, just as you said, this started late Monday morning. At 3:00 o`clock in the morning, this little girl goes missing. Now, law enforcement has been very heavily involved from the very beginning since the time this little girl went missing. They`ve had helicopters up in the air. They`ve had boats in the water using sonar equipment to look for her. There was a scent that was found that was at the edge of this waterway, which is not too far away from the home.

Now, police have been looking in that waterway. They also have had helicopters up in the air. Eight agencies are involved. A hundred and fifty law enforcement officers were out there the first day. Fifty law enforcement officers are out there today. And these officers are saying that they are pledged to finding this little girl and bringing her home.

GRACE: Back to the father of 5-year-old Haleigh, Ronald Cummings, joining us from the command center. Ronald, the dogs picked up some sort of scent near the water. How far away is that from your home?

CUMMINGS: I don`t know, five or six, eight blocks, somewhere in there. Between five and eight blocks.

GRACE: And has Haleigh ever sleepwalked or left the home in the night before?

CUMMINGS: No way, never. She`s afraid of the dark.

GRACE: And Ronald, I don`t see a 5-year-old little girl picking up a cinderblock and propping the door open. That`s just not going to happen.

CUMMINGS: No.

GRACE: To Joy Purdy standing by there at the command center, reporter with WTLV. Joy, what more can you tell me about her disappearance? I`ve confirmed with Ronald Cummings that he has volunteered and passed a polygraph. What about the girlfriend that was in the bed with the little girl when she goes missing?

JOY PURDY, WTLV: It`s very interesting, Nancy. We have not seen the girlfriend at all today. Police tell us they did interview her thoroughly and that she`s now with family and friends recovering. Look, she`s 17 years old and has been through this traumatic experience. They say that she`s doing fine, under the circumstances.

There are a couple of other interesting points that came out today from the police. One is that -- and you`ll be interested to hear this -- in this five-mile radius of the home, there are 44 registered sex offenders in the area. There`s only 5,300 people in this town of Satsuma, 44 registered sex offenders. So you can imagine police have gone to them or are planning to go to them and find out their whereabouts when little Haleigh disappeared.

Also, you talked about it a little while ago with Ron, the polygraph - - they`re using them on many different people, not just him, other family members, other members of the community. They`re using them at will. The FBI is assisting.

GRACE: And listen, Joy, it ain`t over yet. Remember Jessie Lunsford, not far from there, Homosassa, Florida? She was taken by a registered sex offender. The family came under suspicion, of course, because she was taken from the home in the middle of the night, very similar to this. She was alive for quite a period of time after her abduction.

Out to Marc Klaas, president and founder of Klaas Kids Foundation. Marc, help me.

MARC KLAAS, KLAAS KIDS FOUNDATION: Well, the comparisons to the Lunsford case are absolutely eerie and very well made. And one would hope that they have learned the lessons of the Lunsford case. And from everything that I`ve heard, law enforcement has responded rather magnificently in this by bringing in a multi-jurisdictional task force that absolutely knows what they do, by bringing in the various -- the various search teams that are professionally trained, know exactly what they`re doing.

I think the father, Ron -- I think you`re doing a marvelous job by cooperating with law enforcement, by giving them all the information they need, by taking the polygraph and passing it and eliminating yourself. And you understand now that the important thing is to keep eliminating the various possibilities until law enforcement can hone in on exactly that happened.

So, my brother, I would ask you to stay strong and continue to do what you`re doing.

GRACE: With me, a special guest, Sheriff Jeff Hardy with the Putnam County sheriff`s office. Sheriff, thank you for being with us. Sheriff, what`s your plan how to deal with these registered sex offenders in the area? It is a tall order, Sheriff.

SHERIFF JEFF HARDY, PUTNAM COUNTY: Nancy, thank you for letting us be here. It is a tall order. We do have 44 registered sex offenders within a five-air-mile radius, and we`re in the process now of making contact with all of them. We have agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the FBI and our investigators are making contact with all of them.

GRACE: And Sheriff, remember, the dirtbag in the Lunsford case was just visiting and he was a sex offender.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

CUMMINGS: Hello?

911 OPERATOR: OK, sir, let me talk to your wife. Let me get some information from her.

CUMMINGS: (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: Can I talk to her?

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRACE: A little 5-year-old Florida girl needs your help. She vanishes out of her own bed she was sharing with the baby-sitter and 4- year-old brother, her father at work on the night shift. He`s with us tonight.

Very quickly, back to the sheriff in Putnam County, Sheriff Jeff Hardy. Sheriff, you are even doing an infrared search. Explain.

HARDY: Well, ma`am, we have done infrared searches using aircraft to look at all our wooded areas, our waterways. We`ve actually brought some equipment in to do sonar searches in our river. It`s been pretty extensive.

GRACE: And what did they find on the sonar search?

HARDY That`s the problem, Nancy. We haven`t come up with anything right yet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CUMMINGS: Somebody stole my child out of my bed. I come home from work and my child was not there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, the back door always stays locked.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need somebody to get here now.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: OK, let me to speak to him so.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, yes, yes, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just got home from work, my 5-year-old daughter is gone.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need somebody to be here now. I`m telling you.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: Listen to me, listen to me. We got two officers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I find whoever has my daughter before you all do I`m killing him. I don`t care. I`ll spend the rest of my life in prison.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: OK. OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m telling you. You can put it on recording, I don`t care.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: OK. It`s OK, sir. We`ve got them on the way. OK? Can you give me any -- what kind of description of her pajamas that she was wearing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t (EXPLETIVE DELETED) know. I was at work.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: OK, sir. We got them coming, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello?

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: OK, sir, let me talk to you wife. Let me get some information from her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man. (INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: OK. Can I talk to her?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: OK, listen to me. I need you to answer some questions. Does the door look like it was pried open?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: Does it look like you had some sort of someone try to enter into your house?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hold on.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: And another thing, make sure you and your husband don`t touch the door anymore. Don`t mess with the door or anything.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, it doesn`t.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: It doesn`t look like it is?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: OK. Now listen, tell your husband not to touch anything, make sure.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: Because we`re going to try and get a canine out there, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. She said don`t touch anything because they are bringing a canine out here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY GRACE, HOST: I can`t even imagine going home tonight, after this show, and finding my children gone. When Ronald Cummings got home from the night shift, 3:27, 3:30 a.m., his 5-year-old girl Haleigh, there she is on the screen, gone. She was put to bed around 8:00 p.m., everything was fine. She was seen in bed around 11:00 p.m. By 3:30, totally vanished. The 4-year-old brother still asleep in the bed where he had been beside her.

With me is Ronald Cummings, Haleigh`s father.

Mr. Cummings, about the back door, am I correct that you never -- you rarely used the back door that was propped open?

RONALD CUMMINGS, FATHER OF MISSING 5-YR-OLD HALEIGH CUMMINGS: Yes, you are correct. I`ve used it twice to pull the vacuum cleaner down the handicap ramp and vacuum my car with it. And, yes, I did relock the door when I came in. And I checked to be sure that it is still locked every afternoon before I go to work.

GRACE: I want to go back to the sheriff, Sheriff Jeff Hardy.

Sheriff Hardy, I`m sure that you`ve already canvassed the neighborhood, spoken to the neighbors. What did they have to say?

SHERIFF JEFF HARDY, PUTNAM CO. SHERIFF`S OFFICE, ON LOCATION AT COMMAND CENTER: Nancy, we have canvassed this area considerably, again, by ground, by air and by water. And this community has been extremely helpful in wanting to, of course, to find Haleigh. And as you can see, probably behind me, this community has actually opened up their homes and their doors to help feed the numerous law enforcement personnel that we have out here. And this community has had -- been very responsive to trying to locate her.

GRACE: Well, Sheriff, I`m glad to hear that because I keep thinking about the Jessie Lunsford case and she was being held alive catty cornered from her grandparent`s home and police did a cursory search, didn`t see her, little did they know the registered sex offender on the run had her hidden in the bedroom closet, alive. Alive when the cops came there.

Sheriff Hardy, you stated that dogs had hit near water. Has the child ever been down to the water with adult supervision? What do you make of them hitting near the water?

HARDY: Nancy, the -- we had several bloodhounds that went ahead and did several different tracks. They did track down towards the water area. We don`t know, you know. These bloodhounds can track scent for several days. Their noses are very astute. And so as far as tracking Haleigh all the way down to the water, that -- we`re uncertain about whether or not that Haleigh ended up in the water.

GRACE: You know, that would be a very, very unlikely scenario.

Sergeant Scott Haines -- also joining us from Pensacola, Florida, for her to -- on her own walk out the back door, stick a cinder block to prop it open and go all eight blocks down to the water`s edge. I don`t see it. I don`t think that`s what happened.

SGT. SCOTT HAINES, SHERIFF`S OFFICER, SANTA ROSA COUNTY, FL.: I don`t see it either, especially when the father said his young child is afraid of the dark. No girl is going to leave that secure zone of her home in the middle of the night, walk out that door into darkness without the comfort of the girlfriend that was there with her. She`s just not going to do it. It`s not going to happen.

GRACE: Back to WTLV`s Joy Purdy. Joy, I assume everything has been fingerprinted and processed already. That`s done, right?

JOY PURDY, REPORTER, CNN AFFILIATE WTLV, COVERING STORY: It is. But police tell us they are going to retrace their steps two and three times just to be sure. And it`s very interesting. I`m listening to the conversation that you`re having with the sheriff, a lot of our sources out here are telling us they spent quite a bit of time at the water, that there were divers in the water, boats out there.

I`m very interested to know why so much attention there, number one. Number two, Caylee, according to the family members, told us that -- I`m sorry, Haleigh`s family members told me that she was very afraid of the water because there was a scare a couple of years ago where she fell into a nearby creek. She had to be rescued, resuscitated. So she doesn`t even want to go anywhere near the water.

GRACE: We`re taking your calls live. Out to Linda in Florida, hi, Linda.

LINDA, FROM FLORIDA: Hi there, Nancy. First of all, I want to say your twins are the greatest little gift from God and you`re just a wonderful, wonderful person.

GRACE: Thank you.

LINDA: Thanks for being our champion and our hero. I want to tell you that.

GRACE: I don`t deserve that but the twins are a miracle. They`re a miracle. And just listening to Ronald Cummings on his 911 call is just heart breaking. I can`t imagine going home and finding -- you know, because they`re asleep by the time I get home, finding their cribs empty? I just can`t imagine.

What was your question, dear?

LINDA: My question is, all three of them were in the bed together. It just amazes me to think that -- I know being a mother myself, if someone comes into the room, I sense this. And -- but on the child`s part, if a child is picked up when they are dead asleep, they normally have a reaction. It`s a gasp, a whatever, unless they know the person.

GRACE: To Dr. Caryn Stark, psychologist, I -- understand where Linda is coming from, but I think it would depend on the child. Sometimes when you wake a child up, they sleep straight through it. I have fed John David a bottle, and I think he slept through the whole thing before. He ate a whole bottle asleep.

CARYN STARK, PSYCHOLOGIST: And there`s no doubt that she could have been sleeping and also perhaps maybe she was even -- you know, he held his hand over her mouth. You never know what really happened in that situation. But she could have been sleeping. It is, however, Nancy, highly unlikely that she just wandered off, not at 5 years old.

GRACE: No. No. Unleash the lawyers, John Burris, high profile lawyer out of San Francisco, Michael Mazzariello, defense attorney and host of "Closing Arguments," WGNY here in New York.

Thank you, gentlemen, for being with us.

John Burris, I know that you always look at the family first. Why? Because statistically they`re usually responsible for disappearances and even deaths, much less, you know, physical injury. But this dad has passed a polygraph. It could be verified where he was. After that Jessie Lunsford case, never say never. It is entirely possible for someone to come into the home, undetected and leave.

JOHN BURRIS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Obviously, that`s true. And I think you`re right about the dad. I mean everything I hear about him certainly seems very sincere. I don`t want to throw water on any of this, but I will tell you that it`s so improbable that it could have happened that way. You do must rule out his girlfriend. You have to rule that out.

Now if she passed a polygraph, that`s fine. But until she does, it seems to me that the police have to focus in on her and ask her questions to find out -- because this is so difficult to happen, given all that we know, that -- so I just think that you still have to be suspicious of family members for now.

GRACE: I think you`re right. Michael Mazzariello, Maz, I don`t want to project that especially -- I`m always a light sleeper, but especially since I had the twins, I can hear them down the hall when they cough. So it`s hard for me to imagine not noticing a child gets picked up out of the bed and taken out. But it`s not impossible.

MICHAEL MAZZARIELLO, DEFENSE ATTORNEY, HOST OF "CLOSING ARGUMENTS": Absolutely not. We know it`s not impossible. Look at that little girl in Florida, like you mentioned before, Jessica. They came into her house, took her in the middle of the night, it`s not impossible. They ruled out the girlfriend, they`re ruling out -- they ruled out the father. They took tests. Let`s get on with it and look for the.

GRACE: Everyone.

MAZZARIELLO: . perverts and pedophile houses and check them out.

GRACE: Tip line, 386-329-0808. A $25,000 reward from Leonard Padilla, a $1,000 reward from CrimeStoppers.

We`re going to break. We`ll be back, taking your calls live. And as we go to break, a special happy birthday and thank you to a star Orlando cameraman, Ric.

Ric, happy birthday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m going to (EXPLETIVE DELETED) kill somebody.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: OK. Well, tell him we understand. We need to get her date of birth.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What`s her date of birth?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) we need to find her. What`s her date of birth?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE ANTHONY, CAYLEE ANTHONY`S GRANDFATHER: I hope that I am the one that actually taught her "You are My Sunshine." She was my sunshine. I have a locket right now with me and it has "My Sunshine, My Caylee" on it. And when that was placed on me just a few days ago, the warmth inside of me, I felt her, not only every day, but I really felt her more and more.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: On the heels of yesterday`s memorial, nearly 2,000 people in attendance, we learn that little Caylee`s remains have been cremated for several days. This after the Anthony lawyer denies that.

Out to Adam Longo with WKMG, Adam, what`s the latest?

ADAM LONGO, REPORTER, CNN AFFILIATE WKMG, COVERING STORY: Right, Nancy. Well, we have confirmed through two different sources tonight that little Caylee was, in fact, cremated just within the past several days. The Anthony family attorney confirming that to me tonight and also we were the first to get our hands on little Caylee`s death certificate.

Apparently the authorization to have her cremated came down on the 31st of December. Basically in order to perform a cremation in Florida, the medical examiner has to give their permission. That`s what happened at the end of December.

Now we talked about the statement from Jose Baez -- Casey Anthony`s statement through Jose Baez on Monday where it was clear -- made clear that Casey did not want her daughter to be cremated. And I asked the Anthony family attorney that, I said was the family just ignoring her wishes and that -- was certainly, according to him, something that was not done to spite Casey.

The reason this was done, according to him, was to keep the remains safe. They are telling us the remains are not in the East Orange County home. They feel like that they want to keep Caylee safe and that the remains would be a target for vandals. And they felt like if there was a tombstone in a graveyard that that might be subject to vandalism and they`re saying that if the remains, the cremated remains were actually in the Anthony home, they`re afraid that somebody would try to break into the house, Nancy, and steal them.

GRACE: Adam -- with us is WKMG`s Adam Longo. So you`re telling me the medical examiner released the remains for cremation back in December.

LONGO: Actually before that because the remains were at the funeral home when they had to ask permission to have the remains cremated. They got that permission on the 31st. The remains were cleared from the medical examiner`s office sometime prior to December 31st.

GRACE: OK. Adam, it`s my understanding that since the mother, although she`s charged with a murder, is still the closest relative, she would have to be the one to make that decision.

LONGO: Yes. But what we also learned tonight, Nancy, is that she signed a limited power of attorney, giving her parents the rights to be able to deal with -- I know that`s not the best choice of words -- but to deal with, to manage the remains of that funeral home.

GRACE: To Drew Petrimoulx with WDBO -- Drew, what can you tell me about the sheriff giving the jail an order to videotape every one of the tot mom`s visits with friend and family and now the family or the tot mom wants to get out from the camera`s eye to have a jailhouse memorial? Is that happening?

DREW PETRIMOULX, REPORTER, WDBO RADIO, COVERING STORY: It`s still in the works. We`ve heard from the attorney for the Anthony family, for George and Cindy, Brad Conway. He said this is something that he`s looking into.

Normally video visitations aren`t something that are recorded and then released to the public. The only reason why these are released to the public and recorded is because it`s such a high profile case and that they are still collecting evidence. And they -- when these video visitations take place, they want to see what they`re talking about.

The sheriff`s office is the one who makes this decision. And they said that they are considering and they would may -- possibly entertain the idea of letting them have one private meeting. Of course, it would still be over video. It wouldn`t be something where they can meet face to face.

GRACE: To Leonard Padilla, the bounty hunter who helped look exhaustively for Caylee -- Leonard, what are your sources telling you?

LEONARD PADILLA, BOUNTY HUNTER, HELPED LOOK FOR CAYLEE & SPENT TIME WITH CASEY ANTHONY: Lost her.

GRACE: I can hear you. Do we have Padilla?

PADILLA: You can hear me?

GRACE: Yes, I got you. Leonard.

PADILLA: I can hear you. I can hear you.

GRACE: Good to know.

Leonard, what do you know, if anything, about sources reporting fingerprints were lifted off the duct tape?

PADILLA: I heard this morning that there were fingerprints and that the prints are Casey`s on the duct tape.

GRACE: To Adam -- to Adam Longo with WKMG, Adam, we`re, of course, referring to the duct tape across Caylee`s mouth. Her hair had to be cut to get the duct tape from around her face. Do you know anything about fingerprints off the duct tape?

LONGO: Yes, I`ve got to be honest with you, Nancy, that is not something that I have delved into today at all. You`ve had my colleague on, Jessica D`Onofrio, before and she`s the one who really has her hands in a lot of these forensic instances in this case, but that is not something that I`ve dealt with at all today.

GRACE: So, Adam that tells me it hasn`t been made public yet if you don`t know about it.

LONGO: Yes, there are many things that haven`t been made public. I mean we know that there are forensic reports that have been completed but we haven`t seen them because they haven`t been turned over in the course of discovery.

GRACE: To Dr. Joshua Perper, renowned medical examiner out of Broward County, author of "When to Call the doctor." Dr. Perper, who has the right to authorize a cremation?

DR. JOSHUA PERPER, MEDICAL EXAMINER, AUTHOR OF "WHEN TO CALL THE DOCTOR": Well, first the family has to request the cremation to the funeral director. The medical examiner then has to make a determination whether all the evidence has been taken from the body and there is no need for additional investigation. And if he`s making such determination, then the body is released for cremation.

GRACE: Dr. Perper, since this case has not gone to trial yet, do you believe it`s a mistake to cremate the body?

PERPER: No, because in this particular case there were a small number of bones and they didn`t show any evidence of damage. So there was no reason, no reasonable explanation why those bones should be maintained by the medical examiner.

GRACE: Caryn Stark, we know gravesites such as JonBenet Ramsey, even Anna Nicole Smith, have not been violated in any way.

Why are the Anthonys afraid Caylee`s gravesite would be desecrated?

STARK: It doesn`t make a lot of sense, Nancy. I really don`t understand it.

GRACE: But they did get 150 death threats, though, Caryn.

STARK: Yes, well, they`re right there making sure also that they`re right in the public`s attention so -- I don`t know, Nancy. I just can`t imagine that that would happen.

GRACE: Out to the lines, Sheila, Ohio. Hi, Sheila.

SHEILA, FROM OHIO: Hi, how are you, Nancy?

GRACE: I`m good, dear. What`s your question?

SHEILA: I wanted to know -- I have another question, but I think I`m going to ask this one instead about Lee. Do you think maybe when Casey was out on bond, the way her and Lee were inseparable like they were that maybe she told him something and that`s what all that CMA and the promise and call out was about?

GRACE: Good question.

Leonard Padilla, you watched both of them interact. What do you think?

PADILLA: I believe so. I believe there could have been conversations about the child as far back as July the 3rd when Cindy had Lee go looking for Casey.

GRACE: Got it.

PADILLA: And definitely, there was lots of conversations in the home while she was out on those 10 days with bail. There`s.

GRACE: To Michael -- go ahead.

PADILLA: No, no, that`s OK. I`d be sticking my neck out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEE ANTHONY, CASEY ANTHONY`S BROTHER: Today is the day for this family to unite and display their solidarity and strength. I`ve got to tell you, it is hard to stand up here and be the pillar of strength.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: We are taking your calls. Out to Ana in Texas, hi, Ana.

ANA, FROM TEXAS: Hi, Nancy, I love your show.

GRACE: Thank you.

ANA: I had a question about the fingerprints on the duct tape.

GRACE: Yes.

ANA: If they are Casey Anthony`s, is there any way that her lawyers can defend that?

GRACE: To John Burris and Michael Mazzariello -- what about it, Burris?

BURRIS: I think you can defend it. It means, obviously, she had some contact, but it doesn`t go to the question of what level of homicide this is. Because this -- the tape and all could happen after the homicide, it doesn`t mean.

GRACE: Put Burris up, I`ve got to see his face when he said that.

BURRIS: No, no, I`m telling you that the issue here is still what degree of homicide this is. The fact that it was covered up later, that`s a different question.

GRACE: OK, got it.

BURRIS: But that doesn`t go to the.

GRACE: Got it. So, Maz, Burris` theory would be, yes, I duct taped my child`s mouth, but it was after she died accidentally. How far do you think that will fly?

MAZZARIELLO: Not far at all. But the -- the only thing you have with that, Nancy, is whether or not she had access and touched that duct tape before. But.

GRACE: No, Maz. No, you don`t touch the inside of duct tape and wrap it back up.

MAZZARIELLO: That`s exactly what I was.

GRACE: B.S.

MAZZARIELLO: That`s exactly what I was going to say, Nancy.

GRACE: Yes, it didn`t sound like.

MAZZARIELLO: The criminal defense attorney, the top would be OK, but now how do you explain opening it and having your fingerprints on the adhesive side?

GRACE: Yes, that`s my question to you, Maz. You`re the defense lawyer, not me.

MAZZARIELLO: Well, that`s a tough one, Nancy. Would have to say that she had access to it, she used it before.

GRACE: OK. But.

MAZZARIELLO: She cut it and her fingerprint was at the end where she finished cutting it. That`s what you got, Nancy.

GRACE: Yes, you know what, you`re right, that`s what they got.

Everybody, I want to stop and remember Army Staff Sergeant Kennith Mayne, 29, Arvada, Colorado, killed Iraq on a second tour. Lost his life two hours after speaking with his mom. Requested everyone wear Hawaiian shirts to his funeral.

Loved golfing, fishing, handing out hot wheels, soccer balls, coloring books to Iraqi children, favorite song, "Cheeseburger in Paradise." Dreamed of going to Jamaica with parents. Leaves behind mom Michelle, step-dad Dan, five sisters, two brothers.

Kennith Mayne, American hero.

Thanks to our guests, but especially to you for being with us. I`ll see you tomorrow 8:00 sharp Eastern. And until then, good night, friend.

END

[Sassycat]

On the Record - Greta Van Susteren  -      February 11, 2009

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,491368,00.html

VAN SUSTEREN: Since that 911 call, a massive search has fanned out, looking for the toddler by land, by water and door to door, but no results. Joining us by phone is Putnam County sheriff Jeff Hardy. Good evening, Sheriff. And last night, or at least some point after that 911 call was received and sheriffs reported to the home, I understand some tracks were seen, sir?

SHERIFF JEFF HARDY, PUTNAM COUNTY: Greta, are you talking about the bloodhounds and a little bit of the tracking? Is that what you're referring to?

VAN SUSTEREN: Yes, and there was also apparently a footprint in the dirt. I don't know if that was a recent print or whether that was an old one. But what can you tell me about efforts to at least search to see whether or not you can determine where the child may have gone?

HARDY: Greta, we called in a team of bloodhounds, and they -- several different bloodhound units. And they came out. And I'm sure you know these bloodhounds, their noses are very sensitive, and they did follow some tracking, but we don't know exactly how old the tracks could have been. And as far as the footprint that you're talking about, that's news to me. I don't know of any footprint at this point.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. I think what it was, was some sort of -- at least, there was one report there was some -- some sort of footprint or step in the dirt that might have been the child's, and nothing more. But we're hearing lots of different information. And obviously, Sheriff, you're the one on the story, so I'll defer to you on that. All right, in terms of the child missing, have there been any tips that the child has been spotted in the last 24 hours?

HARDY: No, ma'am, we don't have any tips, but we are following up on all leads that we're receiving. In fact, we're in the middle of conducting several interviews as we speak right now, Greta.

VAN SUSTEREN: One of -- the person who first reported the child missing was the girlfriend to the father. Her name is Misty. She was -- she apparently had gone -- she had last seen the child about 10:00 PM the night before and that the child was sleeping in the same bed with her? Is that correct?

HARDY: That's what she's telling us, Greta, yes.

VAN SUSTEREN: Was any -- was the -- was there another child in the bed, as well? Because I know there's another child in the home.

HARDY: No, there was a brother in the home, a younger brother.

VAN SUSTEREN: But he wasn't in the same bed with the girlfriend and the missing child?

HARDY: No, ma'am. He was -- I believe he was in another room, another bed or another -- another bedding area. I don't believe he was on the same bed, no.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. So according to least what I hear, and correct me if I'm wrong, she wakes up or something about 3:00 o'clock, notices the child missing, but a phone call is not made for 27 minutes to 911. Is that correct?

HARDY: Well, I can verify the fact that our 911 call did come in at 3:27 AM. As far as exactly the timeline of when she woke up and discovered the child missing, I don't know. She's saying it is some time after 3:00.

VAN SUSTEREN: Is the girlfriend a person of interest to you at this point?

HARDY: Greta, we're not ruling out anybody. You know, we have teams of law enforcement officers out here right now. We've continued our grounds searches by air and by water. We still have dive teams. We had them out here today. Again, the FBI's out here assisting us with other -- just numerous local and state officials and officers from across northeast Florida. So we're not ruling anybody out at this point.

VAN SUSTEREN: Sheriff, thank you, sir. And good luck, sir.

HARDY: And thank you for your time.

VAN SUSTEREN: Joining us live from Florida, Haleigh's mother, Crystal Sheffield, and the toddler's grandmother, Marie Griffis. Crystal, I know you that you're terrible distressed and worried this evening. Do you -- is there any likelihood in your mind that this child simply just got up and walked off?

CRYSTAL SHEFFIELD, MOTHER: No, there is not. She would not do that.

VAN SUSTEREN: Crystal, when was the last time you saw your daughter?

SHEFFIELD: Two weeks ago.

VAN SUSTEREN: Have you spoken to her in the last two weeks?

SHEFFIELD: No, I have not.

VAN SUSTEREN: When you saw her, did she indicate or say to you anything to suggest there were problems in the home? I know that she's living with her father, or staying with her father and her father's girlfriend. Did she say there were any problems in the home?

SHEFFIELD: No.

VAN SUSTEREN: Marie, when was the last time that you saw your grandchild?

MARIE GRIFFIS, GRANDMOTHER: It was two weeks ago when they got their visitation to come stay with us (INAUDIBLE) We pick them up Friday night 6:00 o'clock and we return them Sunday at 6:00 o'clock.

VAN SUSTEREN: Marie, do you live in the area or do you live out of state?

GRIFFIS: We live in Florida, but it's Baker County, Glenn St. Mary (ph), Florida. We live about an hour and 45 minutes from here.

VAN SUSTEREN: Marie, do you know of any problems in that home?

GRIFFIS: In the past, Haleigh and Junior have told us that, you know, they've been hit and stuff like that, but up to this point, everything was fine.

VAN SUSTEREN: Crystal, have you spoken to the father of your child or his girlfriend in the last 24 hours?

SHEFFIELD: I spoke to him yesterday. I have not spoken to his girlfriend.

VAN SUSTEREN: What did he say to you?

SHEFFIELD: He just said that -- he told me he was sorry and that if he would have been home from work that it would have never happened.

VAN SUSTEREN: Marie, what do you think has happened? I know that there are a lot of theories, a lot of sex offenders in the area. What are you sort of -- you know, where is your suspicion tonight, Marie?

GRIFFIS: My suspicions is why is it two children was in the bed with this 17-year-old girl, and somebody comes into the home and picks a child up that's laying right next to you and you don't know where she went. You get up and go to the bathroom and come back and she's not there. Well, was she there when she got up and went to the bathroom? Why don't we have that information? What happened? It don't take but 15, 20 seconds to go to the bathroom, and it's right there in the bedroom, also. So I wonder what role Misty plays in this.

VAN SUSTEREN: Have you ever met her, Marie?

GRIFFIS: I have never officially been introduced to her. I saw her in Ronald's car one weekend when we took Haleigh and Junior back to their dad on a Sunday, and she was sitting in the car. And I don't know who she is, never spoke to her. All I know is Haleigh and Junior told me that they liked her, that she was nice to them.

GRIFFIS: Crystal, do you know the girlfriend at all? I mean, have you ever, like, had any conversations with her in any depth? Do you know what kind of person she is, anything about her?

SHEFFIELD: No, I don't. I've talked to her. She seemed like a really nice person, but I've never sat down and had a conversation with her. And the kids told me that...

VAN SUSTEREN: Marie, I don't mean to...

SHEFFIELD: ... They loved her.

VAN SUSTEREN: How long, Crystal, has she been in the children's lives?

SHEFFIELD: Probably four to six months? I'm not really sure.

VAN SUSTEREN: Marie, I don't want to -- you know, because I'm asking questions about the girlfriend (INAUDIBLE) you know, think that she's the only person I'm curious about. I mean, obviously, everybody -- we're curious about everybody tonight. Do you know anything, Marie, about any neighbors at all, people who live nearby that have shown any particular interest to this child at all, Marie, do you know?

GRIFFIS: The only thing we know about any neighbors is there were some kids that lived next door that Haleigh and Junior played with, and they were seen out playing in the yard around 5:00 o'clock yesterday -- or Monday evening. I guess it was Monday evening. I can't even remember anymore. The days are just running together now.

VAN SUSTEREN: Crystal, the father of your child was at work when, apparently, Haleigh disappeared. What kind of work does he do, Crystal?

SHEFFIELD: I'm not sure. All I know is he runs a crane.

VAN SUSTEREN: Do you know, Marie, why he was out until 3:00 o'clock in the morning? I mean, what kind of work would have him out that late, or that early, depending on how you characterize it?

GRIFFIS: He -- we was ere told he worked from 3:00 to 3:00, so I supposed it's a 12-hour shift. And he's a crane operator working for a place called PDM Bridge (ph).

VAN SUSTEREN: Do either of you know if the girlfriend has a job or does any kind of work at all?

SHEFFIELD: No.

GRIFFIS: No.

VAN SUSTEREN: Crystal, Marie, thank you both very much. And you know, I certainly hope we can find this child. And there's so much publicity being cast on it that maybe someone knows something and will call in maybe we'll have good news on this soon. Thank you both.

SHEFFIELD: Thank you.

GRIFFIS: Yes, thank you very much, too.

VAN SUSTEREN: Up next, more breaking news coverage on the search for little Haleigh. The toddler's father will be here to go "On the Record."

Plus: Do you like pork? Not to eat, but as part of the massive stimulus bill. Well, guess what? A powerful senator says you don't care about pork. What? Is that true? Or is he drinking? We'll see.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAN SUSTEREN: We continue our breaking news coverage on the disappearance of little Haleigh Cummings. She was reported missing 3:30 AM yesterday morning. Now, here's what we know, is that the father's girlfriend apparently last saw the child about 10:00 PM on Monday night when she went to bed and the child was in the same bed. About 3:00 o'clock in the morning, the girlfriend says that she got up to go to the bathroom, noticed the child was missing. About 27 minutes later, at 3:27 AM, the father in the meantime had come home from work, according to the parents -- according -- has -- was at work and he called 911, and the child has been missing -- or reported missing at that time.

Now, Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings, joins us live, along with Crystal Cummings, Ronald's sister. Good evening to both of you. And Ronald, I know how distressed you are because everyone has told me. And the only thing I can hope is that we can at least shed more light on it and get more information so that people call in with tips.

So let me -- let's -- let me try to ask you some questions about it. What time did you arrive home, Ronald, on Tuesday morning?

RONALD CUMMINGS, FATHER: Approximately 3:30.

VAN SUSTEREN: And when you walked in the door -- take me through every step. You walked in the door. Was your girlfriend up at that point?

RONALD CUMMINGS: Yes. I never walked through the door. I pulled in the yard. She -- the door was open. She was standing there and waiting on me. I asked her what she was still doing up, and she then told me that the back -- she got up to use the restroom, and the back door was wide open and that my daughter was missing.

VAN SUSTEREN: Was the child -- was your daughter missing when she got up to use the restroom, or between the time she got up to use the restroom and returned to bed? Did she tell you that?

RONALD CUMMINGS: I'm not sure. I never asked.

VAN SUSTEREN: Crystal, when was the last time...

RONALD CUMMINGS: I'm just worried about where she's at.

VAN SUSTEREN: No, I understand that. Crystal, when was the last time you saw this child?

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS, AUNT: A couple weeks ago.

VAN SUSTEREN: Crystal, have you ever noticed the child wanting to wander off or any people wanting -- in the neighborhood, unusual people paying close attention to her that you thought was peculiar?

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS: No. She wouldn't wander off.

VAN SUSTEREN: Ronald, do you agree that she would not just wander off?

RONALD CUMMINGS: Absolutely. I know my daughter like the back of my hand. I've raised her since the day she was 2 years old by myself. I know for a fact she would not wander off alone during in the daylight, much less at night. She's afraid of the dark.

VAN SUSTEREN: Ronald, has anyone ever wandered into your home, any strangers into your home?

RONALD CUMMINGS: No.

VAN SUSTEREN: Ronald, always in every investigation, the person that people focus on are the people who last saw the child, so obviously, your girlfriend has got -- you know, there's a lot of focus on her. Is there any reason that you have any suspicion that your girlfriend knows more than she's saying, Ronald?

RONALD CUMMINGS: No, there is not. And I would like for a lot of the false allegations to be discarded. There's been a lot of false allegations made by the mother and her mother. And I just don't -- I don't appreciate it. It's not a custody battle. This here is about finding a 5-year-old missing child, my daughter.

VAN SUSTEREN: It's unusual for a father to have custody. Why do you -- did you win custody in a battle for this child?

RONALD CUMMINGS: Absolutely, I did.

VAN SUSTEREN: What happened? Explain -- explain -- you know -- you know, usually, the mother gets the custody. Why did the court give you custody of your child?

RONALD CUMMINGS: The only way I can honestly answer you that without being rude to others is they chose the better parent and the one who could provide better for the two children.

VAN SUSTEREN: Crystal, what's your -- what's your -- what do you think in your heart and your mind tonight as to where this child is and what happened? What makes the most sense to you?

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS: I don't -- really can't tell you what happened to her. I mean, I think someone took her. I just want them to bring her back.

VAN SUSTEREN: Ronald, let me ask you the same question. What's your theory tonight? And I realize this is a very fluid situation, but what's your -- what do you think is the trail we should go down to look for this child? What do you think happened?

RONALD CUMMINGS: Somebody broke into my house and stole my daughter. I know because I specifically locked those doors before I left for work, and my child cannot unlock the deadbolt on that door because I have got the hole cut in a specific place where you have to force the door shut to get it to lock all the way. And I know it was locked all the way. I checked it myself. And she does not open the door for strangers or wander alone in the dark, nothing like that. So somebody broke into my home and stole my child.

VAN SUSTEREN: Was the door broken when you came home? Was that lock broken when you came home?

RONALD CUMMINGS: No. Obviously, a crowbar or something was used. I'm not sure. You'll have to speak more with the detectives about what was used or how it was done. I'm not sure.

VAN SUSTEREN: Ronald, Crystal, thank you both very much, and I very much hope that we're going to have good news and that child will be found, your daughter, Ronald, very soon and in good health. Thank you both.

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS: Thank you.

RONALD CUMMINGS: Yes, thank you.

[Sassycat]

CLIP FROM 911 CALL

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just woke up, and our back door was open, and I can't find my daughter.

911 OPERATOR: Can't find what?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My daughter.

911 OPERATOR: OK. What's your address?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Green Lane (ph) (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: What's the numerical?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The numerical? What's that?

911 OPERATOR: The number. Green Lane?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

911 OPERATOR: OK, when did you last see her?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just, like -- you know, it was about 10:00 o'clock. She was sleeping (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: OK. How old is your daughter?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's 5.

911 OPERATOR: OK. What was she last seen wearing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: Ma'am?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She was in her pajamas. We were sleeping.

911 OPERATOR: OK. All right. You said your back door was wide open?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, with a brick. Like, there was a brick on the floor. Like, when I went to sleep, the door was not like that.

911 OPERATOR: OK, the back door -- listen to me. Your back door was wide open? What are you talking about a brick?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: What is the brick?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's on the back door, on the -- on the stairs (INAUDIBLE) like, a walkway?

911 OPERATOR: And there was a brick laying there?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. It's still there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) come on!

911 OPERATOR: We got them coming. Tell him we got them coming.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're coming.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,491368,00.html

[Sassycat]

ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL.   FEBRUARY 11, 2009

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0902/11/ijvm.01.html

Plus, we`ll have an update on the disappearance of another little Florida girl, 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings. An Amber Alert issued and the investigation being treated now as an abduction. I will be taking your calls. Call 1-877-JVM-SAYS. That`s 1-877-586-7297.

First, the desperate 911 call placed by Haleigh`s father, Ron.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON CUMMINGS, FATHER OF HALEIGH: I just got home from work. My 5- year-old daughter is gone. I need somebody to be here now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Listen to me. Listen to me. We`ve got two officers...

CUMMINGS: If I find whoever has my daughter before y`all do, I`m killing them. I don`t care if I spend the rest of my life in prison. I`m telling you, you can put it on the report (ph). I don`t care.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s OK, sir. We`ve got them on the way. OK. an you give me any -- what kind of description of her? What was she wearing?

CUMMINGS: (EXPLETIVE DELETED)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, sir. They`re coming, OK?


CUMMINGS: I know somebody took my little girl. Some sorry piece of trash that will be wasted when it`s all over.


VELEZ-MITCHELL: A full-blown investigation under way in the small town of Satsuma, Florida. Tonight, less than 90 miles away from Orlando where little Caylee once lived, another frantic search is under way for a missing child.

Authorities say 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings was snatched from her home on Monday night. Haleigh was last seen by her father`s 17-year-old girlfriend who put the adorable little girl to bed at 10 at night. It wasn`t until after 3 in the morning that this teenage woman discovered Haleigh was missing. She immediately called 911.


UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just discovered my back door is open, and I can`t find my daughter.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ma`am...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She was in pajamas. We were sleeping.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. All right. You said your back door was wide open?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. [ inaudible ] when I was asleep, it was not like that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. The back door -- listen to me. Your back door was wide open. What are you talking about a brick?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is the brick?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s on the back door, on the stairs. Like it has a walkway.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Uh-huh. And there was a brick laying there?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. It`s still there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Just hours ago, the Putnam County Florida Sheriff`s Department defined this case in no uncertain terms.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are treating this like an abduction. We`ve had several questions about that. All of the world is a suspect. We are going to treat everybody, every family member, every associate, every neighbor, like a suspect until we can eliminate them.


VELEZ-MITCHELL: A warning to one and all.

We have so much to discuss, and I want to hear from you. The number, 1-877-JVM-SAYS. That`s 1-877-586-7297.

And of course, if you have any information at all, anything about Haleigh, please call immediately the Putnam County Sheriff`s Department. We will be giving you the number over and over again.

I am back with my panel, and we are joined my Jennifer Bauer, a reporter with our affiliate WJXT in Jacksonville, Florida. And on the phone is Sheriff Jeff Hardy of Putnam County, Florida.

Sheriff, thank you for joining us tonight. I know you`re busy working furiously to solve this case. So I appreciate you taking the time. Please describe what this 17-year-old woman says happened in and around the time this little girl disappeared, because we`ve been hearing various conflicting stories.

SHERIFF JEFF HARDY, PUTNAM COUNTY, FLORIDA: Yes. And thank you for taking the time to speak with me. I apologize about a poor cell connection out here.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s pretty good.

HARDY: OK. Well, we know just what you heard with the 911 tape. We`re right at over 40 hours now that we`ve been unable to locate this young lady. We did receive the 911 call at 3:27 a.m. Our deputies were here shortly thereafter.

A short time later, we went ahead and dispatched our major crimes unit. They came out. And then, after that, we initiated the child abduction response team, which resulted in over 130 law enforcement agencies across northeast Florida that descended on the area. And we immediately began our -- our search by air, by water, ground searches, and we`ve continued those efforts through today.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let me ask you this question, because a lot of us have expressed confusion. I`ve heard the story that this 17-year-old woman was asleep in bed with the little boy, who`s younger, and 5-year-old Haleigh. And that at some point in the night, it was discovered that this little girl was missing.

Since the mom was in the same bed, there`s two possibilities, I think. She got up to go to the bathroom, came back and found that the child was missing or she remained asleep while the child was taken. Which is it?

HARDY: Well, what we know is that at 10 o`clock was the last time that the girlfriend saw the child. Approximately 3 a.m., she woke up to use the bathroom, discovered the child missing, and then she observed that the back door of the residence was ajar. It was open. And the child was gone.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, did she discover the child was missing before she went to the bathroom or after she came back from the bathroom?

HARDY: That`s not known at this time, whether it was before or after, but it was within a matter of minutes of her getting up.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Because the thing that occurs to everyone is how do you come into a house -- and I understand it`s like a double-wide trailer - - and take a child out of the bed without waking anybody else when there`s two other individuals in the bed, without disturbing their sleep?

And yet, if she were to go to the bathroom and come back from the bathroom, it would be an odd coincidence that that abduction was timed precisely at the moment that she went to the bathroom.

HARDY: That`s a very good question, and that`s something that we are looking into in detail.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, you say that the -- that no one has been eliminated. What are you doing to try to conduct that process of elimination?

HARDY: Well, actually, we`ve actually got the FBI and -- they just sent a special team down from D.C. They were on the ground with us this morning. We`ve been conducting polygraphs with family members. I will let you know that everybody has been cooperative, just so you know.

And -- and that`s the phase we`re in now. We`re interviewing family members. We`re doing polygraphs. The results of those are not available right now.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Were there -- were there any inconsistencies between the 911 call and the stories that you were told when you arrived?

HARDY: Well, you know, we have some of the same questions you and your viewers will. You know, there are some inconsistencies here, but those are thoroughly going -- we`re looking at everything.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right.

HARDY: So, you know, a matter of how upset this 17-year-old was. The father obviously is extremely upset. So, you know, we`ve got a -- we`ve got a bad situation here.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Sheriff, I want to thank you for taking the time. And I wish you the best of luck. And let`s hope if anybody is watching out there and knows anything, they contact you immediately. Thank you, sir.

Jennifer Bauer, you`re a reporter on the scene. What is this search looking like from the ground? Because I understand it is intense. And ironically, it`s only about 70 miles away from where all the searches were conducted for little Caylee Anthony.

JENNIFER BAUER, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: It`s huge tonight. And you know, it`s ironic that a lot of those people from central Florida that were helping in the Caylee Anthony investigation are now here. Volusia County, Flagler County, Marion County from central Florida have all come up here now to northeast Florida to offer their services and support.

As you just heard the sheriff say, they are continuing to investigate. I can tell you, you know, after 7 p.m. here at night, it is not quiet. The command center is behind me. There are investigators coming and going throughout the day. And they`re giving us little bits of information as, of course, they learn it.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We only have a couple of seconds. What about the biological mother?

BAUER: We were able to talk to the biological mother today for the first time. Her name is Crystal Sheffield. She does not have custody of Haleigh. In fact, the father, Ron Cummings, has custody of the little girl in the home where we think she was taken from.

The mother lives near the Florida/Georgia border, probably about an hour, an hour and a half from here. She has visitation. She talked to us a little bit. It seems like her and Haleigh`s father have a good relationship. Don`t have a lot of information about whether they were married or not.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: OK. Jennifer, we`ve got to leave it right there. But you`re doing a great job. I hope you come back and update us.

All right. Much more to cover in the disappearance of Haleigh Cummings. And we will stay on top of this case. We promise you, we won`t let it go. We have to find this little child.

CRYSTAL SHEFFIELD, HALEIGH CUMMINGS` BIOLOGICAL MOTHER: I just want my baby home. Whoever has got her, I just want them to bring her back.


VELEZ-MITCHELL: That was little Haleigh`s biological mother. When the child disappeared, she was with the biological father`s girlfriend. There you have the information on the Amber Alert. The phone lines are lighting up.

Sheba, Illinois, question or thought, ma`am?

CALLER: Hi, Jane. My question is since this Casey Anthony thing is going on, if they`re going to try to connect little Haleigh with any of this like Zanny the nanny or...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, fascinating. Paul Callan, thoughts?

CALLAN: You know, except for the fact that they`re both in Florida, I really doubt it. It would be so bizarre if there was a connection between the two cases. But, you know, the names sound alike and everything. So I can understand why the listener would say that.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Well, they`re two young children. They`re both very beautiful. They`re both blondish. And the location is just 70 miles` distance. Obviously, there`s a big time span, but it`s a very interesting question. Good point.

Danielle in Illinois, question, ma`am?

CALLER: I was just wondering what is going on with all of the missing children in Florida?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You know, thank you for that. And I have to say, Jennifer Bauer, obviously there`s nothing about Florida. I love Florida. I actually worked in Ft. Myers for a number of years, and it`s one of my favorite places on the planet. But there does seem to be a lot of these cases popping up. We had the Jessica Lunsford case. We had the Carlie Brucia case. These are horrible tragedies.

BAUER: It`s frustrating, isn`t it? I mean, it`s horrible tragedies that we keep covering year after year after year.

I don`t know what to say. I don`t think people in Florida are more prone to let their children going missing. I know we`re a very populated state, so obviously, your chances of having an incident like this are more likely.

But, you know, it`s frustrating for everybody. It`s frustrating for us. It`s frustrating for the police, and it`s especially frustrating for the parents and the people who live in these communities.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Right. Let me ask Rick Robinson, the operator, the 911 operator told the girlfriend, "Do not touch the door." Because she said there was a door ajar. What do you make of that? Why?

ROBINSON: Well, there`s a number of things. The sheriff, of course, is going to get his CSI guys in there. He`s going to be looking for evidence.

And you know, our hearts go out to these people. I almost hope it really is an abduction so maybe the guy will let her go. But there`s so many -- there`s the inconsistency of -- how many 17-year-olds wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom? I`m 57. I wake up in the middle of the night, but that`s just not common.

And she waited by -- just what the sheriff said, 27 minutes before calling the police. That`s just -- that just doesn`t seem like something someone would do. But there are 44 sex offenders, registered sex offenders right in that immediate area. So these guys have got their hands full.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I want to give Brian Russell the final word. Because certainly, it`s -- this woman has not been charged with anything. She`s not a suspect. And we have to give her the presumption, obviously, that she was just doing the right thing, calling 911. I mean, when something like this happens, people don`t always act rationally.

ROBINSON: Yes. First I`m looking at the family and if I rule out the family -- that`s the problem with the Casey Anthony case. It took so long to rule out the family, because Casey was so uncooperative. And it turns out that family member was ultimately charged.

So I`m looking first at the family. And, if I rule out everybody in the family, then I`m looking to those sex offenders. And as we`ve seen time and time and time again, I`m sure there were plenty around there who should not have been out.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. And we`re going to stay on top of this case. I want to thank you, fabulous panel. Great job, as always. Come back soon.

[ospainter]

NANCY GRACE

NANCY GRACE for February 12, 2009
Aired February 12, 2009 - 20:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


NANCY GRACE, HOST: Breaking news tonight, Satsuma, Florida. A 5- year-old little girl tucked into bed, five hours later, she vanishes into thin air, gone, the kitchen light on, the back door propped wide open. The father comes home from the night shift to find not a single trace of little Haleigh. How could a 5-year-old girl vanish from her own bed, a bed she apparently was sharing that night with her baby-sitter and 4-year-old brother?

The girlfriend/babysitter said she`s taken not one but two polygraphs and tells us she passed. Bloodhounds pick up the scent near a nearby river, but an intense sonar scan turns up nothing. The house turned upside down with police fingerprinting, searching and processing the scene. Tonight, the search by land, by air, by water. Where is 5-year-old Haleigh?

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

911 OPERATOR: What`s her date of birth?

RONALD CUMMINGS, FATHER: Y`all are (DELETED) playing games, man! I`m going to (DELETED) kill somebody!

911 OPERATOR: OK, tell him we understand. We need to get her date of birth.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What`s her date of birth?

CUMMINGS: (DELETED) her birthday! We need to find her! (DELETED) her date of birth!

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A frantic search is under way right now for Haleigh Cummings. She was last seen Monday night with her 2-year-old brother in her bedroom.

CUMMINGS: I don`t know what happened to my daughter, came up missing out of my house in the middle of the night. Besides that, no, I don`t know.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Detectives don`t know, either. Today they officially ruled Haleigh Cummings`s disappearance an abduction. Police believe someone snatched the 5-year-old from her Satsuma home. They say, at this point, everyone`s a suspect.

CUMMINGS: Yes, I have taken a polygraph. Yes, did I pass it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t know where she is or who has her! I just want her home!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Authorities say the back door was wide open, propped open with a cinderblock, but they don`t know whether it was left unlocked.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I put her to bed about 8:00 o`clock. I woke up and she was gone, and the back door was wide open! That`s the last I seen her is when I put her to bed!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Investigators have ruled out the possibility the child may have wandered off in the middle of the night because she`s afraid of the dark.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you`ve done something with, her tell us where she`s at, if she`s OK, something. We just -- I want my daughter back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Good evening. I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us. How could a 5-year-old Florida girl just vanish from her own bed, a bed she was sharing that night with her baby-sitter and 4-year-old brother? But has that story changed in just 24 hours? Tonight, where is 5-year-old Haleigh?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s been no sign of Haleigh Cummings in three days. And as you can imagine, emotions are running really high in that family.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

CUMMINGS: I just got home from work, my 5-year-old daughter is gone. I need somebody to be here now, I`m telling you.

911 OPERATOR: Listen to me. Listen to me. We`ve got two officers...

CUMMINGS: If I find whoever has my daughter before y`all do, I`m killing him. I don`t care. I`ll spend the rest of my life in prison, I`m telling you.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Florida police and the FBI launched a massive search from both the ground and the air. Detectives say they found no evidence that Haleigh wandered away from her dad`s mobile home.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

911 OPERATOR: OK. It`s OK, sir. We`ve got them on the way. OK, can you give me any -- what kind of description of her pajamas that she was wearing?

CUMMINGS: I don`t (DELETED) know! I was at work!

911 OPERATOR: OK, sir, we`ve got them coming, OK?

(END AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have not stopped our search. We had several different bloodhounds that were brought to the area with the helicopter and the ground forces.

CUMMINGS: I just want my daughter home safe.

We want her back. That`s all we want. We don`t want revenge. I just want my daughter back. That`s it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Out to Joy Purdy with WTLV at the command center. Also joining us tonight, the mother of the missing 5-year-old girl, Crystal Sheffield. Joy, what`s the latest? Has the story shifted?

JOY PURDY, WTLV: This is very interesting, Nancy. We`ll talk about the search in just a moment, which has been called off for tonight. It`s going to continue tomorrow into a much bigger event.

But you were talking about the father, the father of Haleigh Cummings, his girlfriend, she was the last one to see the little girl. She told us today on camera just a few hours ago that no, Haleigh was not in the bed with her. Haleigh was actually sleeping in her own bed when she disappeared. Whether or not that bed is situated in the same room as the father`s girlfriend, we don`t know. But we have learned -- she has told us that they weren`t sleeping in the same bed, so that opens up all kinds of new questions here.

GRACE: Joy, it certainly does. Let`s take a listen to what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I put her to bed about 8:00 o`clock, and I woke up and she was gone and the back door was wide open! That was the last time I seen her, was when I put her to bed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were you all in the same bed?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. She was in her bed in front of the TV, and me and junior were in my bed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: That is contrary to what we were told last night. We were told last night the 5-year-old girl was in the bed with the girlfriend/baby-sitter and the 4-year-old brother. Now, if they were in the same room, fine, I understand that. But even a slight change in story is highly significant.

With me right now, a very special guest, the mother of missing Haleigh. Crystal Sheffield is joining us there at the Satsuma command center. Ms. Sheffield, thank you for being with us.

CRYSTAL SHEFFIELD, MOTHER: You`re welcome.

GRACE: Ms. Sheffield, where were you at the time little Haleigh went missing?

SHEFFIELD: I was in Baker County, at my house.

GRACE: How did you learn she was gone?

SHEFFIELD: Ronald`s mother, Teresa Nieves (ph), called me at 3:49 AM in the morning and told me that Haleigh was gone.

GRACE: And what did you do?

SHEFFIELD: At first, I thought it was a prank, kind of. And then she was, like, The police are there, and I heard them in the background and then it hit me that it was not a prank.

GRACE: OK. Now, what time did you say they called you?

SHEFFIELD: It was 3:49 AM.

GRACE: And who called you?

SHEFFIELD: Teresa Nieves, Ronald`s mother.

GRACE: When was the last time you saw Haleigh?

SHEFFIELD: Two weeks ago.

GRACE: Was there any problem? Were there any tensions in the home that you knew of?

SHEFFIELD: No.

GRACE: When they called to tell you little Haleigh was missing, Ms. Sheffield, did they have a theory about what had happened to her?

SHEFFIELD: They just said that someone come in there and took her, is what they told me.

GRACE: Ms. Sheffield, were you -- with me, everyone, is little Haleigh`s mother. Crystal Sheffield is joining us. She lives many miles away from the little girl but sees her on a regular basis. Ms. Sheffield, when you were first told about the circumstances of Haleigh`s disappearance, were you told she was asleep in the bed with the girlfriend/baby-sitter and the little brother?

SHEFFIELD: Yes, I was. I was told they was all three in the same bed.

GRACE: You`re sure?

SHEFFIELD: I`m sure.

GRACE: Is there any doubt in your mind that they represented they were all in the same bed together?

SHEFFIELD: That`s what they said, that -- I was told they was all three in the same bed.

GRACE: And now what have you learned?

SHEFFIELD: I`ve heard that Junior was in another room, and it was just her and Haleigh in the bed. And now I`m hearing that they were both in the other room and she was in the bed by herself. Haleigh and Junior was in their own room.

GRACE: OK. Hold on, Ms. Sheffield. Rosy (ph), can you play me back that sound we just heard from the girlfriend? OK, Ms. Sheffield, please go through that with me one more time. First you thought they were all three in the bed together sleeping, waiting on the father to get home. He was at work. Then you were told what?

SHEFFIELD: At first, I was told they was all three in the same bed.

GRACE: Right.

SHEFFIELD: Then it was Junior was in the kids` room in his bed, and it was Haleigh and Misty in their bed, in the big bed.

GRACE: Yes?

SHEFFIELD: And then I heard that Haleigh and Junior were both in their room, in their own room, not Misty`s room.

GRACE: Ms. Sheffield, I know this may sound crazy to you, but let me ask you about this change in story. When you heard the second version, that Junior was in the kids` room and Haleigh and Misty were together, who told you that?

SHEFFIELD: Where did I hear it? I don`t remember where I heard it. My mind`s just...

GRACE: All right. When you heard that Haleigh and Junior were both in the children`s room, who told you that?

SHEFFIELD: Who told me that?

MARIE GRIFFIS, MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER: I don`t remember that. That`s the first story that we heard.

GRACE: Everybody, also, you`re hearing the voice of the maternal grandmother of Haleigh. That`s Marie Griffis. She`s also with us there at the command center, everyone converging there at Satsuma, Florida, to find this little girl.

Let`s unleash the lawyers. Joining us tonight, Eleanor Dixon out of Atlanta, Peter Odom, veteran defense attorney out of Atlanta, and Gwen Lindsay-Jackson, defense attorney out of New York.

But first to Mark Lunsford joining us out of Homosassa, Florida, the father of little Jessie Lunsford, who disappeared under extremely similar circumstances. Mark, what do you make of it?

MARK LUNSFORD, FATHER OF MURDERED JESSICA: Well, I mean, to start off with, I mean, I`d have to say with the work that I`ve been involved with and the things that I`ve done, you know, there`s going to be a lot of things flying through the air...

GRACE: Right.

LUNSFORD: ... miscommunications (INAUDIBLE)

GRACE: So this may be nothing. This may just be a blip on the screen.

LUNSFORD: It could be. But you bring up a good point by bringing it up. And what the family should do is to rely on your victim advocate. They will answer any question, any doubts, any rumors flying. These are the people to get the correct answers.

GRACE: You know, everybody, Mark Lunsford, the father of Jessie Lunsford -- and he is now with Survivingparentscoalition.org.

Back to Eleanor, Peter, and Gwen Lindsay-Jackson. Eleanor, he`s got a point. This could either be an extremely significant change in the story - - because when you`re talking about a missing 5-year-old, where she was the last time she was seen alive is highly probative, and if a story changes even subtly, that casts doubt on who`s telling the story. But on the other hand, I went back tonight before I came to air and re-read all of the wires and all of the notes, and what she said at the beginning, the baby- sitter/girlfriend was, I was sleeping next to her. Did that mean in the next room? Did that mean in the next bed?

Maybe Mark Lunsford is right that this is just a miscommunication. What do you think?

ELEANOR DIXON, PROSECUTOR: I think that could be a possibility, that it`s a miscommunication, and in being so upset and frantic for this missing child, she could have said that. But I think the police are also keeping things very close to the vest.

GRACE: Peter?

PETER ODOM, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: A migrating story can be a sign of guilt, but you`ve got to make sure that it really is inconsistent, as you suggested.

GRACE: Gwen?

GWEN LINDSAY-JACKSON, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I think that it could be considered an excited utterance. I mean, certainly, she knew where she was when this child was asleep. It`s not a hard question.

GRACE: I`ve got a problem with it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got up because I had to use the bathroom, but I didn`t make it to the bathroom. I seen the kitchen light on, and I walked in the kitchen and the back door`s wide open. And I didn`t notice about Haleigh then, until I seen the back door open. Then I (INAUDIBLE) and she`s gone! And that`s all I know!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s no longer any reason to believe that the child simply wandered outside, so we are treating this absolutely like an abduction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) any one of us and our children. Anyone. Nobody knows whether it`s a psycho or sicko. Nobody knows. Anyone. Anyone. You don`t know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All the world`s a suspect right now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I put her to bed around 8:00 o`clock. And I woke up and she was gone and the back door was wide open. The last time I seen her was when I put her to bed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were you all in the same bed?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. She was in her bed in front of the TV, and me and Junior were in my bed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Where is 5-year-old little Haleigh? Out to Michelle Sigona with "America`s Most Wanted" why did the girlfriend/baby-sitter take two polys?

MICHELLE SIGONA, "AMERICA`S MOST WANTED": Well, at this point, investigators, you know, wanted to re-question and question her again. And she has been cooperating, from what they tell me. She`s not a suspect at this time, Nancy. Neither is the father of the children.

So I have spoken to the father. I just got off the phone with him about an hour ago, and from what he tells me, is that there were evidently two beds inside of one of the rooms, and from what he says, is that Haleigh was in the smaller bed, and that his son, who they call Junior, who`s 3 years old -- he`ll be 4 on Sunday -- was actually in the bed with his girlfriend.

GRACE: OK. That can clarify some of the inconsistencies, I believe.

Out to the lines. Anne in New Hampshire. Hi, Anne.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Nancy. First of all, our prayers are with the family. And this is so scary because it is so like the Jessica Lunsford case, where the father worked a third shift, you know, and in the trailer park. And the fact that there were 44 registered sex offenders in the area -- my first question is, I want to know if, like in the Jessica Lunsford case, they went around in the immediate area where the people lived and checked all the trailers, although Jessica, they believe, was in Couey`s trailer`s closet and they missed her and she was probably still alive. Have they done this really thorough check of all of the trailers in the area where the child lives?

GRACE: To Joy Purdy with WTLV. What do you know, Joy?

PURDY: Well, we talked with the sheriff about that. He was asked that specifically today, the sheriff of the Putnam County sheriff`s office. He said yes, they are checking with every sex offender. They are going into homes and checking. They`re very aware of what happened in that case, so they don`t want that to happen again. So they are tracing their steps again and again and again, and even checking other people`s homes, residents who are allowing them to come in two, three times. So they`re being very thorough.

GRACE: Michelle Sigona, do you know any more?

SIGONA: I can tell you that all 44 sex offenders within a five-mile radius, Nancy, have all been located and questioned. And from what the lead detective on this case told me about three hours ago was that, at this point, all of them have checked out from the time that Haleigh was last seen up until the time she allegedly disappeared around 3:30 in the morning.

Now, that`s not saying that they may not go back and check those particular sex offenders again and also other people in the area. Right now, they`re focussing a lot on the ground searches and also by air, by ground, in the water. They`re bringing in cadaver dogs from Georgia. They have five in from Georgia right now and are expecting 10 more by tomorrow morning. So these investigators are going on day four tomorrow, Nancy, and they`re just not giving up.

GRACE: Last night, the father, Ronald Cummings, was with us for our whole program, and I found him to be extremely sincere.

Out to Dr. Bethany Marshall, psychoanalyst and author of "Dealbreakers." I know you have studied his interviews. What do you think, Bethany?

BETHANY MARSHALL, PSYCHOANALYST: He was sincere, distraught. He immediately offered to take a polygraph. I believe that he is a victim and not a perpetrator in this situation. The 17-year-old -- I have some questions about her. Not to victimize the victim here, but why was she a caretaker of these little children? Was she a willing caretaker? How did she feel about them? Were there other people in and out of the home? Yes, you can pick up a 5-year-old and lug them from one place to another and they will stay asleep. Yes, because she was not the bio mom, it would make sense that she didn`t wake up.

But what doesn`t make sense is that whoever came into this home anticipated that she wouldn`t wake up. So what kind of activity was there in and out of the house? Was there drug activity, I would wonder?

And then finally, those 44 sex offenders -- sex offenders offend on average for 17 years before they`re caught. So these are known sex offenders. What about people in the community who are sex offenders but who have not come to the attention of law enforcement? There are just so many questions in this situation.

GRACE: Back to the mother of 5-year-old little Haleigh. Crystal, Ms. Sheffield, what are the police theories right now? What are they telling you?

SHEFFIELD: They haven`t really told us nothing. Like, they`re just - - they just said they`re going to keep searching. They haven`t found anything or -- so...

GRACE: To Marie Griffis, Ms. Griffis, what do you make of the story about the back door being propped open? And I believe it`s been verified that Ronald Cummings was, in fact, at work.

GRIFFIS: Well, the back door being propped open -- who is going to take time to prop open a back door if you`re going to abduct a child? It don`t make sense.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

911 OPERATOR: OK, was your back door locked, do you know?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, the back door always stays locked.

CUMMINGS: I need somebody to get here now!

911 OPERATOR: OK, let me speak to (INAUDIBLE).

CUMMINGS: I just got home from work. My 5-year-old daughter is gone. I need somebody to be here now. I`m telling you...

911 OPERATOR: Listen to me. Listen to me. We`ve got two officers...

CUMMINGS: If I find whoever has my daughter before y`all do, I`m killing him. I don`t care. I`ll spend the rest of my life in prison, I`m telling you. You can put it on the report, and I don`t care.

911 OPERATOR: OK. It`s OK, sir. We`ve got them on the way. OK, can you give me any -- what kind of description of her pajamas that she was wearing?

CUMMINGS: I don`t (DELETED) know! I was at work!

911 OPERATOR: OK, sir, we`ve got them coming, OK?

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

911 OPERATOR: What`s her date of birth?

RONALD CUMMINGS, FATHER: Y`all are (DELETED) playing games, man! I`m going to (DELETED) kill somebody!

911 OPERATOR: OK, tell him we understand. We need to get her date of birth.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What`s her date of birth?

CUMMINGS: (DELETED) her birthday! We need to find her! (DELETED) her date of birth!

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

911 OPERATOR: The officers are going to come out there and do what they can. We can`t have him screaming and yelling at the officers whenever they get there, OK?

CUMMINGS: Give me my (DELETED) phone! I got better people to talk to than a (DELETED) that ain`t coming!

(END AUDIO CLIP)

GRACE: That is the father, hysterical. His daughter is gone when he gets home from the night shift.

Out to the lines. To Adrena in West Virginia. Hi, dear.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, I was wondering if, like, the abductor might watch them for, like, weeks, and got their, like, schedule (INAUDIBLE) What if he propped open the door and then, like, he knew that, like, the girl -- he knocked on the door and she might have thought it was her dad and, like, he -- she opened the door, and he, like, snatched her. He thought it would be quicker if he propped open the door.

GRACE: That`s an entirely possible scenario. I want to go back to Haleigh`s grandmother, Marie Griffis, tonight joining us along with the mother of little Haleigh, Crystal Sheffield.

Ms. Griffis, you were mentioning, who would take the time to prop open the door during a kidnapping. What do you mean by that?

GRIFFIS: It would take -- anybody that was going to take a child out of a house, it seems like they would want to get in and out as quick as possible. So who would want to take the time to prop open a door?

GRACE: And -- and...

GRIFFIS: They would want to open it and go through...

GRACE: And turn on the kitchen light.

GRIFFIS: And get the child and leave.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIS: It`s never safe to say that someone in the family or an associate of the family is not a suspect. However, all the world`s a suspect right now. We have not excluded the world because we`re focusing on a couple of family members or...

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

911 DISPATCHER: OK, was your, was your back door locked, do you know?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, the back door always stays locked.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need somebody to get here now.

911 DISPATCHER: OK, let me to speak to him so.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, yes, yes, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just got home from work, my 5-year-old daughter is gone.

911 DISPATCHER: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need somebody to be here now. I`m telling you.

911 DISPATCHER: Listen to me, listen to me. We got two officers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I find whoever has my daughter before you all do I`m killing him. I don`t care. I`ll spend the rest of my life in prison.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m telling you. You can put it on recording, I don`t care.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. It`s OK, sir. We`ve got them on the way. OK? Can you give me any -- what kind of description of her pajamas that she was wearing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t (EXPLETIVE DELETED) know. I was at work.

911 DISPATCHER: OK, sir. We got them coming, OK?

What`s her date of birth?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You all are (EXPLETIVE DELETED) playing games, man, I`m going to (EXPLETIVE DELETED) kill somebody.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. Tell him we understand. We need to get her date of birth.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What`s her date of birth?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) we need to find her. What`s her date of birth?

911 DISPATCHER: Tell him we got them coming. He needs to try to calm down a little bit, OK? The officers are going to come out there and do what they. We can`t have him screaming and yelling at the officers whenever they get there, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Uh-huh.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) phone. I got better people to talk to than a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) mother that ain`t coming.

911 DISPATCHER: 911, what`s your emergency?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just woke up and our back door was open and we can`t find our daughter.

911 DISPATCHER: You can`t find what?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our daughter.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. What`s your address?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Green Lane. (INAUDIBLE).

911 DISPATCHER: What`s the numerical?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Numerical, what`s that?

911 DISPATCHER: The number, Green Lane?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. When did you last see her?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just like, you know, it was about 10:00, (INAUDIBLE), she was sleeping.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. How old is your daughter?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She`s 5.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. What was she last seen wearing? Ma`am?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She was in her pajamas. We were sleeping.

911 DISPATCHER: What, what does she look like? How tall is she? Give me some description on her?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She has like, like long hair, curly, like curls.

911 DISPATCHER: Long curled, what color?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She`s white.

911 DISPATCHER: OK, what color hair? She`s got brown hair?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Oh my god.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. How tall is she about? Or how much does she weigh, do you know that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Huh?

911 DISPATCHER: About how tall or how much does she weigh?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Like four something like, I don`t know, like she`s not that tall.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. Tell your husband we got them coming, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

911 DISPATCHER: How much does she weigh, do you know?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Huh?

911 DISPATCHER: How much does she weigh?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Um, like, 40, 50 pounds, 60 pounds.

911 DISPATCHER: Forty to sixty pounds?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello?

911 DISPATCHER: OK, sir, let me talk to you wife. Let me get some information from her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man. (INAUDIBLE)

911 DISPATCHER: OK. Can I talk to her?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

911 DISPATCHER: OK, listen to me. I need you to answer some questions. Does the door look like it was pried open?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I guess.

911 DISPATCHER: Does it look like -- does it look like you had some sort of someone try to enter into your house?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hold on.

911 DISPATCHER: And another thing, make sure you and your husband don`t touch the door anymore. Don`t mess with the door or anything.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, it doesn`t.

911 DISPATCHER: It doesn`t look like it is?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. Now listen, tell your husband not touch anything, make sure.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

911 DISPATCHER: Because we`re going to try and get a canine out there, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. She said don`t touch anything because they are bringing a canine out here.

911 DISPATCHER: OK, listen to me. I`m getting this information. I`m not the officer driving out there, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

911 DISPATCHER: They`re coming out there to handle that situation. I need to gather all information from you over the phone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

911 DISPATCHER: It has nothing to do with me driving out there. The officers are taking care of that, OK? They`re coming out there, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. I`m going t stay on the phone with you, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

911 DISPATCHER: Until they get there, OK? Tell him we got them coming. He needs to try to calm down a little bit, OK? The officers are going to come out there and do what they can. We can`t have him screaming and yelling at the officers whenever they get there, OK?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY GRACE, HOST: That`s enough to make me leave the anchor desk and run, not walk, run home to check on the twins. The father gets off of the night shift, his little girl, 5 years old, gone out of the bed where she was sleeping.

Joining me, Joy Purdy and Michelle Sigona there at the command center, Crystal Sheffield, Marie Griffis, the mother and grandmother of the little girl.

To Joy Purdy, who was the last person outside the family who saw her and when?

PURDY: Oh, goodness, outside the family we would have to imagine it was some of her schoolmates because it was early Tuesday morning that she disappeared and she does attend school here, but everyone has been focusing on the family because the father`s girlfriend was the last one to see her.

GRACE: Right. And her story is she was last seen around 10:00 with the girlfriend goes to bed, but who can verify the last time she was seen by somebody other than girlfriend, last seen alive? Was it that day when she got out of school at 3:00?

Did anybody else see her after 3 p.m., I guess, when she gets out of school? Do we have any idea? Did she go to school on Monday? I mean do we know that she went to school that day? What do we know, Joy?

PURDY: We don`t know about anything that happened that Monday. Everything has started from that Tuesday morning. You`re going have to ask the sheriff about that.

GRACE: Yes, and see.

PURDY: But we.

GRACE: Where I`m going with this is we have her word placing the girl alive and well at 10 p.m. I want to find out the last person to have seen her.

We are taking your calls live. To Sherry in Connecticut, hi, Sherry.

SHERRY, FROM CONNECTICUT: Hi, Nancy. How are you?

GRACE: I`m good, dear. What`s your question?

SHERRY: Good. I just want to start out by saying really quick that I just absolutely love you to death. I watch your show faithfully. I`m the mother of a 3-year-old and this really touches home.

My question is, real quick is, why is young Haleigh living with the father and not the mother? Does anybody know that? Is there some sort of family dispute going on?

GRACE: Well, I know that the two have been apart. With me is the mother.

How often, Crystal Sheffield, do you see her and why did she end up being with him?

CRYSTAL SHEFFIELD, MOM OF MISSING 5-YR-OLD HALEIGH CUMMINGS: I see them every two weeks. I pick them up on Friday at 6:00 and return them on Sunday at 6:00.

When me and Ronald split up I had the children with me, and I didn`t have the heart to keep them from him, and I let him come get them and he was supposed to return them to me and he never did, and then he went to the courthouse and filed for temporary custody, and the first court date was sent out to an address in Jacksonville, and it was a bogus address.

I never lived there, so I missed that court date, and then when we went for the custody hearing, they just -- I feel like they just blew me off, but they said they gave him custody because it was the best interest for the children.

GRACE: Are you saying the court blew you off?

SHEFFIELD: I just felt like they was all on his side.

GRACE: Do you know if she was in school on Monday?

SHEFFIELD: I have no idea. I know she`s missed a bunch of days because he told me that if she -- I don`t remember what day it was, but he called and was talking -- I was supposed to pick them up and he said I didn`t want to take her out of school because if she missed any more school that they was going to put him in jail.

GRACE: Why was she missing so much school?

SHEFFIELD: I don`t know.

GRACE: Was she sick?

SHEFFIELD: She may have been, but honestly, I don`t know.

GRACE: Well, I`ll be right back. We`re taking your calls.

SHEFFIELD: She does get sick a lot.

GRACE: We are taking your calls live. As we go to break we ask for your prayers for Georgia friend of the show in the hospital, Jimmy Stokes.

Jimmy, please stay strong and get well.

And tonight, at your request, photos of the twins. They`ll be on the Web tonight. Here is John David in mommy`s closet. Lucy making mommy try on dress up shoes with her gym pants and Lucy trying them on herself. These are their pajamas. Yes, they just got these and they still don`t know how to go forward, just backwards.

There`s John David at music class. There`s his instructor Jess singing. Here they are playing on the floor. Oh, at Barnes & Noble, their favorite place in the world. Back in mommy`s closet with a flip-flop and a tennis shoe.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHEFFIELD: I just want whoever`s got her to bring her home. That`s all I want is my baby home.

RONALD CUMMINGS, FATHER OF MISSING 5-YR-OLD HALEIGH CUMMINGS: I just want my daughter home safe. If you have my daughter and you`re watching this, drop her off somewhere safe, call 911, call the local authorities wherever you drop her off. Bring her back anonymous. Give her to someone else to bring back. However she`s back, we want her back safe. If you`ve done something with her, tell us where she`s at, if she`s OK. Something, we just -- I want my daughter back. That`s it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: To former NYPD detective, Michael Sapraicone -- Michael, I can understand confusion if two beds were in one bedroom, and she said we were all sleeping together and she was right beside me. I can understand if there were two beds like that. But according to the mother and grandmother one story was they were in another room, both the children were in another room.

MICHAEL SAPRAICONE, FMR. NYPD DETECTIVE PRESIDENT OF SQUAD SECURITY INC.: Well, I understand your point about the beds in the bedroom, Nancy. But I`m really more concerned over the door. There`s more issues with the door here. I mean.

GRACE: Explain.

SAPRAICONE: You have this -- husband, the boyfriend goes to work every night. He works until 2:00, 3:00 in the morning, so this girl closes this door and locks that door because she`s the caretaker there, for this 3-year-old and this 5-year-old. How does that just so happen to be open that evening? And how does a predator just happen to come to that one particular trailer and find that door open?

I mean is there any indication that somebody tried other doors in the trail park? No, we don`t have that. So he just happens to wander into this one trailer, open that door and sure enough there`s a 5-year-old girl he can take out of that bedroom. That doesn`t add up.

I`d like to look at the inner circle a little bit. And then I`d like to look at the nature under the friends. Something`s going on in that house. As you said before, we don`t know what happens to her after she gets home from school on Monday. We do know the father picked her up at school at 3:00 or 3:30 on Monday. But then we don`t know what happened? What`s the timeline from 3:00 until 10:00 that night when this girl Misty says she put her to bed at 8:00?

GRACE: You know, that`s an interesting point.

Michelle Sigona with "America`s Most Wanted," aren`t police saying that they`re taking the timeline back 30 days now?

SIGONA: Yes, police are definitely taking their time. They`re going back through the timeline. They also have closed off the entire mobile home, Nancy, at this time just in case they need to go back in and secure more evidence. They have collected that cinder block that was allegedly propped -- that propped up the door open and a few other things that have been sent to the crime lab in Jacksonville right now.

And they do have a forensic rush on those materials at this time and if they need to go back into the home to pull more things out at least they have it there readily accessible. So they are looking at a timeline. They are looking at people.

GRACE: Where is the family staying?

SIGONA: Right now -- evidently according to the dad as of just a couple of hours ago, he`s staying in a tent nearby. He described it to me as something, I guess, it`s just sort of a tent out in the open that he and the girlfriend are staying at and they`re not staying at the home.

GRACE: To the Dr. Zhongxue Hua, he`s the Union County, New Jersey medical examiner. Dr. Hua, thank you for being with us.

Dr. Hua, I want to talk to you about the cinder block that apparently had the backdoor propped open. What kind of forensic evidence can you get from a cement block?

DR. ZHONGXUE HUA, UNION CO., N.J. MEDICAL EXAMINER: The first thing is any fingerprints down there, is there any DNA down there? I mean lots of things can be tested and obviously have to be examined very carefully and don`t forget -- I mean one thing is use a cinder block to prop the door open, (INAUDIBLE), you have to touch the door to open the door. I mean there are lots of things you can look at at this point.

GRACE: I want to go back to the mother of little Haleigh and the maternal grandmother. Crystal Sheffield, Marie Griffis is joining us tonight.

Crystal, you have a problem with the door as well. What are your thoughts?

SHEFFIELD: Yes. I just -- it`s just -- if the door was locked like they said it was.

GRIFFIS: By Ronald.

SHEFFIELD: Ronald said he locked that door when he left for work and it`s supposedly high up enough to where Haleigh could not reach it, I just don`t understand how somebody just got in there and nothing was broke on the door.

GRACE: Was it a padlock or a.

SHEFFIELD: Someone had to have a key.

GRACE: A dead bolt or a padlock?

SHEFFIELD: A dead bolt. A dead bolt.

GRACE: To.

SHEFFIELD: It was a dead bolt.

GRACE: To Joy Purdy with WTLV, was there sign of forced entry?

PURDY: That`s another interesting story because we`re getting conflicting reports. We`ve heard, at first, that there was a sign of forced entry. The police here tell us there was no sign of forced entry. So they`re still interviewing, trying to figure out what exactly is going on here.

GRACE: Joy, have you looked at the door even at a distance?

PURDY: We did look at a door. You can`t see -- you do have quite a bit of access. You can go right up to the home even though there`s police crime tape against it.

GRACE: Right.

PURDY: You can see three sides of the home, but you can`t see the fourth side on the back.

GRACE: Got it.

PURDY: You can see a door. You can see a screen door.

GRACE: To.

PURDY: So we don`t know if that`s the actual door.

GRACE: Back to Crystal and Marie. Crystal, have you been in the home since you`ve been there on Monday?

SHEFFIELD: Yes, I have not. No, I have not.

GRACE: You have not? Marie, have you?

SHEFFIELD: No.

GRACE: Do you have any.

GRIFFIS: No, I haven`t been...

GRACE: Do you have any idea what kind of lock was on the backdoor?

GRIFFIS: No, we don`t. All we know is Ronald said there was a dead bolt on the backdoor on the inside that was up high enough that Haleigh couldn`t.

GRACE: OK.

GRIFFIS: . get to it and that he locked and secured that door before he went to work.

GRACE: Dead bolt. All right, back to the lawyers, Eleanor Dixon, Peter Odom, Gwen Lindsay-Jackson.

Eleanor, what do you make of it?

DIXON: Well, the door is important, but you know what else is important is the cell phone records, Nancy. Nobody has mentioned that. Did the mom call anyone that night? Did dad -- I mean the girlfriend, did the dad call anyone at night? Those could tell you a lot as well.

GRACE: What about it, Peter?

ODOM: Nancy, I think that the propped open door adds credence to Misty`s story. Anyone who is abducting this child would want to get out of the house quickly while carrying a child and they would want to prop open that door. So I`m falling on Misty`s side on -- that fact.

GRACE: And to Gwen Lindsay-Jackson, I know that there are inconsistencies right now with the girlfriend`s story. But you got to remember not far from this spot, almost the exact same scenario, Jesse Lunsford was taken out of the grandparent`s home. They were asleep feet away. She was taken out of her bed. Nobody heard a word.

LINDSAY-JACKSON: Yes, that`s certainly the case. But in here my gut feeling is we need to look a little more closely at this 17-year-old. I don`t like the fact that her statement apparently is changing. I sort of think that when she said originally that they were in the bed together, that`s what she said and that`s what we`re hearing, that she was under so much stress that she was making that excited utterance, and that`s what happened.

Now whether or not she left that child unattended after that husband or that boyfriend left and she`s afraid to tell the truth, that`s another story. We know that the child probably couldn`t have unlocked the door? Did she leave and then leave the house unsecure? Was there something else that happened in the home? Did somebody else come? Did she let somebody else into the house? Was there a fight? What happened?

I think they need to squeeze the 17-year-old, Nancy. I`m troubled with her.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are offering opportunities to make free wide open statements, free-form statements. And we`re offering polygraphs to everybody, to give them the opportunity to eliminate themselves as suspects. All the world are suspects right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Now, last night when I spoke to the father, Ronald Cummings, he told me there was just a plastic lock on the door that it would not have been hard to break into.

To Danielle in Ohio, hi, Danielle.

DANIELLE, FROM OHIO: Hi, Nancy. First of all.

GRACE: What`s your question, dear?

DANIELLE: First of all, I want to tell you you`re great. Love the twins. I would like to know if the police are using any type of heat seeking technology on helicopters to search the woods.

GRACE: I believe they are using infrared. What about it, Joy Purdy?

PURDY: They definitely are. We`ve seen the helicopter from the floor.

GRACE: OK.

PURDY: . of Fisher Wildlife Commission all day. They have infrared on it.

GRACE: To Courtney in Colorado, hi, Courtney.

COURTNEY, FROM COLORADO: Hi, I just wanted to tell you that we love your show. We watch it all the time.

GRACE: Thank you.

COURTNEY: Well, the question on my mind is she`s 17 years old.

GRACE: Right.

COURTNEY: The dad is at work.

GRACE: Right.

COURTNEY: Isn`t it possible that she could have friends or, you know, someone else come over during that time and leave the door propped for them to come in and out without disturbing the kids while sleeping?

GRACE: OK. First of all, thank you for watching faithfully and for calling in.

What about that scenario, Michelle Sigona?

SIGONA: Here`s what we do know, Nancy. At this point, from what she has told investigators, no one else was in the home at the time. Whether that door was propped open after the father left for work at 4:00 p.m., he did not get home until 3:30 in the morning, it`s hard to tell. She did not -- the girlfriend did not go to bed until 10:00 at night. She alleged that the children went to bed around 8:00 p.m. at night. So did she have someone there between 10:00 p.m. and 3:30 a.m.? It`s possible but we`re not too sure.

GRACE: Well, we haven`t heard that scenario from any of the law enforcement.

Everyone, I want to give you a tip line, 386-329-0808. There`s $35,000 reward.

Let`s stop and remember, Army Private Jordan Thibeault, 22, South Jordan, Utah, killed Iraq on a second tour. Awarded the Army Commendation Medal. Loved airplanes, military history, math. Leaves behind parents John and Celeste, one sister.

Jordan Thibeault, American hero.

Thanks to our guests but especially to you for being with us. I`ll see you tomorrow night, 8:00 sharp Eastern. And until then, good night, friend.

END

[Sassycat]

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0902/12/ijvm.01.html

ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
Caylee Confirmed Cremated; Bounty Hunter Claims Casey`s Fingerprints Found on Caylee; Grandfather Speaks about Missing Haleigh

Aired February 12, 2009 - 19:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST (voice-over): Tonight, more Caylee Anthony case craziness. First, bounty hunter Leonard Padilla makes a startling claim.

LEONARD PADILLA, BOUNTY HUNTER: I heard this morning that there were fingerprints and that the prints are Casey`s.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Will this really be the incriminating evidence that ties Casey to the murder of her little girl? We`ll investigate.

Then a Caylee Anthony memorial in a park? That`s what Anthony family representatives plan to do to honor little Caylee.

And the family now confirms they`ve cremated Caylee and stored her remains at a secret location, fearful they would be stolen from the home. Has it really come to that?

And finally, an answer to the CMA mystery.

LEE ANTHONY, UNCLE OF CAYLEE ANTHONY: CMA, I miss you.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Who was Casey`s brother talking to? Who is CMA? We`ll have the answer.

Plus, a desperate family plea for the return of little Haleigh Cummings.

CRYSTAL SHEFFIELD, HALEIGH`S MOTHER: All I want is my baby home.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Meanwhile, investigators are operating on the assumption that Haleigh was abducted and are not excluding anyone as a suspect. The massive search effort expands as teams of search parties descend on central Florida, including some of the very same people involved in Caylee`s search. We`ll have the latest.

And octo-mom, about to octo-pop as the controversy surrounding the single mother of 14 continues to balloon out of control. You`ve got to see this.

ISSUES starts now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, breaking developments in the new Florida missing child case the whole nation is watching. Five-year-old Haleigh Cummings vanished from her bed early Tuesday. Her anguished grandfather will join me in just moments.

But first, a look inside the agonizing decision the Anthony family has made regarding little Caylee`s final resting place. After a flurry of conflicting reports, Anthony family attorney Brad Conway now confirms that Caylee`s remains have been cremated.

The shocker: Caylee`s ashes are not at the family home. They fear somebody might steal them. Has it really come to this? Apparently, it has.

Conway also reveals that George and Cindy`s decision to defy their daughter`s wish that Caylee be buried and cremate her instead was not taken lightly. They were concerned that a headstone might be a target for vandals. What a shocking commentary on how ugly this case has gotten. Conway added the family plans to build a Caylee Anthony memorial in a park to honor her memory.

Plus, the question surrounding Lee Anthony`s use of the initials "CMA" at Caylee`s memorial are finally answered. The family attorney says Lee was talking to all of them.

Also tonight, remember the duct tape that was reportedly wrapped around little Caylee`s head. Bounty hunter Leonard Padilla dropped this shocker on HLN`s "NANCY GRACE" last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PADILLA: I heard this morning that there were fingerprints and that the prints are Casey`s.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Stunning new evidence, but how will it impact Casey`s murder trial?

And Casey`s attorney, Jose Baez, has reportedly dumped the mysterious three-headed Todd Black and hired a new media rep, Marti MacKenzie. She is known for repping high-profile defendants, like former astronaut Lisa Nowak. She, of course, is the love triangle astronaut who drove cross country wearing a diaper. You cannot make this stuff up.

Let`s go to my expert panel. Wendy Murphy, former prosecutor and law professor at New England School of Law; Drew Findling, Atlanta criminal defense attorney; and Leslie Snadowsky, investigative reporter.

Leslie, what is the very latest?

LESLIE SNADOWSKY, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: George and Cindy Anthony`s attorney, Brad Conway, has come out and saying that Caylee Anthony`s remains have been cremated, but no, they`re not at the Anthony home. The Anthonys are afraid someone is actually going to bust in and steal them.

And this type of mentality is leading them to different decisions when it comes to what are they going to do with them eventually. You would think that maybe they would do a regular burial site with a head stone. But no, they`re afraid that might be vandalized. So they`re thinking on a grander scale, maybe a public memorial at a public park.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, it sounds like a good idea. Now, since little Caylee`s remains were found, one of the key forensic questions has been were Casey`s fingerprints on that duct tape that bound Caylee`s head? In fact, it was over the child`s mouth, and it had a heart sticker on it. Bounty hunter Leonard Padilla said this on "NANCY GRACE" last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY GRACE, HOST, "NANCY GRACE": Leonard, what do you know, if anything, about sources reporting fingerprints were lifted off the duct tape?

PADILLA: I heard this morning that there were fingerprints and that the prints are Casey`s.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Wendy Murphy, I have with me right now some duct tape. Let`s see. We`ve got it right here.

It was so hard, first of all, to get the duct tape off, to peel it off. This was after a couple of minutes. But would it come down to whether it`s on the outside -- if it`s on the outside, there could be an argument, "Well, this was taken from the home by the mysterious Zanny with the nanny or whatever." And along with all the other things, the bedding and yada yada. And that Casey had touched it previously.

But if it were on the inside, OK, especially if it was way on the inside, wouldn`t it be hard to argue that that was something that was put there previously?

WENDY MURPHY, LAW PROFESSOR: Yes, but in this case, the defense has made crazier arguments. It`s a harder argument to make. But, you know, the chance that a jury with a brain would ever believe that her fingerprint just happened to be on the inside of the super sticky part of the tape and it was because she touched it when she was doing lawn work months earlier and it, oops, just happened to also be the same piece of tape that landed around the face of her dead child. Oh, reasonable doubt, I don`t think so.

Look, I`m not shocked to find out that her fingerprint is on the tape. The child`s decomposed body parts were in her trunk.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, yes. It obviously would be the coupe de gras to all the other forensic evidence that has been gathered against her that the prosecutors plan to present when this case goes to trial, whenever that might be. And you just hit on one of them, the smell of death in the car, the hair showing signs of decomposition that reportedly matched the hair taken from the skull. The list is long.

But let me ask you this question, Drew Findling. This is what Leonard Padilla is saying. Now, we know that 300-plus pages of discovery were released just a couple weeks ago. It wasn`t in there. The remains were found in mid-December.

Wouldn`t this have gone through the system and been released to the defense`s discovery and then, by extension, given to the public, this information, at this point, or not?

DREW FINDLING, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Thank you for that question, Jane, because that is the central issue here. You know, this defense team has been fighting for discovery, fighting for the opportunity to conduct scientific testing. The law is very, very specific and strict about that.

If this took place, and if these results are in, and somehow this profiteering bounty hunter has access to that information before the defense, who hasn`t even conducted their own test, you could be assured that the court is going to come in, and they are going to be sanctions flying out of that judge`s chambers like crazy.

MURPHY: This just drives me crazy, that Drew would say, "The defense is going to have lots to say about this." It`s terribly unfair that the truth about the fingerprints might come out when the defense, from one shill to another, from Cindy on every damn talk show she could get on, to make us go chasing these fake Caylee sightings. So the defense can lie with impunity.

FINDLING: Cindy is not a defense attorney.

MURPHY: I don`t care.

FINDLING: And Cindy is a mother without constitutional rights.

MURPHY: The defense has filled the public with nonsense.

FINDLING: Casey has constitutional rights, and her rights are evoked through her attorney.

MURPHY: The defense has no constitutional rights. Nonsense in the court of public opinion. And then forget about it when the truth comes out.

FINDLING: We don`t care about the court of public opinion.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Calm down, everybody.

FINDLING: We don`t care about the court of public opinion. We care about...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let me jump in with a question. And you can just ask yes or no -- answer yes or no. Wendy, if in fact it is true that Casey Anthony`s fingerprints are on the duct tape, is it game, set, match for the prosecution?

MURPHY: No, because the defense is entitled to come up with an explanation that they think is innocent. I don`t think it will be a plausible one, but they`re entitled to make that...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But Drew, I don`t understand how they could come up with an innocent explanation. You could argue that the mystery nanny, which prosecutors say doesn`t exist, took the bedding and took things, the dolls, all the other stuff that was found, like the toy horse, because that`s what a nanny would have.

But duct tape? I mean, a nanny doesn`t walk around with duct tape from the Anthony home.

FINDLING: Well, Jane, as you know better than any of us, from your coverage of O.J. Simpson, there`s a thing called residual doubt. And when you have people make drastic mistakes, like if this were -- is her fingerprints, leaking it to this bounty hunter before the defense team, that`s the kind of thing that kills investigations and kills prosecutions.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`ve got to get to this. This is important. Cindy Anthony organized the memorial service for Caylee. And remember, Lee Anthony raised some eyebrow with this. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

L. ANTHONY: CMA, each day, you can continue to teach me about life and about the way it should be lived. Each day you give me the ability to be strong or to be weak. It`s been so long since I`ve been able to see you, or to hug you, or to tell you how much you mean to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: OK. Wendy Murphy, Brad Conway is now saying that Lee was referring to all of them. Casey Marie Anthony, Caylee Marie Anthony, and there are claims that we haven`t been able to clarify that Cindy`s initials are also CMA.

MURPHY: We know it isn`t Country Music Awards, I`ll tell you that. You know, frankly, I know it`s a sad thing, but as I said on your show last week, this was at least in part just an offensive infomercial for the defense. Between him sobbing around CMA and Cindy...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You know what? I have to disagree.

MURPHY: I know. I know, Jane. Let me say something.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: This was a beautiful memorial. I cried when I watched it.

MURPHY: There were times -- there were times when the defense exploited a beautiful memorial. When Cindy said, "I know how much you loved your daughter, Casey..."

FINDLING: She`s not a defense attorney. She`s a mother! She`s not the defense attorney.

MURPHY: That was a defense P.R. move.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I think that -- I agree with Drew. She`s a mother, and a mother has a right to say whatever she wants about a daughter.

MURPHY: She should not have said that out of respect for her grandchild. Shame on her.

FINDLING: You should have stopped at Country Music Awards. That`s my opinion.

MURPHY: Thanks.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`ll leave it at that. That`s a good way to wrap it up.

Leslie, Drew, thank you so much. Wendy, stay right there.

Don`t forget, "Nancy Grace" up immediately following this program at 8 p.m. She will have the very latest on the Caylee Anthony case.

And right here on ISSUES we will update the tragic story of another little Florida girl gone missing. The desperate search for 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings. I want to hear your thoughts on this mysterious case. What happened there? 1-887-JVM-SAYS. That`s 1-877-586-7297 for your questions or theories on the mysterious disappearance of little Haleigh.

Caylee Anthony`s grandfather, George, went to the search area to show support for Haleigh Cummings. Just some eerie similarities in these two cases. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE ANTHONY, GRANDFATHER OF CAYLEE: I`m here in support of them. I`m here to bring Haleigh home. Haleigh Marie Cummings.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Haleigh Ann Marie.

ANTHONY: I`m sorry. I apologize for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MISTY CROSLIN, GIRLFRIEND OF HALEIGH`S FATHER: Three o`clock in the morning, I got up and -- I got up because I had to use the bathroom, but I didn`t make it to the bathroom. I seen the kitchen light on, and I walked in the kitchen, and the back door was wide open. And I didn`t notice about Haleigh then until I seen the back door open. And then I go in her room and she`s gone. And that`s all I know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: The desperate search for 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings, who disappeared from her bed in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, has now entered its third day. No sign of the adorable little girl known to her family as Doodle Bug.

Haleigh`s Florida home is just 70 miles away from where Caylee Anthony lived, and now her family is getting support from Caylee`s grandfather, George. I`ll have much more on that in just a moment.

Meantime, Haleigh`s father has taken and reportedly passed a polygraph. Just hours ago, he made a passionate appeal to the person who might have abducted her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONALD CUMMINGS, HALEIGH`S FATHER: Just bring her back, anonymous, give her to someone else to bring back. However she gets back, we want her back safe. If you`ve done something with her, tell us where she`s at, if she`s OK, something. We just -- I want my daughter back. That`s it. That`s all -- that`s I want. I want my daughter back. I`m not out for revenge.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I want to hear from you. Give me a call: 1-877-JVM- SAYS. That`s 1-877-586-7297.

Also, if you have any information, and I mean, any information on the whereabouts of little Haleigh, please call the Putnam County, Florida, sheriff`s office.

First, I am joined by Haleigh`s grandfather, Johnny Sheffield.

Thank you so much, sir, for being here. I know this has to be very, very, very difficult for you, and I really appreciate you taking the time. And hopefully, we can help.

Johnny, it`s been more than 60 hours since little Haleigh disappeared. Authorities now believe she did not wander off. They believe she was abducted. What are your possible theories about what happened to your precious granddaughter?

JOHNNY SHEFFIELD, GRANDFATHER OF HALEIGH CUMMINGS: I don`t know, really. I have to go by what the law enforcement`s told me. They said they`ve done searches. They haven`t found her. I know the father said there are signs of forced entry.

The sheriff told me that there was no signs of forced entry, and I heard the girlfriend`s 911 tape. She said there was no signs of forced entry. And I know the father locked the dead bolt, he said, personally. And I know in order to get through a dead bolt, you`ve got to break the door frame. You`re not just going to wedge it open and open the door.

But I`m not doubting the father didn`t lock the dead bolt. I`m just wondering how somebody got in through a dead bolt and took my granddaughter and just vanished when somebody`s supposed to be there watching her.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And with apparently no signs of forced entry. I think you make a very, very good point.

Now, I want to bring this into the equation. The story we`re hearing about Haleigh being abducted in the middle of the night without anybody hearing her or the predator has been slammed by some skeptics. Some are raising eyebrows at Misty, the girlfriend who was sleeping with the two children the time little Haleigh disappeared from her bed.

Listen to Misty, the teenage girlfriend of Haleigh`s father.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CROSLIN: I just want her home, just have her come home safe. Just drop her off somewhere. I just want her to come home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She meant a lot to you, too?

CROSLIN: Yes. A real lot. I loved that little girl like she was my own.

(END VIDE O CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But to the skeptics, I would remind them to remember the terrible Jessica Lunsford tragedy, also in Florida. In 2005, the beautiful child you`re looking at there, Jessica, was sleeping peacefully in her bed when she was abducted by John Couey, a convicted sex offender, who later confessed to murdering her.

Couey lived in a trailer just 150 yards away. He kept Jessica locked in a closet for two or three days. Tragically, when cops first canvassed that trailer, looking for Jessica, it is theorized that that little girl might have still been alive in that closet.

The reason I`m mentioning that, and it`s an upsetting story, and I apologize for that, Johnny, but it has a point. The point is that so many people are like, how could he come in, take a child and leave without anybody waking up? It happened in 2005.

Admittedly, no one was in the bed with little Jessica Lunsford, but she was taken from a house in Florida and removed while she was asleep and abducted. So it does happen.

Your thoughts on all of that, sir?

SHEFFIELD: Well, I know my granddaughter. And I know that when she wakes up, she goes to screaming and crying. She`s going to her mama or her daddy, or she`s at our house, she`s coming to somebody`s door to let us know that she`s up. And if she happens to wake up in the morning, she goes to the couch and watches TV, if she -- if her father`s not up. But usually her father is up by the time the baby`s up.

I find it hard to believe that somebody could just go in there and grab Haleigh, because Haleigh was a solid little girl. She was a close -- she was hard for me to pick up. And for her to -- somebody to reach in the bed and take her out without waking that girl up, I don`t know how it could be done, because most kids, when you pick them up, they have a reaction to either jump, jerk, or say, "Where am I going," or something. But Haleigh, somebody got her out without her saying nothing?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now very quickly, only have a couple of seconds, was your daughter`s relationship with the father of Haleigh rocky, as some of have said?

SHEFFIELD: My daughter and him has been separated for several years, so -- I mean, of course, a couple years ago, it was like rocky when they was going through this custody battle. But here lately, as far as I know, everything was, you know, going smoothly.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. And it turned out that he got custody of the child, and it is a very, very tragic case.

Johnny Sheffield, I want to thank for joining me. I`d love to have you back. We hope that we get a happy ending here. We`re going to do everything we can in our power to find your little granddaughter.

We have much more to get to in the search for Haleigh Cummings, and I want to hear your thoughts. Give me a call: 1-877-JVM-SAYS.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF JEFF HARDY, PUTNAM COUNTY, FLORIDA: We`ll expand the investigation as far as it needs to go. As far as whether or not Haleigh is still in the area, that is an unknown.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That is the sheriff presiding over the search for 5- year-old Haleigh, who has been missing since early Tuesday.

Jennifer Bauer, a reporter with CNN affiliate WJXC-TV in Jacksonville, Florida.

Jennifer, tell us what is the very latest in terms specifically of the lie detector test and then the more detailed story now being offered by Misty, the young woman who was sleeping with the children when Haleigh disappeared.

JENNIFER BAUER, REPORTER, WJTC: Well, today we heard from the sheriff, and he told us that the investigation is continuing. They are interviewing people who know the little girl. They`re even interviewing people who don`t know the little girl. The sheriff told us this morning that they have issued lie detector tests. And he said they are willing to offer them to anyone who wants to take one.

The father, Ronald Cummings, Haleigh`s dad, tells us himself he took one. He tells us he passed. We talked to his 17-year-old girlfriend, Misty Croslin. She tells us she also took one. We asked her how she did. She says she believed she passed. We are also told that the mother, the biological mother did not take one.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What did the sheriff say? OK, what did the sheriff say?

BAUER: The sheriff will not comment. Jane, he`s not giving any details about who took them or who has them. All he will tell us is that they were administered, and he`s telling us that they are being offered to anyone who`s willing to take them. So the only information we are able to get about the polygraph is from the people themselves who took them, and that`s all we`re able to get right now.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Give us a rundown of what Misty is saying specifically. Because the story is getting more detailed. There`s lights that go on. There`s a door that`s ajar. There`s going to the bathroom. Give us the quick lowdown on what she`s saying exactly happened.

BAUER: Well, as you know, Jane, today was the first time that we heard from Misty Croslin. We`ve been out here for three days. And today was the first time that she came out and talked to our station one on one for a very lengthy interview.

She told us, first of all, that the most, I think, alarming piece of information was that Haleigh was in a different bed. Now, we`ve been hearing all along from detectives that the 17-year-old girlfriend, the little brother, and Haleigh were all in one bed. Now we`re hearing that Haleigh was in her own bed.

She also told us that she got up to go to the bathroom, and the light in the kitchen was on. That`s also new information that police have not been able to confirm for us.

And detectives are telling us that they have taken evidence out of that home. They won`t tell us what, but they say they have collected evidence.

She also, Misty Croslin, in her interview, referred to that brick. Remember yesterday when we listened to those 911 tapes, she said on the phone call, "There`s a brick. The door`s propped open. It`s open. Someone took the little girl out the back."

But police tell us that there was a cinder block there and that apparently about 50 feet from their home, there was a pile of cinder blocks and one of those blocks, they believe, was used to prop open that back door.

But again, Jane, we`re getting a lot of conflicting reports. And I asked the sheriff himself, you know, why the conflicting stories? And he said, "You have to remember, you`re talking about a 17-year-old girl. And sometimes there`s issues with young kids when you`re dealing with them and questioning them" as from a detective`s standpoint.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: The grandfather says that he just doesn`t understand how anybody could have gotten out of there without signs of forced entry. We only have a couple of seconds. Any insights on that?

BAUER: All police will tell us is there was absolutely zero signs of forced entry.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And she said -- she said -- she said she went...

BAUER: Was the door open, was the door closed, was the door locked, we don`t know.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: ... when she went to sleep, the door was locked. That`s what she said, apparently.

BAUER: Police tell us the door was not forced open.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right.

BAUER: Does that mean someone had a key? We don`t know.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`ve got more in just seconds, and we`re going to take your calls. They`re lining up. Stay right there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Here are the latest developments on the Caylee Anthony case. Leonard Padilla, the bounty hunter, claims he has learned cops have collected extremely incriminating evidence against Casey.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEONARD PADILLA, BOUNTY HUNTER: I`ve heard this morning that they were fingerprints and that the fingerprints are Casey`s.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Will fingerprints put this case to bed? The Anthony family reportedly plans to honor little Caylee with a memorial in a park instead of a headstone they fear could be vandalized. And we now know Lee`s reference to CMA was to both of them -- Caylee and Casey.

And just 70 miles from where Caylee`s remains were found, a massive search effort continues for 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings. We`ll tell you where the investigators are focusing their efforts now.

Back with more on the tragic disappearance of 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings, joining me, my expert panel: Joe Navarro, former FBI agent and profiler; Wendy Murphy, former prosecutor, law professor, and author of "And Justice for Some;" Don Clark, former FBI special agent in charge and Jennifer Bauer from WJXT TV in Jacksonville, Florida.

The phone lines are lighting up Gerry in California, thanks for you patience sir, question or thoughts?

JERI IN CALIFORNIA: Hi, Jane, --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, it`s a girl ok, hi.

JERI: I love your show.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you.

JERI: I have a comment. Being that there was no forced entry could it be possible that it was a previous tenant who still had a key?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Very good thinking. Don Clark?

DON CLARK, FORMER FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: Well, yes, it could be possible that anybody could have been. But, Jane, here`s the key to this situation. Is that you`ve got several areas that you`ve got to look at. One happens to be the house, and that`s the original point that has to get some attention.

The other place that`s got to get some attention is that 44 child predators that`s in that area. And certainly, and simultaneously, you still have to look at relatives and friends and people who sometimes have access in and out of each other`s homes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, and as a matter of fact, we`ve got some maps here that we`re going to show you in just a second that really outline the problem. Here is a Google map of Central Florida. Haleigh`s home is in the small town of Satsuma, just 70 miles away from where Caylee Anthony lived.

Satsuma is tiny, but with a population of 5,400 people, the street where Haleigh lives is near a lake. You can see it right there and as you can see it`s not very densely populated.

I also have to go to what you also said, Don, and that is the 44 sex offenders who live right in the area. This is absolutely fascinating. We have a map of 44 sex offenders who live within a five-mile radius. This is the map that shows that.

I mean, is that the national average, Don Clark? That`s shocking to me. Why so many sex offenders in this particular neck of the woods?

CLARK: You know what, Jane, I don`t know exactly, but I`ve looked at a lot of numbers and I think that`s actually sadly, slightly below the national average, when you start looking at the larger populated areas. And I would suggest that that 44 is, of course, what the law enforcement community knows about.

And that`s what`s the frightening thing, is the ones that they don`t know about.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right, Elizabeth in Texas, your question or thought, ma`am?

ELIZABETH: Yes, I would like to know why Misty waited to call 911 after the father got home. And the father commented that she had kept calling his cell phone, but he never answered it. I would like to know how many minutes from the time that child was missing until the time the father got home.

And I also think it`s strange, the father commented, he wasn`t aware of any cinder blocks in the backyard and they`re reporting that there was a pile of them 50 feet from the house and he frequently washed his vehicle in the backyard. It does not add up.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, ma`am, you are taking some very careful notes. I think you need to go a detective school because you`d be a good one. Jennifer Bauer, try to fill us in on all those details.

JENNIFER BAUER, WJXT TV, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: I think the only thing to say is we are hearing a lot of inconsistencies again. I think yesterday, when we were talking to the sheriff, he mentioned that it was a 27-minute lapse from the time that they discovered Haleigh was missing to the time that they called -- or I shouldn`t say they but rather Misty Croslin called 911.

And the sheriff said, you know, you have to cut people some slack. Because unless you`re in that kind of situation, you never know how you`re going to react. As for the cinder blocks, today was the first time we were hearing about a pile 50 feet away.

Again, the family says they didn`t know anything about the pile of cinder blocks. I have personally myself been back to that home, I have stood on their driveway and taken a look at my surroundings. It is extremely wooded, extremely secluded. It is very possible that there could be a pile of anything 50 feet away and you wouldn`t see it.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Right, the fact that they`re using the sheddies (ph) to try to get through the woods, that`s how dense the wooded areas are there.

I want to play that clip of Misty Croslin again. And like everybody, listen very carefully. She is the girlfriend of Haleigh`s dad. She was with the child at the time of the disappearance.

Listen closely to what she says.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MISTY CROSLIN, GIRLFRIEND OF HALEIGH`S FATHER: I just want her home. Want to have her home safe. Just drop her off somewhere or something. I just want her to come home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She meant a lot to you too?

CROSLIN: Yes, a real lot. I loved that little girl like she was my own.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You have to listen carefully Joe Navarro, but she said, I loved that little girl like she was my own. Do we make anything of the past tense? Or is that just a figure of speech?

JOE NAVARRO, FORMER FBI AGENT AND PROFILER: No, we do make something of that past tense. And we shouldn`t let that slip by.

In fact, we had a case here in Tampa, Florida, not that far about seven years ago where the same thing happened. The mother had actually taken the baby, put it in a garbage bag, and put it in a dumpster.

But I`ve got to tell you, Jane --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, let me say, before we go any further, --

NAVARRO: Yes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: -- we don`t have any idea that that`s the same thing. I mean, this woman hasn`t been charged with anything, she`s not considered a suspect. And she may very well have simply been asleep when this child was abducted in the same room with her. But go ahead, finish your thought.

NAVARRO: Well, that may be so, but we still have to pay attention to that.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, sure.

NAVARRO: The grandfather said something very significant. In essence, he was saying, this case does not pass the stink test.

He`s been to the house, he knows the family, he knows the situation, he knows how they sleep, he knows what noises are made when you walk in, he knows how the doors work, he knows everything about that. And in his own mind he`s saying, this does not pass the stink test.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, just remember that he is the -- on the mother`s side. And the mother and the father are separated and the father is with this other young woman, Misty.

So you never know what the motivations are. And I`m not saying he has bad motivations, but you know how those disputes are, that it can color your perception.

Linda in Texas, question or thought?

LINDA IN TEXAS: Hi Jane, thanks for taking my call.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hey, thanks for calling.

LINDA: I`m wondering if the abduction of Haleigh Cummings is not some sort of copycat scenario, because Haleigh and Caylee sound alike, both children are from Florida. And I`m wondering, could this be some sort of way to get attention, in some distorted way?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, it`s an absolutely fascinating question and I`m going to toss it to Wendy Murphy.

WENDY MURPHY, FORMER PROSECUTOR: I don`t have my Ph.D. in psychology. I don`t know what makes people do things. I do agree with the previous caller that and other panelists, it doesn`t make sense yet.

If there`s still so much suspicion around the circumstances in the home, doesn`t mean it was a stranger.

But here`s what bugs me Jane, a couple of things, even if you`re a dumb criminal, it`s a really super dopey thing to do to pick on a child and to try to take a child out of a home at 3:00 in the morning.

Because it`s a rare chance --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But criminals are dumb.

Look at the case that we used of Jessica Lunsford who was taken out of her home in the middle of the night in Florida in an area where there were trailer parks.

MURPHY: I understand that --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.

MURPHY: But let me make a point. Because I think this is interesting. You`d have to be really dopey, because you can`t predict that the child will be quiet or alone. Unlike Jesse Lunsford, she was alone in her own bed and the neighbors knew it. You can`t predict that this child would be alone. And isn`t it interesting that it happened to be a time in the middle of the night when the father wasn`t home.

Could it have been someone who knew that only this 17-year-old nitwit was going to be there alone without the dad present? You know, it bothers me that there`s a delay in her report. I have a kid that`s 17. She wouldn`t wonder where the kid was.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But I`m sure your child is a genius.

MURPHY: No, au contraire. Believe me when I say this.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.

MURPHY: It takes a real low IQ to say, child missing, 911. My turtle could do this.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I don`t know if you`ve ever been panicked and had a missing any loved one. I will never -- I`ve used this example before of having a pet run away and how panicked you become. And you start running around and you really aren`t acting in a rationale fashion, Don Clark, a lot of the times.

CLARK: Well, let`s kind of get away from the emotions aspect of this and let`s look at the technical investigative aspect and the forensics and so forth and let`s try to dwell on that aspect. Forget about what this young lady did, because the police --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok, Don --

CLARK: -- the police officers ought to be able to identify what her actions were based on other things that they`ve heard.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok and I think that the big question is -- we have to leave it right there, but the big question is, how does somebody break into a house where the door is locked and there`s no sign of forced entry. That`s another mystery.

Joe, Wendy, Don, Jennifer, thank you so much. We`re going to stay on top of this case. We are going to do everything we can to find that little child.

[Sassycat]

NANCY GRACE

Mystery Evidence Recovered in Search for 5-Year-Old

Aired February 13, 2009 - 20:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MIKE BROOKS, GUEST HOST: Breaking news tonight. The desperate search for a 5-year-old Florida girl who vanishes in the middle of the night without a trace, Haleigh Cummings reportedly last seen when she`s tucked into bed for the night. Then five hours later, she`s gone, the back door left wide open. What happened to 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Breaking news in the case of 5-year-old Florida girl Haleigh Cummings, who police say was abducted from her own bed. Police say they found items of interest during their search for the child.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were very successful in doing the search that we wanted to do. We did discover some items of interest. I can`t go into detail as to what those items are.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: While authorities won`t release details about the items, officials still believe Haleigh was abducted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We still believe this to be an abduction. There`s no reason to believe that it`s not. Whether she was abducted from her home or she left and Haleigh left on her own and somebody picked her up, of course, that person has no rights to Haleigh.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Even though investigators don`t know if Haleigh is still in the area or not, her grandfather believes whole-heartedly she`s right under their nose.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She could be anywhere, but she`s closer than we think.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A special agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement says all lab work on evidence in this case has been moved to the front of the line and given the highest priority.

RONALD CUMMINGS, FATHER: They`re trying to find my daughter and get her home safe. We want her back. That`s all we want.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKS: Good evening. I`m Mike Brooks, in for Nancy Grace. The search growing more desperate by the minute, and local, state and federal agencies join forces to find 5-year-old Florida girl Haleigh Cummings.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: New details today in the case of a 5-year-old child abducted from her own bed in the middle of the night. Police continue to search for Haleigh Cummings and now say they have found items of interest in the case.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whether it`s fingerprints, DNA, lab analysis, we are going to use the full force of the Jacksonville crime laboratory to bring whatever results or leads we can.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is still unknown what items were found or where. Authorities also expanded the search territory today, with over 100 volunteers and 50 law enforcement officers searching through thick brush and water.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Between 100 and 200 people have come together with Texas Equusearch to aid in the search. They brought horses, ATVs and other equipment, ready to hit the ground running.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Besides collecting evidence, investigators have also been administering lie detector tests. We`re told the father has taken one. His 17-year-old girlfriend has, too. Police say Haleigh`s mother has not.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As authorities continue to search the area, they`re also talking to sex offenders.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The registered 44 sex offenders who live within five miles of the home have now all been located. Officials are poring through tips, while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has put all evidence testing in this case as its top priority.

RONALD CUMMINGS: I appreciate all the support and help that I`ve got. Obviously, I want my daughter home safe. If you have my daughter and you`re watching this, drop her off somewhere safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKS: Good evening. I`m Mike Brooks, in for Nancy Grace. The search continues for beautiful 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings. What happened to Haleigh Cummings? For the latest, right there at Satsuma, at the mobile command center, I want to go out to Joy Purdy, reporter for CNN affiliate WTLV. What`s the latest, Joy?

JOY PURDY, WTLV: The very latest is something that was mentioned in your headline. The Putnam County sheriff`s office very happy with the search and the results found in that search. They have more than 200 volunteers here, both law enforcement and civilians combing like a grid fashion every inch of brush and open field they can find in this area. And that search has now moved from directly around Haleigh Cummings`s home to about a mile out. And there is so much land to cover, so much water, and they`re going step by step, Mike.

BROOKS: Kind of describe the area for us. Is it a mostly rural area? A lot of heavy underbrush? What`s it like there?

PURDY: It`s a very rural area. It`s a third land, a third residential and a third water. That is what makes up Satsuma. Fifty-three hundred people live here. It`s a very tight-knit town, not a lot of people. In this mobile home park alone, the residents -- not everyone really knows each other. They can live right next to each other, not know each other, very quiet.

So all of a sudden, all of us are descending on their neighborhood, so it`s very overwhelming for them right now. And yes, a lot of thick brush. It`s been very warm out here, but the investigators and the people who are helping have had to dress in long sleeves, long pants because as they take machetes and walking sticks through these wooded areas, they`re getting cut by palmetto limbs and vines and all kinds of branches. But you can hear them breathing very heavily, cutting and hacking through as they try to make their way through. And they basically disappear and all you can hear are their machetes swinging through this brush.

BROOKS: It sounds like some really, really tough conditions. Where was the search today concentrated? And where did they find these items of interest that they`re talking about?

PURDY: Well, the search has now -- not been so much concentrated. They are still on the waterways, aerial, and on boats. And they`ve also expanded to about a mile away from the house.

But it`s very interesting that you ask about what exactly they found and where they found it because no matter how many times we asked investigators during their 4:00 PM news conference this evening, they would not tell us, very tight-lipped about what was found, where it was found. But they did tell us it was civilians who found it, some volunteers who found these items. And we don`t even know if they are actual items. They could have been tire tracks that someone took a picture of and then brought that back. So it doesn`t have to be physical anything.

BROOKS: That`s very interesting. We`re going to go out to Jon Leiberman correspondent for "America`s Most Wanted," in New York. Jon, it was a civilian that apparently found this. Now, are they teaming the civilians up with law enforcement so if anything of evidentiary value is found, there won`t be a chain of custody problem?

JON LEIBERMAN, "AMERICA`S MOST WANTED": Yes. You hit the nail on the head, Mike. That`s why they`re doing it. You have Equusearch out there. You have law enforcement out there.

And there are some rather strange circumstances here, too, Mike, as well. And that is that there really didn`t appear to be any forced entry into the home. There`s a screen door there and there was a cinderblock, we`re told, that was placed there to hold the screen door open, and then, of course, the other door was wide open. It doesn`t look like anybody actually broke into the home, though.

So that makes law enforcement, you know, look back a month back to see, you know, who was in contact with this family? Did somebody know that Ronald doesn`t come home from work until 3:30 in the morning? Did somebody prop open that screen door to get easier access inside the home? So there`s really a lot going on here.

BROOKS: Yes. It sounds like there`s a lot going on. It sounds like there`s a lot of questions still to be answered.

But right now, I want to go out to a very, very special guest. She`s there in Satsuma at the mobile command center. It`s Crystal Cummings. She`s Haleigh`s paternal aunt, Ronald Cummings`s sister. Thank you for being with us, Crystal.

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS, HALEIGH`S AUNT: Thank you.

BROOKS: If -- right now, Crystal, if you could say something to Haleigh`s abductor, what would you say to this person?

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS: I would say, Please bring her home. There`s a lot of family members out here, a lot of people that want Haleigh home. No matter where you take her, just bring her home, please. We`re waiting for her and we love her.

BROOKS: I know it`s got to be extremely difficult there with your family, just not knowing what happened to this beautiful little 5-year-old girl. Now, tell us a little bit about Haleigh. Tell us, what is she like? What does she like to do? She looks like such a sweet young girl.

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS: She is. She likes to play with other children. She likes make-up. She likes to dress up. She likes to play on computers and her grandma`s phone.

BROOKS: Now, what was her favorite color? Does she have any favorite toys that are there at the house still?

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS: Her favorite color is purple and pink. She does have a camera that she got for Christmas. That`s probably her favorite toy. I don`t know.

BROOKS: What a gorgeous smile this little girl has, what a gorgeous smile.

I want to go out to the lines right now. Wanda from Tennessee, thanks for joining us.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Thank you, Mike, for taking my call. You`re so -- just such a competent person. I just enjoy you. I`m just really hurt about this. I`ve got family members, you know, and children in, you know, my family. My question is, if a civilian or someone did find something, how far away was it from the house? Are they expecting to -- Equusearch to come and go into the water again? Or could you give me some more information, please?

BROOKS: I can tell you the search for this little girl is not over and they have not exhausted everything. I want to go out to Joy Purdy, reporter for CNN affiliate WTLV. Can you answer that question?

PURDY: Sure, Mike. That search we know has gone about a mile away from the home. But investigators are not saying where any items were found, where any evidence was found. They`re not saying how it was discovered. We don`t know if it was something that was seen stuck in a tree or if it was something that somebody tripped over or if it was something that was just a little off. We just don`t know. They will not tell us.

But we do know that tomorrow, when Equusearch starts the search again in the morning, they`re going to expand it even father than that mile away from the house. So it keeps growing and growing as they trace and retrace their steps.

BROOKS: You know, and that`s normal. If they find some of these items of interest, if they find something there -- and I can tell you, having been on searches like this myself for evidence -- after finding something there, they will take it and expand it out even more. So I`m -- I`m -- it sounds like they found something significant. Whether it was a tire tread, whether it was a piece of clothing, we don`t know. But it sounds like it`s something very significant.

I want to go back out to Crystal Cummings, Haleigh`s paternal aunt and Ronald`s sister. You had mentioned to one of our NANCY GRACE staff that you wanted to speak for Misty, Ronald`s 17-year-old girlfriend.

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS: Yes, I do.

BROOKS: What would you like to say?

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS: I would like to say that Misty is very responsible, and even though she`s 17, that`s not that young. I know plenty of people that would leave their children with a 17-year-old. And she loves them children, and they love her just as much.

BROOKS: Now, how long...

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS: Misty wouldn`t do anything -- I`m sorry. I know she wouldn`t do anything to hurt them.

BROOKS: Yes. Now, how long have Ronald and Misty been together?

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS: They`ve been together for a while. I`m not sure exactly how long, but it`s been a while.

BROOKS: But it has been quite some time, you say?

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS: Yes.

BROOKS: Now, do you know if they have any neighbors or if they had any enemies at all?

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS: Not that I know of.

BROOKS: Had they had any disputes recently with anyone? Had Ronald had any run-ins with someone, or Misty?

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS: Not that I know of.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Marie Griffis says it`s the kind of anxiety where you can`t eat, you can`t sleep. All you can do is hope.

MARIE GRIFFIS, HALEIGH`S GRANDMOTHER: It`s just emptiness inside.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Feelings expressed by strangers and friends who have left mementos praying for her young granddaughter`s safe return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re now approaching the 80th hour that Haleigh`s been missing. And again, we`re still extremely concerned about her safety and her whereabouts.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Clues. Clues. That`s what we`re looking for. We`re looking for scraps of clothing. We`re looking for little Haleigh, is what we`re looking for, anything that can point to the direction of where that little girl is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We did discover some items of interest. I can`t go into detail as to what those items are.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have actively investigated and pursued over 350 leads that have come in to date. So we are not just going to limit this search to Putnam County. We`ll go wherever it takes us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

911 OPERATOR: What`s her date of birth?

RONALD CUMMINGS: Y`all are (DELETED) playing games, man! I`m going to (DELETED) kill somebody!

911 OPERATOR: OK. Tell him we understand. We need to get her date of birth.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What`s her date of birth?

RONALD CUMMINGS: (DELETED) her birthday! We need to find her! (DELETED) her date of birth!

(END AUDIO CLIP)

BROOKS: I`m Mike Brooks, in for Nancy Grace. The desperate search for beautiful 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings continues in Florida. We just don`t know what happened to this girl.

Back out to Jon Leiberman, correspondent for "America`s Most Wanted. Jon, do we know how many people have been polygraphed so far in this case?

LEIBERMAN: Well, we know that the little girl`s father, and of course, his girlfriend have each been polygraphed. And police are satisfied with those results, Mike. So at this point, while we can`t say they`ve been ruled out completely, they`re satisfied with the results. They`ve both been extremely cooperative. And as you saw, they`re full of emotion, which is what you would expect when a father`s little girl goes missing.

BROOKS: I want to go out to Pat Brown, criminal profiler and author of "Killing for Sport." Pat, there`s so many different scenarios we`re looking at. What are some of the possible scenarios that may have happened here?

PAT BROWN, CRIMINAL PROFILER: Well, Mike, I think the most important thing is the person had a familiarity with that house. This wasn`t somebody just came in off the street, a trucker going by, seeing a little girl out in the yard and grabbing her. This is somebody who obviously knew that the father was not going to be there, would be able to know what the set-up of the house is like, somebody who`d be willing to open the door, prop it open, somehow get in the house, turn a light on.

This is somebody who would have to be extremely familiar with the house, or it has to be somebody from within the house. So at least the advantage is the police will have a small group of suspects to work with, either somebody was has had -- in the house, somebody who -- a relative, somebody who has had contact, somebody who worked in the house, somebody who was a neighbor. It has to be something -- a very small circle of people that they`re looking at.

BROOKS: Back out to Joy Purdy, reporter for CNN affiliate WTLV. Joy, have they cleared all of the 44 registered sex offenders that live within the 5-mile radius?

PURDY: Cleared? Yes and no. The Putnam County sheriff`s office says cleared, yes, in the sense that they have contacted all 44 in that 5-mile radius and their homes have been checked. However, they say over and over again, quote, unquote, "Everyone is still a suspect at this point." No one is cleared.

BROOKS: I want to go back out to Crystal Cummings. She`s Haleigh`s paternal aunt, Ronald`s sister. Last question for you. If right now, you could say something to Haleigh, what would you say to Haleigh?

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS: I would like to say that your daddy, Misty, your grandma, me and your mama, we all love you and we want you home. Everyone out here is looking for you. And if you`re watching, we love you and we will bring you home. We will find you.

BROOKS: Crystal Cummings, thank you so much for joining us. Our hearts, our prayers and thoughts are with you and your family as you go through this tough time, and we want to make sure that Haleigh comes home alive.

Want to go out to the lines. Donna from New York. Thanks for joining us, Donna.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. I want to know about the brick that was used to pry the back door open. Supposedly, the bricks -- there was a pile of them that was located near the woods. If the father didn`t know that the bricks were there, which he said he did not know, who knew those bricks were there? And is it possible somebody came in through the front door? Was that front door locked?

BROOKS: That`s a great question. Jon Leiberman?

LEIBERMAN: That is a great question. First, as to the brick, that is now at the crime lab. They`re checking it for anything they might be able to get off of it because, clearly, it was propping open that side door. Now, of course, another scenario -- to talk to your caller -- is, did this little girl for some reason wander outside, and then she was somehow snatched or something like that?

We should point out also, Mike, the police report will go into it a little bit more, but we have learned that the canines did sniff a trail from where that screen door was -- was propped open out toward the pond and then back again. We`ll get into more of that later. But we don`t believe -- we believe that all of the activity was at this back door, not at any other entryway.

BROOKS: Very interesting. And when we`re talking about this cinderblock -- I want to go out to Dr. Joshua Perper. He`s chief medical examiner, Broward County, and author of "When to Call the Doctor." Dr. Perper, is there a possibility at all that there could be any possible touch DNA on this particular cinderblock that the father has been talking about?

DR. JOSHUA PERPER, CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER, BROWARD COUNTY: Yes, it`s certainly a possibility. But it`s a matter of fact (ph). And if there is a DNA, they will have to determine to whom it belongs -- in other words, to check against the father and the girlfriend and anybody else. But it`s still -- it wouldn`t (ph) identify it with a person because you need a suspect to match it against the DNA present. And so they have what`s called touch DNA. So a few -- just a few, three or four cells, when somebody touches the brick, are sufficient for making -- for doing the test.

BROOKS: Interesting. And should they get some of this DNA, there is a database called CODIS. Now, local, federal and state law enforcement, corrections, probation and parole all feed into this particular database, correct, Doctor?

PERPER: That`s correct. And they are going to do that. If they found, indeed (ph), fingerprint, they would check them against the database, against the national database.

BROOKS: Right. And so, hopefully, if there is any touch DNA on this cinderblock, hopefully, that person has been in the system at one time or another, in the local, state or federal law enforcement, corrections and probation and parole system.

Also tonight, to tonight`s "Case Alert." A full-scale investigation under way in a deadly plane crash near Buffalo, New York. Continental connecting flight 3407 plunges into a home after 10:00 PM last Thursday evening while on approach to Buffalo-Niagara Airport, 50 souls killed, including 4 crew members and one person on the ground. The National Transportation Safety Board says the crew noticed significant ice build-up on the leading edge of the wings and the windshield before the crash. Flight 3407 originated in Newark, New Jersey. Among the victims, a 9/11 widow, an off-duty pilot and New York state trooper.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We will begin a lengthy process, that will take weeks, of DNA matching. And so part of what we`ll need is to obtain DNA from family members and any DNA that may exist from the victims from the past, and we`ll have to match up the DNA.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKS: They`ve put up a special family assistance number for relatives at 1-800-621-3263.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are conflicting accounts in the case of that 5-year-old girl who vanished from her bed 70 miles north of Orlando. Well, Ronald Cummings`s girlfriend is disputing initial reports she was sleeping next to the young girl.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were y`all in the same bed?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. She was in her bed in front of the TV, and me and Junior were in my bed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKS: I`m Mike Brooks, in for Nancy Grace, and we`re taking your calls live. I just want to remind our viewers, if you have a question of me or one of our expert panel, remember that number is 1-877-NANCY-01. But if any of our viewers know anything at all about this case of the beautiful missing girl, Miss Cummings, I want you to call the Putnam County sheriff`s tip line at 1-386-329-0808.

And with that, let`s go out to the lines. Lynn from Nebraska, you have a question?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Hi, Mike. I love your show. And I come from Washington, D.C., myself.

BROOKS: You have a question?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. I`d like to know, does the 17-year-old go to school or have a job? And what kind of work does the father do?

BROOKS: Joy Purdy, reporter with CNN affiliate WTLV, do you know if she`s...

PURDY: Well, we don`t know a whole -- we don`t know a whole lot about the girlfriend. She`s been kept out of our reach, family-wise. The husband we do know works for a company that makes big parts for bridges, is what we understand.

BROOKS: Got you. And on the police report, apparently, it says she`s unemployed, so she must be -- she must watch the children full-time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Come home to us. I know you are watching over her and protecting her and keeping her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For the second time in just as many days, friends and family say a prayer and light a candle for little Haleigh`s safe return.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All things work unto you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Family members and loved ones have been sitting under a tent yards away from the home for much of the day as they lean on each other for support.

CRYSTAL SHEFFIELD, MOM OF MISSING 5-YR-OLD HALEIGH CUMMINGS: I don`t know where she is or who has her. I just want her home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Haleigh`s grandmother insists the 5-year-old would never willingly go with a stranger but she still has faith the little girl is alive.

MARIE GRIFFIS, GRANDMOTHER OF 5-YR-OLD HALEIGH CUMMINGS: Haleigh is living and breathing. I don`t feel that there`s anything that has happened to her bad.

RONALD CUMMINGS, FATHER OF MISSING 5-YR-OLD HALEIGH CUMMINGS: Somebody stole my child out of my bed. I come home from work and my child was not there.

911 DISPATCHER: Tell him we got them coming. He needs to try to calm down a little bit, OK? The officers are going to come out there and do what they can. We can`t have him screaming and yelling at the officers whenever they get there, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give me (EXPLETIVE DELETED) phone. I got better people to talk to than a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) mother that ain`t coming.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE BROOKS, GUEST HOST: I`m Mike Brooks in for Nancy Grace.

We`re hearing those 911 calls, those frantic 911 calls, and I`d say if someone had taken my little girl I would be hollering and screaming and cursing, too.

I want to go right out to the attorneys. Paul Batista, defense attorney and author of "Death`s Witness," and also joining us at Atlanta, Randy Kessler, defense attorney.

First to you, Paul, this girl is 17-year-olds old, the girlfriend. Now, for a police to question her, she is technically a juvenile. Is there something special they have to do or if she -- since she`s so close to the case and -- circumstances, they don`t have to?

PAUL BATISTA, DEFENSE ATTORNEY, AUTHOR OF "DEATH`S WITNESS": There`s nothing really special way they have to do, Mike. So long does she has -- there`s no age cutoff, there`s no threshold. So long as she has the maturity to focus on the questions, the ability to answer them, no impediment to the police asking her questions.

Like anyone else, she can decline to answer questions from law enforcement. But apparently he or she`s spoken to police and is prepared to continue to cooperate.

BROOKS: Now, now, Paul, all 44 of the sex offenders within a five-mile radius have apparently been interviewed and for the most part -- we heard from Joy Purdy for the most part have been cooperative and have been cleared. Now, as a condition of their release, once they`re released from jail, is there something that if law enforcement comes to your door and knocks on your door to check on you, you have to cooperate?

BATISTA: There is. You know, the registered sex offender statutes in most states, and most states have them, Mike, make it a mandatory condition usually for life that when a registered sex offender is approached by law enforcement with questions, that person has to answer those questions unlike an ordinary citizen.

It`s one of the disabilities that really persists through life for people who fall into the category of registered sex offenders.

BROOKS: Now someone comes -- if an FBI agent or someone comes to their door, knocks in their door, and says, hey, we want to come in, do they have to give consent?

BATISTA: Again, Mike, it`s the terms of the statutes in most states make it mandatory on the registered sex offender that that person allow the FBI or other law enforcement into the home and respond to the questions. And there will be consequences for them should they refuse to cooperate and respond.

BROOKS: Yes. Well, I`m -- again, we`re also hearing that some of these sex offenders were coming forward saying, hey, I had nothing to do with this. Clear my name right now. I`ll do whatever you want.

BATISTA: It`s the race to the confessional, Mike. And one really can`t blame them.

BROOKS: No, no, especially in a case like this, you know, no, absolutely not.

I want to go to Randy Kessler. Randy, we hear that the FBI and other law enforcement involved in this are interviewing and now re-interviewing some of the relatives and other people close to this case. Is that uncommon?

RANDY KESSLER, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: No. They need to interview and interview and interview until they get to the bottom line. You know, there`s no reason they should stop until they see everything, everywhere, everyone. I mean, and everybody should be documenting what`s said.

I`m glad that the police are being tight lipped so that when a witness does make a statement, it`s not because they heard it on our show or they heard it somewhere else. It`s got to be independent and it`s got to be original. And so they need to ask all the questions and then they can piece it together and see what makes sense and what doesn`t make sense.

BROOKS: Absolutely. You know, I think they`re doing a great job. OK, we found some items of interest. We`re not going to tell you because once you get a suspect, a possible suspect, you bring them in, you start interviewing them and they`re only going to know certain things if they -- if they were actually involved in that case.

Right now, I want to go out to a very special guest at the command center there in Satsuma, Florida. Marie Griffis, she`s Haleigh`s maternal grandmother, She`s Crystal -- the mother`s mother.

Thanks for being with us, Marie.

GRIFFIS: You`re welcome.

BROOKS: Now, your daughter, was she interviewed or re-interviewed today by the FBI?

GRIFFIS: Yes, she -- the FBI -- they had her around somewhere here in the command center for a few hours this morning.

BROOKS: Can you tell us anything at all about the meeting? What she was asked?

GRIFFIS: No, I can`t. She hasn`t told me anything about it. She said she just -- she had looked at some pictures and I suppose it was some pictures that we had given access to the media from her MySpace page of Haleigh so that they would have new, fresh pictures, you know, to show of Haleigh but as far as that -- that`s really all I got from her.

BROOKS: Now was Crystal -- has she been polygraphed by the FBI or anyone else as of right now?

GRIFFIS: No. She hasn`t been polygraphed and any one of in our immediate family has not been polygraphed. We have been asked to be polygraphed and we all agreed. The only thing we have done is given them a written statement from the day before up until Tuesday morning.

BROOKS: Yes.

GRIFFIS: . as to what we all done that day.

BROOKS: Yes. Did they say when they were going to ask you to take a polygraph?

GRIFFIS: Today is Friday.

BROOKS: Right.

GRIFFIS: This was yesterday morning. I do believe that they asked us to take that test and we`ve done our paperwork but we haven`t yet received the polygraph.

BROOKS: Right. Now have you ever been inside of the house where Ronald and Misty were living?

GRIFFIS: No, I haven`t. No, I haven`t.

BROOKS: Do you know if anyone has access to that house or anyone else besides Misty and Ronald have a key to that house? Anything at all like that?

GRIFFIS: I have no -- I have no idea if anyone has a key or if Misty or Ronald has given anyone a key.

BROOKS: Now your daughter apparently was taken to a doctor today. How is she doing and what happened?

GRIFFIS: She`s doing good. She just got a little dehydrated and it was -- it was really, really hot and, you know, she hasn`t eat a lot and she hasn`t drank a lot and, you know, she is like, mama, I can`t eat because I don`t know if my baby`s eaten. I don`t know if.

BROOKS: Yes.

GRIFFIS: . they`re feeding her and you know, we just -- we try to get her -- she eats a little bit because we tell her, you know, you got to keep your strength up for Haleigh and she just -- I think she didn`t have enough fluids in her body but they got her fixed and sent her back and we got Junior tonight for her visitation and we went ahead and sent her to where we`ll be staying tonight and I talked to her and her fiance a while ago and she`s there with Junior by her -- just them two with Junior.

And she really sounded great. She -- she sounded like she was very, very happy even though Haleigh`s not there with her, just having Haleigh`s brother with her, I figured she would draw strength from that.

BROOKS: Yes. No, I -- I think it`s good. Tell her to keep hydrated. You got to eat a little bit of something because, you know, when you`re under so much stress, your body does very, very strange things so tell her to keep hydrated and I`m glad she`s there with junior.

I want to go back out to Jon Leiberman, "America`s Most Wanted" correspondent.

Jon, can you kind of set the stage for us on the whole timeline? How this whole thing started. Just kind of give us a reader`s digest version of that.

JON LEIBERMAN, CORRESPONDENT, AMERICA`S MOST WANTED: Yes, well, I mean you`re talking about around 3:00 in the morning, you know, the timeline is actually very simple in terms of the actual events. It turns out little Haleigh was in her own bed and at some point she apparently -- the girlfriend woke up from her bed sleeping with Junior have -- that`s how he`s been referred to -- and notices that Haleigh isn`t in the bed.

She sees that the side door is open apparently. Within minutes Ronald comes home, Haleigh`s father, and everything goes from there. 911 is called and it`s a pretty tight timeline there on Monday but something that`s interesting, Mike, is we have our hands on the police report now.

BROOKS: Yes.

LEIBERMAN: Which actually talks about the moment police get there, they begin assessing the situation as you know. And in this particular situation, they call the canine unit out. This is extremely, extremely important. The canine unit actually initiates the trail that leads out the back door, gets the little girl`s scent, and out towards a wooded path and then they see a small child, what they believe a footprint in the dirt also.

BROOKS: We`ll talk more about that and we`ll be joined by Patrick Saunders, clinical psychologist, and Marc Klaas, president and founder of KlassKids Foundation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The last time little Haleigh Cummings was with her mom and her mom`s fiance was at this home in Baker County nearly two weeks ago. It is the place where we met the fiance, Chad Griffis. Griffis says he prays the 5-year-old is all right. Just thinking about her brings him to tears.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just bring her home safe please.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All the world`s a suspect. We are going to treat everybody, every family member, every associate, every neighbor like a suspect until we can eliminate them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Putnam County Sheriff`s Office says it, with the FBI, have interviewed everyone thoroughly in the immediate area about the girl`s disappearance including Haleigh`s family.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Investigators tell us Haleigh could have been taken anywhere since she disappeared from her Satsuma home early Tuesday morning. Her dad who came home to find her missing has been questioned and polygraphed and passed.

CUMMINGS: Somebody stole my child. It`s not like a bicycle or a -- somebody stole my child from me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Along with his 17-year-old girlfriend who says she was sleeping in the same room and heard nothing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean I didn`t notice about Haleigh then and saw the back door open and then I go in the room and she is gone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Detectives say they will search, research and then search again any place there might be evidence.

911 DISPATCHER: OK, listen to me. I`m getting this information. I`m not the officer driving out there, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

911 DISPATCHER: They`re coming out there to handle that situation. I need to gather all information from you over the phone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

911 DISPATCHER: It has nothing to do with me driving out there. The officers are taking care of that, OK? They`re coming out there, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. I`m going t stay on the phone with you, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

911 DISPATCHER: Until they get there, OK? Tell him we got them coming. He needs to try to calm down a little bit, OK? The officers are going to come out there and do what they can. We can`t have him screaming and yelling at the officers whenever they get there, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKS: I`m Mike Brooks in for Nancy Grace.

Sybil from Florida, thank you for joining us.

SYBIL, FROM FLORIDA: Yes, I watch your show every night and you know, no one has said anything about the fact that this girl is 17 living with the older man and knowing how teenagers like to party?

BROOKS: Well, you know, Sybil, there are a lot of theories out there right now, but.

SYBIL: Yes. You know, the teenagers like to party, especially when they get a house to themselves. Some other teenagers around there and left that door open, you know.

BROOKS: Yes.

SYBIL: . or did something with this little girl because she woke up and found the party going on but we enjoy your show and watch it every night.

BROOKS: Well, thank you, Sybil, and thanks again for calling in. You know, we heard from Crystal Cummings who said that Misty was a very responsible 17-year-old girl so there`s a lot of theories out there but we don`t want -- rush to judgment on Sybil, the father -- I mean on Misty, the father or anyone else. So, as the facts evolve, I`m we`ll hear more.

Right now I want to bring in Marc Klaas, president and founder of KlaasKids Foundation. He, too, has been a crime victim. As you know, you recall, Marc`s daughter Polly was kidnapped from a slumber party and murdered back in 1993.

Marc, thank you for being with us.

MARC KLAAS, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, KLAASKIDS FOUNDATION: Sure.

BROOKS: What do you make of the 17-year-old babysitter/friend -- girlfriend story?

KLAAS: Well I -- you know, I have no idea. Here`s what I think about the story.

BROOKS: OK.

KLAAS: If, in fact, what she says is true, that somebody came in and stole that little girl while the three of them were sleeping in a room, and the police report is very clear that at least the two children were in a bed together, that if that happened then we`re dealing with a very desperate and dangerous individual who is committed a very brazen and high risk crime.

One that, had he woken up the other people in the room the choices he would -- or he or they would have had to make at that moment could have -- could have resulted in -- homicide. That`s number one.

Number two, I`d like to speak very quickly to the whole idea of the searchers finding evidence. I can assure that you that Tim Miller briefed his volunteer searchers that if they were to find anything relevant to the case that they would identify it and step back and call in the authorities so that it could be properly and professionally processed. He`s the -- the last thing he wants to do is involve himself in something that`s going to compromise evidence.

And number three, as far as the -- as far as who has keys to the house, have the locks been changed? I think is an important question because Ron just recently moved into that trailer and the possibility certainly exists that past tenants may very well still have keys to the trailer so there are an awful lot of things that have to be taken into consideration as they move forward with this investigation.

BROOKS: No, you -- and you make some great points, Marc, especially the ones with the locks and the evidence. I know Putnam County sheriffs are taking great, great lengths to make sure that there`s no issues when it comes to chain of command, chain of custody of this evidence so I know that for a fact that they`re looking at this.

I want to go back out to Jon Leiberman with "America`s Most Wanted," correspondent.

Jon, we talk about the report. If you noticed in the report -- initially, it says foul play suspected. And it said -- Rose Marie, we got that? There it is right there. Right on the top right corner. Foul play suspected, no. What changed that?

LEIBERMAN: Well, you know, this was obviously an initial report taken right away. That could even be a misprint or things of that sort but I think once police got there and they began investigating, they clearly saw that the little girl was missing and they clearly changed this to thinking an abduction did take place.

BROOKS: Right.

Right now I want to go out to clinical psychologist, Patricia Saunders.

Patricia, thanks for sticking with us. Now, as this goes on, what is the family going through? We just saw Crystal, the mother, has gotten ill. I mean, could all this stress make you actually physically ill?

PATRICIA SAUNDERS, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Absolutely, Mike. This is about the worst thing that can happen to anybody. The -- threatened loss, the loss of their baby that initially people respond to a traumatic event with a certain kind of numbness but terror sets in and this kind of a rollercoaster between rage and fear and not feeling much of anything. The stress on the body is enormous and people will have to take extra good care of themselves or they`ll get seriously ill.

BROOKS: You know we heard the whole thing when Ronald came home and found out that she was missing and the call to 911 and the anger there, then we saw him the next night right there, that next night, on the NANCY GRACE show, and it looks like the stress was really taking a toll on him. I mean he looked, he looked fatigued. I`m sure he hasn`t slept. I`m sure she hasn`t eaten. It`s just an unbelievable case.

I want to go out to the lines. Barbara from New Jersey, do you have a question?

BARBARA, FROM NEW JERSEY: Yes, I actually wanted to ask you what Mr. Klaas had said about locks on the door. I do live in this mobile home. And the next door neighbors were thrown out where I live -- I`m in New Jersey.

BROOKS: Right. Right.

BARBARA: And they did come back to the trailer a month or so after. That`s why I wanted to know about who owned that trailer? Or rented it before them? Because that to me.

BROOKS: OK.

BARBARA: . would have been a very good point of interest.

BROOKS: Yes.

BARBARA: Mr. Klaas -- and I do know for a fact you cannot put a dead bolt which was stated on a screen door.

BROOKS: OK. OK, quickly, 10 seconds, Jon Leiberman, do know if the locks have been changed when they moved in? Quickly.

LEIBERMAN: We don`t, but we do know this is one thing that investigators are looking into, in addition to whether the enemies of this -- of his family, if they owed money to anybody. All of that is being looked at right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROOKS: And now a look at the rest of the stories making headlines this week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE ANTHONY, CAYLEE ANTHONY`S GRANDFATHER: I`m hoping that I am the one that actually taught her "You are My Sunshine." She was my sunshine.

NANCY GRACE, HOST: On the heels of yesterday`s memorial, nearly 2,000 people in attendance, we learned that little Caylee`s remains have been cremated for several days. This after the Anthonys` lawyer denies that. 150 threats. Were they threats on the Anthonys themselves?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, they were life threats.

GRACE: Oh, good lord. At a time like this what nut job would be making threat on a grieving family? This while we learn the tot mom chose not to even ask to watch the memorial behind bars.

911 DISPATCHER: What`s her date of birth?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You all are (EXPLETIVE DELETED) playing games, man, I`m going to (EXPLETIVE DELETED) kill somebody.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. Tell him we understand. We need to get her date of birth.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What`s her date of birth?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) birthday. We need to find her. (EXPLETIVE DELETED) her date of birth.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A frantic search is under way right now for Haleigh Cummings. She was last seen Monday night with her 2-year-old brother in her bedroom.

CUMMINGS: I know what happened, my daughter came up missing out of my house in the middle of the night. Beside that, no, I don`t know.

GRACE: When they called to tell you little Haleigh was missing, Miss Sheffield, did they have a theory about what had happened to her?

SHEFFIELD: They just said that someone come in there and took her. That`s what they told me.

CUMMINGS: Somebody stole my child out of my bed. I come home from my work and my child was not there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKS: Tonight, let`s stop to remember Army Sergeant First-Class, Daniel Sexton, 53, from Wentzville, Missouri, killed in Iraq. A military police officer, he also served in the Persian Gulf War. He loves skiing, snow boarding, playing video games with his teenage sons. He leaves behind widow Tory, sons Shane and Corey.

Daniel Sexton, an American hero.

Thank you to all our guests at home and especially to you. See you tomorrow night, 8:00 sharp Eastern. Until then, stay safe.

END

[Sassycat]

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0902/13/ijvm.01.html

ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL

Grandmother Weighs in on Haleigh`s Disappearance; Search Continues for Girl, 5, in Florida; Search Continues for Haleigh Cummings; Crash of Continental Flight 3407; Octo-Mom Outrage

Aired February 13, 2009 - 19:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST (voice-over): The desperate search continues for missing 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings.

SHERIFF JEFF HARDY, PUTNAM COUNTY, FLORIDA: The world is a suspect. And we really haven`t excluded anybody.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Police expand the search area as shocking questions emerge. What`s the significance of reports that Haleigh wet the bed the night before she vanished? And was she in the same bed as her father`s girlfriend that night? We`ll examine some conflicting reports.

Were there visitors at the home shortly before Haleigh`s disappearance, including an air-conditioner repairman? Haleigh`s father, Ron, and girlfriend, Misty Croslin, both took lie-detector tests. Both say they passed. So why haven`t the results been released?

Plus, George Anthony, Leonard Padilla, Tim Miller. These key players in the Caylee case are joining the search for Haleigh. I`ll examine the eerie similarities between these cases.

And just a few short weeks after the heroic landing of a U.S. Airways flight in the Hudson, 50 die as a commercial jet nose-dives into a home near Buffalo. No mayday call, no sign of distress moments before the crash. What went wrong? A 9/11 widow is among the dead in the first fatal commercial plane crash in the U.S. since 2006. I`ll have the very latest on the tragedy.

And more octo-mom drama. The LAPD investigating death threats reported by Nadya Suleman`s publicist. Meantime, octo-doc reportedly has a patient expecting quadruplets. What`s with this guy? I`ll have all the bizarre details.

ISSUES starts now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Today, stunning new developments in the search for Haleigh Cummings. The adorable little girl, called Doodle Bug by her family, disappeared from her own bed sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning. Now, just hours ago, the Putnam County sheriff made a major announcement about the investigation`s progress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARDY: Yes, ma`am. All the sex offenders have been interviewed, and their residences have been searched.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are they cleared?

HARDY: They`re cleared. They`re cleared as far as us contacting them and speaking to them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Remember, there are more than 40 registered sex offenders who live near little Haleigh`s home in the small town of Satsuma, Florida.

Also, shocking inconsistencies are now coming to light in the accounts of Haleigh`s disappearance from the 17-year-old girlfriend of Misty`s father. Here is one version.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MISTY CROSLIN, GIRLFRIEND OF HAYLEIGH`S FATHER: I put her to bed about 8 o`clock, and I woke up and she was gone. The door was open. That was the last time I seen her, when I put her to bed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were y`all in the same bed?

CROSLIN: No. She was in her bed in front of the TV. And me and Junior was in my bed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Meantime, more frightening echoes of the Caylee Anthony case. Caylee`s grandfather, George Anthony, volunteers from Texas EquuSearch and even bounty hunter Leonard Padilla arrive in Satsuma to help in the desperate search for little Haleigh.

Joining me right now is Haleigh`s maternal grandmother, Maria.

Thank you so much for joining me, Maria. I know this has to be so very difficult for you right now. And we hope this interview helps somehow in finding your precious grandchild.

This is the fourth day of this search. Knowing what you know now, what are your questions about this case? What is troubling you as you process all the information that you`re getting?

MARIA GRIFFIS, HALEIGH`S GRANDMOTHER: Just the fact that there`s so many conflicting stories about where the children were sleeping at that night. Once they`re all three in the bed together. Then once Junior is in a bedroom by himself and Haleigh is in her room. And now both of them was in their bedroom and she was in her room. And it just makes me more suspicious.

And the back door, how did the back door -- it`s secured by the father. On an interview, he said he secured that door, and the deadbolt was up high enough, Haleigh could not reach it and open the door. So it leads me to believe somebody had access with a key from the outside or either someone was in the house or either Misty unlocked the door for someone.

It -- it just makes the stuff come tighter together on the girlfriend, to me.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And, of course, we`re just learning information as it comes in, and there are conflicting accounts. But our understanding from authorities is there were no signs of forced entry.

So the door is closed. She says she went to sleep with the door locked. And when she wakes up, the door is open. Do you know, Marie, who else might have had keys to that home? Sometimes people leave keys with -- with neighbors in case they get locked out. Sometimes they leave keys with friends who want to come over. Do you have any information about other people having keys to that house?

GRIFFIS: No. The only people I would think that -- the father, Ronald, would give a key to would either be his mother, Theresa, or his grandmother, Annette. I don`t see Ronald trusting anybody else with the key.

And as for Misty, I mean, who knows? I don`t know the girl. I`ve only saw the girl. I`ve never spoke with the girl. I know she has family that lives right on this same street. Maybe she could have give some of her family members a key. Maybe she could have give some of her friends some keys. It`s just -- it`s question upon question. Question upon question. And we`d like to have some answers.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, according to Misty, she says her older brother came over with her nephews, and the AC guy. Authorities have told us that the air conditioning guy has been interviewed, the repairman and he`s been cleared of any wrongdoing. And we`re not to suggest in any way that the older brother is any way involved. That`s not my suggestion.

But my suggestion -- my question to you is what about the older brother and the nephews? Have you ever met them?

GRIFFIS: No, I haven`t. I just learned that there was possibly one or two brothers of Misty`s. I haven`t heard of any nephews. This is the first time I`ve heard of them. But if her older brother was over that day, why hasn`t he took a polygraph test? And why hasn`t he been grilled yet as to what he was doing there and how long he was there and if he returned that night?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, we certainly don`t know everything that the authorities are doing. They may very well have conducted a polygraph and interviewed him. They`re keeping very tight-lipped at this point.

Now, Misty appears to have offered up a number of differing accounts, as you mentioned, when it comes to these details about the night Haleigh vanished. There is the matter of the blanket. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CROSLIN: We had a blanket hanging on the window. And I had to wash that. And her blanket was -- she had peed on her blanket the night before, I guess. And I took it and put it on there, but it smelled like pee. So I washed the blanket and gave her little sheets to cover up with. And she fell asleep. And I put a blanket on her and then I laid down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Was -- was Haleigh a bed-wetter?

GRIFFIS: No. She -- at my home, Haleigh hasn`t wet the bed in my home in at least two years.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So you hear Misty saying that the night before Haleigh disappeared, it would appear that she wet the bed, because she was going to put the blanket on and she smelled pee, as she said. And then she cleaned the blanket and put a sheet on the little girl instead and then later put a blanket on her.

So what is your reaction? What -- what thoughts occur to you as you hear that story?

GRIFFIS: That`s not like Haleigh. Haleigh has wet the bed previously when she was a couple of years younger. But when she spends time with me and her mother, her mother would tell me if she was wetting the bed. She hasn`t wet the bed at my house. So why would she wet the bed at their house? Maybe they`d give her too much to drink or maybe she was in a stressful situation and wouldn`t go to the bathroom before she went to sleep.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, the thing that occurs to me is that, when a child wets a bed, you also change the sheets and even clean the mattress underneath. It would appear that the blanket itself on the top is -- is not what would be the wettest.

GRIFFIS: Yes. The whole -- the whole bed and mattress would be wet. I mean, you`d want to flip the mattress over and wash the sheets also underneath it.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let me get back to what you said at the very beginning of this interview about the conflicting reports about where they were all sleeping. And remember, some of those conflicting reports could be inaccuracies in reporting.

What I heard first, and what everybody reported first, was that they were all sleeping in the same bed, and then we heard different stories. The last story that I`ve heard is that she was sleeping with Junior in one bed and little Haleigh was sleeping in another bed next to the TV. That`s from the mouth of Misty.

Does that mean they were in separate rooms, because that would be very significant? Have you ever been inside the house? Do you know whether the bed near the TV is near the main bed that Misty would sleep in?

GRIFFIS: I don`t know anything about the TV. My daughter, Crystal, has been in that house, and she said Haleigh and Junior have beds set up in one room and then there`s a big bed in the room that, I guess, Ronald and Misty would sleep in, and that`s the one that we understand that they were all three in.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But, again, we`re hearing now that that`s not the case...

GRIFFIS: Yes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: ... that Junior and Misty were in one bed and Haleigh was in another. And I think that`s so significant because the whole -- everybody just wondered how could somebody come in and abduct a child while two people are asleep and not wake up either one of them or the child. But if they were in separate rooms, that might be easier.

Marie, I want to thank you so much for joining us. We`re going to do everything in our power to find your little granddaughter. And we`d love you to come back as we continue to focus on this story. We`re going to do everything we can.

GRIFFIS: Yes, ma`am. I thank you for all the coverage y`all are giving us on this so that we can find Haleigh.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s pray we find her. Thank you, ma`am.

All right. A quick reminder. Nancy Grace will have the very latest on the search for Haleigh. She is up after this program at 8 p.m. Eastern. And right here on ISSUES, we will have much more on the disappearance of Haleigh Cummings. Some of the key players from the Caylee case are now joining the search for Haleigh, including George Anthony.

Here he is showing support for the Cummings family. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE ANTHONY, GRANDFATHER OF CAYLEE ANTHONY: This is not about guys. This is not about me. This is about Haleigh Ann Marie Cummings, age 5, that needs to be found and brought home to this beautiful family. They need prayer; they need hope. And they need -- and they need me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does the door look like it was pried open? Does it look like -- does it look like you had someone try to enter into your house?

CROSLIN: Hold on.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And another thing. Make sure you and your husband don`t touch the door anymore. Don`t mess with the door or anything.

CROSLIN: No, it doesn`t.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That was Misty Croslin`s call to 911 at 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

I am joined by my fantastic panel tonight. Don Clark, former FBI special agent in charge; Jennifer Hurtz, the clinical psychologist; Darren Kavinoky, attorney; Michelle Sigona from "America`s Most Wanted"; and joining us by phone, T.J. Hart, news director at WSKY 97.3 in Gainesville, Florida.

T.J., what`s the very latest?

T.J. HART, NEWS DIRECTOR, WSKY: Now, the very latest is that we had some more people going out on the search today. More interviews of relatives and others today. And that is going to include some re- interviews today.

Each of the 44 registered sex offenders who live within the five-mile radius of the Cummings home have either been interviewed or had their whereabouts confirmed.

Getting back to the search, they`re using horseback to get into some tough areas, especially around some marshy areas. There were more than 100 volunteers on the ground and at least 50 law officers out today, as well. And these are veterans of these kinds of searches from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

We also have Tim Miller and his Texas EquuSearch folks, who are also positioned and ready to go in the search endeavors.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Are they doing one of these grids where they keep expanding it and expanding it so that it`s very systematic, where they start at the location where the child vanished and then they just move out in sort of a grid pattern?

HART: They`re going out in a grid pattern at this -- at this point. They did that initially with the five-mile radius search. But now they are closing in with probably about 100 or so people today spaced out a couple hundred feet, and they`re going right into this very thick vegetation and into this marshy area. They seem to be concentrating on that area.

We`ve not heard any results on this. In fact, Sheriff Hardy has been a bit close-lipped on a lot of questions that were posed to him.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: OK. One last question about the search, and we do have a Google map that really absolutely reveals how thick and how wooded this area is. So let`s go to the Google map when we can. There is a huge forest near the home of this child. What about the search in that forest?

HART: Well, like I said, people are only a few feet apart when they`re going through there. They`re going through that real thick vegetation with sticks. And they are -- that was one of the first places they looked. And, of course, that`s one place that, of course, is going to be searched and re-searched as well.

That`s indicative of the area around the St. John`s River in that area, as a matter of fact. You have houses that are kind of spread out. You have a lot of thick vegetation and a lot of heavy forest and some very, very soggy, watery canals in that area, too.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. And we`re looking at video of people just hitting the grounds with sticks and, apparently, they were also using machetes. This has to be an extremely grueling search.

I want to go to our panel now and talk a little bit about the evidence that`s coming in. Darren Kavinoky, particularly the conflicting reports. We heard that all three, Misty, Haleigh, and the 3-year-old, Junior, were in the same bed. Now we`re hearing that Misty and Junior were in one bed and Haleigh was in another bed, possibly in another room. What do you make of these inconsistencies?

DARREN KAVINOKY, ATTORNEY: Well, those kinds of conflicting reports can be very, very telling. And that`s something that law enforcement often focuses on as they narrow their search for the perpetrator.

And of course, in any case involving a missing child, the parents or whoever the child is in the custody of are often under that first focus. So those conflicting reports can be very, very meaningful, because it will only heighten the scrutiny that will fall upon those folks.

Of course, now we`ve got conflicting reports. We`ve got possibly lies about the lie detector. There are all sorts of issues. And in the absence of any further evidence, it seems like anybody`s best guess is like saying Colonel Mustard in the kitchen with the night stick. I mean, it`s -- it`s just terrible.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Well, Don Clark, let me ask you about this whole polygraph. Both Misty and Ron say they`ve taken polygraphs and they`ve passed. The authorities are not saying anything. When authorities administer polygraphs, do they tell the people who have taken the polygraph, hey, you passed, you didn`t pass?

DON CLARK, FORMER FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: Not really. That`s a process that they`re going to keep to themselves. They may make some conversation with it, but it`s not going to be sitting up there and saying, "OK, you passed, you`re free to go." Unless, of course, at some point later now -- because the polygrapher who takes the test, Jane, that person doesn`t give out any information. It has to be the investigators, because they have to assess that with all of the other things that`s going on.

And with the inconsistencies, Jane, that`s gone on that we hear about in this case -- I mean, I heard the grandmother just a few minutes ago, and she`s right on the money, is that how can you rule anybody out, from the 44 sex offenders that`s out there to neighbors that`s close by to the people that`s living in the house. Nobody can be ruled out yet, because there are just too many inconsistencies. I can`t imagine someone saying, "Yes, I`m clear of the polygraph."

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, in fact, Michelle Sigona, the authorities said everybody is a suspect. Now, would they announce, we have -- they start of did announce that they have tentatively eliminated the 40-plus sex offenders who live in the area. But will they come out and say, "OK, now we`ve eliminated this person and now we`ve eliminated that person," so that the media can sort of keep track of the direction in which this investigation is going?

MICHELLE SIGONA, "AMERICA`S MOST WANTED": Well, here`s what I can tell you. I just got off the phone again with the lead investigator on this case, Jane. And what he tells me is that, look, the 44 sex offenders, we have gone around, we have searched their homes. We have talked to them. We have verified their whereabouts from the time that Haleigh was allegedly, you know, went to sleep, up until the time she allegedly went missing, up until that point.

So that`s where they are as far as the sex offenders.

As far as the neighbors and the friends and the family go, right now as we speak, they are pulling in more family members and more friends and interviewing them and going over timelines and going over more information about this case.

So as far as coming out and saying, "We`re going to rule this person out, we`re going to rule this person out," I don`t think that`s going to come as of right now. I think what they`re focusing on at this point are the ground searches that will continue over the weekend along with keeping that house roped off.

There is no one allowed back inside of the home where Haleigh went missing from. That is so -- in case they need to go back in as they pull information from these people to pull out more evidence to send to the lab in Jacksonville with a lot of the evidence is right now. They`re waiting for a lot of the forensic tests to come back.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Well, stay right there. We are just getting started.

And Nancy Grace will have the very latest on this case coming up at 8 p.m. immediately following this program. It`s absolutely astounding. ISSUES, we will have much more on the disappearance of Haleigh Cummings.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CROSLIN: I put her to bed about 8 p.m., and I woke up and she was gone. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONALD CUMMINGS, FATHER OF HALEIGH: Bring her back anonymous, give her to someone else to bring back. However she gets back, we want her back safe. If you`ve done something with her, tell us where she`s at, if she`s OK. Something. We just -- I want my daughter back. That`s it. That`s all I want. I want my daughter back. I`m not out for revenge.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That was Haleigh`s dad, Ronald Cummings, making a plea to the public for whoever has Haleigh to just return her.

Michelle Sigona, have you ever seen a plea like that work?

SIGONA: Well, here`s the thing. Yes, of course. Whenever -- I mean, I`ve covered just hundreds of missing children cases throughout my career. And a lot of times in the cases, the parents will come out. They will make pleas.

I mean, if you listen to that 911 call, which we will also have up on AMW.com, you can really hear the sincerity in his voice and how he just wants to have someone there to help find his daughter. And this is very common with parents, I mean, especially when their child comes up missing and/or abducted in this particular case.

And so getting the word out there and doing whatever he can, and that is what the dad is doing. And investigators say at this point the dad is not a suspect. The girlfriend is not a suspect. But that they`re...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What about ex-boyfriends of Misty? Are they checking into that? I mean, they have been going out approximately six months, Ron and Misty. So what about other people in their sphere?

SIGONA: Well, at this point, what investigators are saying, they`re not really going into a lot of detail as to every single person that they`re targeting. But, of course, as you know, Jane, I mean, you`ve covered hundreds of these cases, as well. They will go as far -- you know, as far back as six months to a year. They`ll start bringing people in from everyone`s past. You know, as the -- the immediate attention kind of makes its way out. Sort of like the search.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Haleigh and Caylee are joined now by more than just the similarities in their stories and their names. Now their families are starting to come together. Caylee`s grandfather, George, came to Satsuma to offer his support to Haleigh`s dad. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY: They need to eat. They need to sleep. They need the community support. They do not need to be judged. They do not need to be scrutinized. They need your help. The community needs to come together to help this family to bring this beautiful little girl home. I understand it. Some of you might not, but I understand it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: George speaks from experience, Darren Kavinoky. I mean, this is a man who, as we both discussed, has become so despondent in the past about the tragedies in his own life that he reportedly attempted suicide less than a month ago. Now he`s out helping others. Good idea for him, good idea for the case?

KAVINOKY: I think it`s fantastic. He understands what`s going on in a way that few other people do. And while he may receive criticism from some who would suggest, look, he just got over his own problems, as you mentioned, this -- this suicide attempt. He was in a mental institution, in a lock-down facility. He should just stay home and get better.

The real truth of the matter is that he can help, and by helping this other family, he`s really helping himself. He`s got something unique to give, unique experience to share. He`s going to help this other family, and this will be extremely therapeutic for him.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Don Clark, Leonard Padilla is offering a $25,000 reward, but my understanding is there`s a time deadline of Saturday on it. Good idea?

CLARK: Well, often there`s an award. That`s fine, if somebody takes it. Jane, you and I know that frequently those things don`t come to fruition that takes place. What has to take place, though, is that, look, law enforcement is going to come together and continually to revisit these issues. And I think that`s what`s going to develop the evidence out there.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right.

CLARK: Once they do that, then forget about the award.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thanks so much. Don, Jennifer, Darren, Michelle, thanks for the insights.

[Sassycat]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,492185,00.html

ON THE RECORD - GRETA VAN SUSTEREN,   FEBRUARY 12, 2009

Missing Haleigh's Dad and His Girlfriend Address Polygraph Test Questions 'On the Record'
Friday, February 13, 2009

This is a rush transcript from "On the Record ," February 12, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Now we take you live to Florida, where the intense search for Haleigh Cummings continues. Haleigh's father Ronald and his girlfriend Misty are both here.

Here's what we know: At 3:00 a.m. Monday morning, Misty says she found Haleigh missing from the bed they were sharing. At about 3:25 Ronald returns home from work.

Two few minutes later, at 3:27 a.m., Misty calls 911 and reports Haleigh missing. Since then, nothing. The toddler is gone.

Ronald Cummings, Haleigh's father, joins us live, along with his girlfriend Misty Croslin. Welcome to both of you, and, Ronald, is there any update in the last 24 hours in the search for your daughter?

RONALD CUMMINGS, HALEIGH'S FATHER: No.

VAN SUSTEREN: Have there been any sightings and tips coming in, Ronald, anything at all like that?

CUMMINGS: Plenty of tips. Most of them are bogus. The law enforcement agencies are doing everything they can. I think they got approximately 50 horses coming in. They will start doing a ground search with horses and dogs.

They are doing everything they can. Federal agents, numerous different county sheriffs are out here. They're really trying to help us.

VAN SUSTEREN: Misty, what is Haleigh like?

MISTY CROSLIN, AT HOME WHEN HALEIGH DISAPPEARED: She is a real big girl. She is fun to be around. She is always happy. She's real smart, intelligent.

VAN SUSTEREN: Misty, is she the type that would walk off with a stranger?

CROSLIN: No.

VAN SUSTEREN: Ronald, is she the type that would wander off with a stranger at all, or is she a shy child?

CUMMINGS: Absolutely not. She is definitely shy. She would never walk off with a stranger for no reason. Besides, it was dark, and she is afraid of the dark.

VAN SUSTEREN: Misty, the other night, Monday night, you saw her about 10:00, Is that correct?

CROSLIN: What was that?

VAN SUSTEREN: You last saw Haleigh at about 10:00 Monday night when she was in bed? Is that right, Misty?

CROSLIN: Yes, ma'am.

VAN SUSTEREN: Was anything going on with her? Did she fall asleep easily? Was she at all anxious, getting up and leaving the bed?

CROSLIN: No. She had school, so I put her to bed about 8:00 because that is her bedtime so she can get up and go to school, so she's not tired.

VAN SUSTEREN: Were you in the same bed with Haleigh, Misty?

CROSLIN: No.

VAN SUSTEREN: Were you in the same room?

CROSLIN: Yes.

VAN SUSTEREN: So, tell me what happened. Tell me, did you hear anything between the time you saw her it 10:00 and the time that you woke up and notice she was missing? Did you hear any noises?

CROSLIN: No, ma'am. I did not hear anything.

VAN SUSTEREN: Have you been drinking or anything so you would be in a heavy, deep sleep all that night?

CROSLIN: No.

VAN SUSTEREN: So, tell me what happened. You got up to use the bathroom, is that right?

CROSLIN: Yes. I got up to use the bathroom. I did not make it to the bathroom. I walked into the living room and noticed the kitchen light was on. And I saw the back door open. And when I saw the back door open, I ran back into the bedroom, and that's when I noticed she was gone.

VAN SUSTEREN: And so, Ronald, you came home about 3:25 a.m. from work?

CUMMINGS: Yes.

VAN SUSTEREN: Did you come in the front door or the back door of that double wide, Ronald?

CUMMINGS: I came in the front door. I pulled into the driveway. She was standing at the front door, and I wanted to know what she was doing up, first, at that time of night. Usually, she is in bed asleep.

And she told me that she just got up to use the bathroom, and that she saw that Haleigh was not in her bed. She went to find her, and the back door was wide open, and she was nowhere to be found. She was gone.

VAN SUSTEREN: Misty, had you been the one to block that back door?

CROSLIN: No, I did not lock the back door because the back door is always locked. We really do not use the back door.

CUMMINGS: Absolutely.

VAN SUSTEREN: What kind of lock is on that back door? Is it a deadbolt? Do you need a key, or is there a know on the inside? How do you work that back door lock?

CUMMINGS: There is a lock on the knob on the inside, and it has a deadbolt also. The deadbolt is very hard to get unlocked once you get it locked. You have to push in hard on the door, and a child would never get that unlocked.

VAN SUSTEREN: Misty--go ahead. I'm sorry, Ronald.

CUMMINGS: I do keep it locked. I do check it every afternoon before I leave for work. It is always locked, always.

VAN SUSTEREN: Misty, do you ever use that doo yourself, go in and out that door?

CROSLIN: I mean, once in awhile I will take the garbage out through the back door, or leave through the back door and take a vacuum and vacuum the car out. But that is the only time we use the back door.

VAN SUSTEREN: Misty, did anyone come over to the house that evening while Ronald was at work? Any friends come over?

CROSLIN: No. My older brother had come over with my nephews, and the AC guy.

VAN SUSTEREN: What time did they leave?

CROSLIN: They got there about 5:00. And they stayed for about 30 minutes until about 5:30, 5:45.

VAN SUSTEREN: Ronald, I understand that there does not appear to be any forced entry into the home in that back door. So how do you think it got open?

CUMMINGS: I honestly don't have any clue. I don't have any clue. Somebody, maybe a locksmith, picklock artist, I do not know. But it was definitely locked, and somebody came in through it. So I cannot explain it.

VAN SUSTEREN: Misty, let me ask you this same question. Misty, how do you think that door got open?

CROSLIN: Someone had either picked the lock, they would have had to pick the lock. That is the only way that anybody could have gotten in our back door is if they picked the lock.

VAN SUSTEREN: In terms of where you were sleeping, Misty, and Haleigh was sleeping, who was closer to the back door?

CROSLIN: Haleigh would have probably been closer to the back door. She was on the side of the wall closest to the kitchen.

VAN SUSTEREN: How far was Haleigh physically sleeping from you?

CUMMINGS: Probably not three or four inches away. She was in front of the TV, not that far away at all.

VAN SUSTEREN: Did you say three or four inches away?

CROSLIN: I mean, I am not sure. It was not that far away.

VAN SUSTEREN: Can you hold up your hands and show how far away she was sleeping?

CROSLIN: Probably from both of these chairs put together from my bed.

VAN SUSTEREN: About as far as Ronald is from you?

CROSLIN: Yes.

CUMMINGS: No.

CROSLIN: No?

CUMMINGS: I know where the beds were at. They are about four feet apart from the edge of the bed she was in to the edge of the bed Haleigh was in.

CROSLIN: I was not measuring or anything like that, so--

VAN SUSTEREN: I know you both took a polygraph today. Did they say you were deceptive or not on the polygraph. Did they tell you how your results were? How were yours, Ronald?

CUMMINGS: Absolutely, they did. And it was not today that we took a polygraph. We took the polygraph yesterday. And, yes, we both did pass.

VAN SUSTEREN: Misty, what did they say about your results?

CROSLIN: You mean that I passed?

VAN SUSTEREN: Did they use the word "pass," or did they say there was no sign of deception?

CUMMINGS: They told me that I passed.

CROSLIN: They really did not say much to me.

VAN SUSTEREN: Well, we are hopeful that putting the spotlight on this, people will call in tips if they know anything at all about this child, because I know that you both want her back very badly.

Ronald, Misty, thank you, and let's hope we get some good news soon. Thank you both very much.

CUMMINGS: Thank you.

CROSLIN: Thank you.

VAN SUSTEREN: We have more information about little Haleigh. George Anthony, the grandfather of murdered Caylee Anthony, has something to say about this new child's disappearance. Why is George Anthony speaking out? You're going to hear that next.

Plus, "The Best of the Rest." Britney Spears is back in the headlines. The headlines involve an angry ex-boyfriend, a car, and an alleged hit and run.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAN SUSTEREN: At this hour there remains grave concern about five-year-old Haleigh Cummings. George Anthony, the grandfather of murdered toddler Caylee Anthony, has some advice for the family of the missing girl.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE ANTHONY: They need to be in support of each other. They need to be there no matter what. They need to reach out.

And things get tough. There are tough days and hours and minutes. To know that they can reach out to me, to Josh, to my wife Cindy, to my son, other families that understand.

This is not about me. This is about Haleigh Anne Marie Cummings, age five, that needs to be found and brought home to this beautiful family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAN SUSTEREN: Joining us live is WOFL reporter Cheryl Getuiza. Cheryl, thank you for joining us.

And Cheryl, I want to just first get this lie-detector, polygraph thing settled. Do you know who has taken a polygraph and whether or not anyone has been found to be deceptive or not, with the understanding that they're not perfect tests?

CHERYL GETUIZA, REPORTER, WOFL: Greta, investigators told us so far two people have taken the lie-detector test, and that is the girl's father, Ronald Cummings, and his girlfriend, Misty Croslin. As to the results of the test, they would not let us know, Greta.

VAN SUSTEREN: What is the working theory of the police? Is it that someone invaded that home? Is there any sign that there is any forced entry, or not?

GETUIZA: Greta, they are now calling this an "abduction." They are going by what Misty Croslin told them, is that she got to go pee, and when she went back into the bedroom to see the kids, Haleigh was missing and the back door was open. And it was propped open by a cinderblock. So they're testing that cinderblock right now. They also took a whole bunch of other evidence. As to what evidence they took, they won't tell us. They told us, though, it is now being analyzed at a lab.

VAN SUSTEREN: I understand there are a number of registered sex offenders in the area they are looking at.

GETUIZA: Greta, 44 registered sex offenders within a five mile radius in this family's neighborhood. They said they have talked to a majority of those sex offenders. So far, none of them are suspects.

And, really, right now they have no suspect information. They're just trying to gather some information from the family. They interviewed them day in and day out, and still nothing.

VAN SUSTEREN: What is that community like? Do the people tend to know each other in the immediate area of their home?

GETUIZA: Greta, this is a very small community. It is very tight knit.

They have been having vigils every night since Haleigh disappeared. This is the third night in a row. These are neighbors and strangers coming together to help this young family.

It is an older retirement community, but Haleigh's father and his girlfriend with the two kids have lived in the home for some time.

VAN SUSTEREN: And in terms of neighbors, has anybody seen anybody stalking or doing anything peculiar? Has the child been out in the yard in the weeks past and anyone has been hanging out? Anything weird like that?

GETUIZA: Nothing to note, Greta, but the investigators have gone door to door to every single home in this mobile park, talking to every single person who is staying in those homes.

And no one has any information. Nothing suspicious has come onto the radar for investigators. But, again, they will continue talking to these neighbors to see if anything has come up.

VAN SUSTEREN: We only have 20 seconds left. There's a body of water close by, right--a pond or something?

GETUIZA: Yes, it is the St. Johns River.

Near the family's home, there is one mobile home next to them. And on the other side of the family's home is a very extensive wooded area. And just past that, 500 yards, is the St. Johns River. For the past three days, divers have gone into that river and done grid searches, and so far, they have found nothing, Greta.

VAN SUSTEREN: How about relatives of Misty who were over there that afternoon? Have they looked at them?

GETUIZA: Relatives--Misty's parents have not come out and said anything. Ronald's parents were here this afternoon, and they are here supporting Ronald and Misty.

But we did hear from Misty, and you talked to her earlier.

VAN SUSTEREN: I am sorry. I have got to go, Cheryl. Thank you.

[Sassycat]

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0902/16/ijvm.01.html

ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL

Search Continues for Haleigh Cummings; Does New Evidence Spell Trouble for Amanda Knox?

Aired February 16, 2009 - 19:00:00   ET


(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST (voice-over): Tonight, stunning new twists in the frantic search for little Haleigh Cummings. It`s day seven since the 5-year-old disappeared from her Florida home. Today, 60 cop cars descend on a grassy area ten miles away.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is not "CSI." We can`t wrap this up in an hour. We wish we could.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What exactly brought them there? Could it be a break in the case?

And a child molester from a nearby county is reported missing. Could there be a connection to little Haleigh?

Plus, more fall-out from Octomom, Nadya Suleman. As the unemployed single mom pleads for donations, reports flood in about her spending on manicures and video games. Now Octograndma tells the media how her eight new grandchildren are melting her heart and her wallet.

And I`ll examine the strange Angelina Jolie connection. Now even Brad Pitt is weighing in.

Then new testimony in the case against the suspected co-ed killer known as Foxy Knoxy. A housemate claims Knox had scratches on her neck hours Meredith Kercher`s body was found dead after what prosecutors are calling a drug-fueled sex game. I`ll have the latest on Italy`s sensational trial of the century.

ISSUES starts now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: A flurry of brand-new developments tonight in the desperate search for missing Florida girl Haleigh Cummings. The sheriff`s department expressing the frustration everyone is feeling. Quote, "This is not `CSI.` We can`t wrap this up in an hour."

But authorities today were wrapping up their ground search after almost a week of systematic grid searches for the 5-year-old known to her family as Doodlebug. The sheriff`s department says it has turned up, quote, "nothing of significance."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF JEFF HARDY, PUTNAM COUNTY, FLORIDA: I explained it to them with my staff. We`ve not abandoned this search. And as you`re aware, we had a contingency of officers out there again searching the location today that we received a tip on.

The fact is, is that we will be recovering some areas that we`ve already covered. And, you know, the family knows that we had to move logistically. We had to move our operations to a facility that better suited our needs to find Haleigh.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Officers will now focus their time on a tactical search, meaning they will follow up on more than 500 leads that have poured in this past week.

Meantime, we are learning that a local sex offender is also missing. Twenty-five-year-old Chad Eugene Reynolds went missing about a week before Haleigh vanished. There is no evidence that Reynolds is involved in little Haleigh`s disappearance, but authorities do want to talk to him.

Also tonight, inconsistent stories about the night of Haleigh`s disappearance are under close scrutiny. What exactly happened that evening? And where was little Haleigh actually sleeping?

Do you have a thought or question? Call me at 1-877-JVM-SAYS. That`s 1-877-586-7297.

But first, I want to turn to a very important guest, Crystal Sheffield, the mother of missing Haleigh Cummings.

Crystal, thank you so much for joining us. I cannot imagine what you are going through right now. And we hope by focusing on your daughter`s case we had somehow help out, help find her and get her home safely. That`s our hope.

As we approach the week anniversary of your daughter`s disappearance, what concerns you most about what you`ve heard? What are your most nagging questions about everything that you`ve been told?

Can you hear me?

CRYSTAL SHEFFIELD, MOTHER OF HALEIGH CUMMINGS: I`ve just been -- yes. I`ve been told so many things. I just -- I don`t know what to think. My mind`s just blank. I don`t know what could have happened.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I can understand that. And you`re holding up, and you`re maintaining your strength, and I think we all applaud you for -- for having the gumption to -- to do these interviews and to stay out there. I know it`s got to be -- it`s unimaginable what you`re going through.

You know, your family and Haleigh`s father held separate vigils this past week. But both families put aside their differences Saturday night, and you held one vigil for young Haleigh together. I understand another prayer service is scheduled for tonight.

Now some people have described a riff between you and the father`s family. Is that accurate, or have you gotten some new piece of information or something that has healed that reported rift?

SHEFFIELD: No, we just -- I just feel like we should all be together for Haleigh.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: There are a lot of discrepancies that your mother was concerned about, and one particularly the sleeping arrangements. The latest that we`ve heard was that in the home at the time of little Haleigh`s disappearance, Misty, the father -- your ex`s girlfriend, was sleeping in bed with Junior, your son, and that Haleigh was in another bed in the same room. But originally, we heard all three were sleeping in the same bed.

Do you know why we`re hearing these different stories, Crystal? I mean, do you know why the story keeps changing?

SHEFFIELD: No, I don`t. I`ve wondered myself, because I -- I was told that at first they was all three in the same room. And then I heard that Haleigh and Junior were both in their own room. And then I heard it was Misty and Junior in Misty and Ronald`s room. I mean, I -- I`ve heard so many different things, I -- I don`t know.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Have you talked to the authorities about it and said, "Hey, I want to straighten this out?" Who`s changing the story? Is it the reporters getting it wrong, is it you getting it wrong, or is it Misty changing her story? Have you had that conversation with authorities?

SHEFFIELD: No, actually, I haven`t. I haven`t even thought about that. I`m just worried about my daughter.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: How do you regard Misty? I mean, as -- you`re the biological mother of this precious child who is missing, and you hear that this 17-year-old girl was in the bed with your -- your youngest -- the son, Junior. And she was also the sole caretaker while Ron, the father, was at work. What are your feelings about this 17-year-old being in charge of your children?

SHEFFIELD: I didn`t really approve of it, but there was really nothing I could do about it. I mean, that was his girlfriend and, I mean, I would not prefer a 17-year-old -- I don`t know. I know I`m young, and I don`t want to put her down for being 17, because I was that young when I got pregnant. But those are my children. And I don`t feel comfortable with them being with a 17-year-old. Just -- that`s just me. I mean...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I understand. I think you answered that very well. Now, the authorities talked today about re-interviewing the family and doing polygraphs. What can you tell us about that? How many times have the authorities interviewed you? And have you volunteered to take a polygraph just to help the investigation proceed and to -- to help the authorities do their job?

SHEFFIELD: Yes, I have. Me and my whole family have agreed to take one. But they have not come got us or anything.

I`ve -- I`ve talked to everyone who`s come up to me here lately, the past -- yesterday I didn`t talk to nobody because I was just -- I couldn`t. And it`s -- it`s hard for me right now to do it. I`m trying to hold myself together the best I can. And it...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: How are you doing that? Through prayer? Prayer?

SHEFFIELD: Yes. And I have my other two children I`ve got to be strong for, too. And I`ve got to be strong for Haleigh for when she comes home.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I just -- I honestly -- my heart goes out to you. I know al of our viewers feel the same way. Everyone here, we just feel your pain. And it`s impossible for us to really feel your pain, but we -- we want to do what we can, Crystal, to help find your child.

And we really do pray that little Haleigh comes back safe and sound. And I thought it was very encouraging that the authorities today said that they still had hope that your daughter is alive.

SHEFFIELD: I do, too.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you so much.

SHEFFIELD: I feel -- I feel she`s out there.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s pray we find her. Thank you so much, Crystal. And please come back...

SHEFFIELD: Thank you.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: ... as we continue to focus on your child.

Wow. That`s tough. What that mother is going through.

I want to bring in my panel of experts to analyze the latest in this really, really heart-wrenching case. Brenda Wade, clinical psychologist; Stacy Honowitz, Florida prosecutor; plus Steve Cardian, former criminal investigator; and James Fox, a criminologist at Northeastern University; as well as Jennifer Bauer, a reporter with CNN affiliate WJXT-TV.

Jennifer, what`s the very latest?

JENNIFER BAUER, REPORTER, WJXT-TV: Well, today, Jane, police told us they spent the afternoon following up on leads, more than 500 of them.

They were taken to an area near the family`s home, but an area that hadn`t really been extensively searched before. They tell us they went through that area today. They went through it again. It turned up nothing.

They`ve gotten some other leads, they tell us. They will be taking them tomorrow to another area here in Putnam County to be searched. But again, investigators tell us more than 500 leads. They are following up on them. They are continuing to search, they say, and they are continuing to interview family, friends, people who know the little girl, even people who don`t know the little girl.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I want to talk about the 44 sex offenders who live in this area where little Haleigh lived. You know, authorities are now saying that they finished questioning all of them, but one sex offender has not been found. He is 25-year-old Chad Reynolds. He disappeared on February 1.

Now, one reporter actually asked about him earlier today. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`d like to find him like any other predator. Today, he is not a person of interest in this case today. But he, like any other unknown predator in our community, we want to find him. And if your TV viewers know where he`s at and can give us lead, we`ll take those, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Stacy Honowitz, there`s a warrant out for Reynolds. He`s not listed as a person of interest, but how worrisome is his disappearance and the timing with Haleigh`s disappearance?

STACY HONOWITZ, FLORIDA PROSECUTOR: I think everybody is going to try to put two and two together, because he is a sexual offender or predator, and this little girl is missing, but I don`t think we can jump to that conclusion right now.

There`s probably a warrant out for his arrest because he failed to re- register. When you`re a sexual predator or an offender down in Florida, you have an obligation to register four times: once during your birth month and then three other times during the year. Obviously, they see he`s missing. He`s failed to re-register. So it will be extremely important to talk to him, but first they have to find him.

STEVE CARDIAN, FORMER CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR: Do we know the details on what kind of sex offender he is? Because there`s all kinds of sex offenders who have done all sorts of things.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, it was lewd and lascivious molestation of a child under 12.

CARDIAN: Pardon?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Lewd and lascivious molestation of a child under 12. And there was also armed burglary. So it was a combination. And that`s kind of scary, because -- and I`m not saying -- he`s not a person of interest, but it`s kind of scary because somebody got into that house, too.

CARDIAN: Right.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Everybody stay right there.

Just a quick reminder: Nancy Grace is up immediately following this program at 8 p.m. Eastern. She will have a special presentation on the Caylee Anthony case tonight.

And right here on ISSUES, we have much more to cover in the disappearance of Haleigh Cummings. Has the search gone cold, or are cops building a case against somebody? Call 1-877-JVM-SAYS. That`s 1-877-586- 7297. And tell me what you think.

But first, here is Haleigh`s dad begging for his daughter`s safe return.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON CUMMINGS, FATHER OF HALEIGH: Bring her back anonymous, give her to someone else to bring back. However, she gets back, we want her back safe. If you`ve done something with her, tell us where she`s at. If she`s OK. Something. We just -- I want my daughter back. That`s it. That`s all I want. I want my daughter back. I`m not out for revenge.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARDY: I say don`t lose hope. In fact, right now, hope is -- is probably the best thing that we have. And all the people that you see working and searching, and the people you see standing in this room, don`t give up hope. We`re asking the family, do not give up hope. And we need to have hope if we`re going to find Haleigh, and we hope to bring her home alive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That was the local sheriff, Jeff Hardy, at today`s news conference, emphasizing the power of hope for Haleigh`s safe return.

I`m back taking your phone calls on all of the latest developments in the missing Haleigh Cummings case. Give me a ring to join the discussion: 1-877-JVM-SAYS. That`s 1-877-685-7297. The phone lines totally jam- packed. This is such a heart-wrenching case.

Doreen in New Jersey, your question or thought, ma`am.

CALLER: Hi, Jane.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hey.

CALLER: Love your show.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you.

CALLER: My question is they reported seeing a child`s footprints on a dirt path. So if this is little Haleigh, then obviously, she`s walking of her own accord. Were there any adult prints around those child`s footprints?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, let me go to Jennifer Bauer. But obviously, child`s prints, there were kids playing in that area, other kids. So I don`t know the significance, necessarily. And I hadn`t heard anything about child`s prints. Bring us up to date.

BAUER: Jane, those prints were reported in the initial incident report, the night that the Cummings called 911 and called police out to their home, when the investigators came and wrote their report. They reported seeing some child`s footprints. The canine unit picked up Haleigh`s scent behind the home, along with the footprints.

But keep in mind, this is the home where the little girl lived. This is the back yard where the little girl played. So police said don`t read too much into it. It`s probably just a footprint that was there from days before.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Got it.

Pam, North Carolina, question or thought, ma`am.

CALLER: Yes. I just wanted to say I`m just so proud of George Anthony. And my heart goes out to the Cummings family, as well. But I wanted to know if it was possible that, after Ronald went to work, that somebody came by to visit Misty and was able to unlock the door without her seeing it.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, we want to get to the rest of our panel, but Jennifer, I do understand that there was an air conditioning repairman who was there earlier in the day, as well as some kind of relative of Misty`s.

BAUER: That`s right. What we`ve heard from police is earlier in the afternoon, there was an air-conditioning repairman who was in the home there to fix the family`s air conditioning. He had asked Misty about that earlier. And she said that she let the air conditioner man in the home, and then the family went outside to sort of let the kids play and socialize and let the air-conditioner man do his work.

We talked to police about this man. He said that the person has been identified and he has been cleared.

JAMES FOX, CRIMINOLOGIST: Can I say here that part of the problem is that there`s so many leads. And that`s a blessing and a curse. With a very high-profile case like this, all sorts of information will come forward in the investigation.

The problem is trying to figure out what is -- what are the really useful leads, to pursue those, and what`s the dead ends? And a lot of times can be wasted with trying to follow up on leads that are worthless.

And so it`s a whole problem of managing this investigation. There`s lots of people involved. There`s lots of information. Trying to stay on top of every piece of detail is incredibly difficult.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.

FOX: But incredibly important.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You`re absolutely right.

Brenda Wade, you`re the psychologist. I heard that the authorities said some of the 500 leads were women who wanted to get their ex-husbands in trouble. In other words, using this as an excuse to kind of implicate them, to create problems for their ex-husbands. That struck me as absolutely mind-boggling.

BRENDA WADE, PSYCHOLOGIST: It`s shocking. And it`s sad because, at the end of the day, the one thing that anyone who really cares about other people would want to do is to see this little girl get home safely. So what a terrible time to try to wreak vengeance on someone you`re angry with.

And I do want to emphasize that hope is an important element, because it`s hope that keeps people energized. It keeps them trying. It keeps them wanting to move forward. So I do hope the family doesn`t give up hope. Nor do those who are searching for the child give up hope.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What do you make, James Fox, of the idea that the authorities now are scaling back the grid search and going to a tactical search, meaning following up on the leads? What does that tell you in terms of where the direction of this case is headed?

FOX: Well, with seven days gone by, it is very unlikely that the abductor would be in the close neighborhood of -- of the house. The grid search would perhaps show if a body was found. And obviously, there was no body found. That`s a good thing.

At this point, if she is still alive, she`s miles and miles away.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Let me jump in.

FOX: With whom, we don`t know. And that`s the problem. A grid search will only be good for a certain area. We need to go far and wide to try to identify where she is.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Steve Cardian, in terms of where this direction is headed, the fact that they -- the authorities said today they have hope that little Haleigh is still alive, what does that tell you in terms of the forensic evidence that they`ve gathered?

CARDIAN: Well, Jane, they`ve exhausted their search -- or not exhausted. They`re still going to maintain a presence at the crime scene, but they have to categorize the leads that they have and put them in a venue of importance, with the hot topics, the highly probable -- high- probability evidence or leads that they have. And they`re going to have to file them right through.

The fact that they have evidence that they`re believing that she`s still alive, I`m not quite sure what they mean by that. But that would be a good -- a good indication that they have something that they`re not leading us on with.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Stacy, James, Brenda, thanks so much.

Steve, Jennifer, stick around.

Coming up, shocking new testimony in Italy`s trial of the century points the finger at Amanda Knox. Did she kill her roommate in a drug- fueled sex game as prosecutors contend?

And Casey Anthony`s legal team shifts their focus to Zanny the nanny and that lawsuit. The very latest on that controversy coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[Sassycat]

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0902/17/ijvm.01.html

ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL

What Happened the Night Haleigh Disappeared?

Aired February 17, 2009 - 19:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST (voice-over): Tonight, have investigators reached a turning point in their frantic search for 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings?

CAPT. STEVE ROSE, PUTNAM COUNTY SHERIFF`S OFFICE: We were able to come up with several good leads that we are following up on today.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What exactly did they find this might shed light on this perplexing mystery? How is the sleeping child whisked away from a locked home with no apparent forced entry? And the search now focuses on a flood of tips as Haleigh`s family struggles to stay positive.

RON CUMMINGS, FATHER OF HALEIGH CUMMINGS: It is not time to give up. It`s time to -- there`s still time to look.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, I`ll speak to the Cummings family pastor.

Then breaking developments in the Caylee Anthony case, as mountains of evidence are turned over to mom Casey`s defense team. But now conflicting reports about a crucial piece of evidence. Were Casey`s fingerprints on the duct tape that was found on Caylee`s remains? Original reports said yes, but now at least one source says no. I`ll have the very latest.

Plus more fallout from Octomom Nadya Suleman. Famed psychiatrist Carol Lieberman files a complaint with the city of Los Angeles, charging the octuplets will be endangered unless they`re adopted immediately. I will speak to Dr. Lieberman tonight.

ISSUES starts now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Major breaking news, just in moments ago, involving the desperate search for missing Florida girl Haleigh Cummings. A flurry of conflicting reports about 17-year-old Misty Croslin, the last person to see Haleigh before she vanished. Was she even at home?

CNN affiliate WJXT now reporting that authorities are looking into the possibility, based on a lead, that Misty was not at the trailer with Haleigh, but the lead investigator in the case says, quote, "We have no evidence to believe that she, Misty, was not home."

If the girlfriend, however, wasn`t home, this is a huge development that casts a totally new light on this very mysterious case.

Misty herself says she was sleeping in the home with Haleigh and Haleigh`s 4-year-old brother, and police have said she is cooperating fully with their investigation.

Also tonight, authorities previously believed Haleigh had been wearing a pink shirt. Earlier today they dropped this shocker.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF RICK RYAN, PUTNAM COUNTY SHERIFF`S OFFICE: We obtained information through our investigation that young Haleigh was in fact not wearing a pink shirt as reported at the time of her disappearance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What`s the significance of all of these developments? We will examine that.

Meantime, authorities say they have been flooded with 1,200 new tips. They also say they`ve gotten significant new leads that came from neighborhood interviews.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROSE: What we did last night, we utilized a source of federal, state and local officers to conduct an area canvass, a neighborhood canvass of Haleigh`s neighborhood and the adjacent neighborhoods. We were able to come up with several good leads that we are following up on today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So what does that say? That this is perhaps not a stranger abduction?

Also Haleigh`s family has some theories of their own as to what might have happened. Haleigh`s paternal grandmother, Theresa Nevis, said this to the CBS "Early Show" earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Teresa, where do you think she is?

THERESA NEVIS, HALEIGH`S GRANDMOTHER: I think that somebody has her, I hope inside a house where they at least feed her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think it`s someone that she knows, that your family knows or a complete stranger?

NEVIS: I don`t really know. My son works nights, you know, and we`re thinking that it would be somebody who would know that. They wouldn`t come to the house with my son.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So many developments. I am going to take your calls: 1-877-JVM-SAYS. That`s 1-877-586-7297.

But first my expert panel, Drew Findling, Atlanta criminal defense attorney; Dr. Gaby Cora, psychiatrist; Joe Navarro, former FBI agent and profiler; and Jennifer Bauer, a reporter with WJXT-TV.

Jennifer, what is your station reporting tonight?

JENNIFER BAUER, REPORTER, WJXT-TV: We are reporting that more than 1,200 tips so far have come in to the Putnam County Sheriff`s Office, Jane, about this investigation.

And we have learned that one of those leads that they are looking into as a possibility is that 17-year-old Misty Croslin, who is Haleigh Cummings` father`s girlfriend, was not home the night the 5-year-old disappeared. Now, again, in the same breath when we talked to investigators about this, they remind us that they have gotten 1200 tips and this is one tip that they are looking into as a possibility.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And I wonder if that is, Jennifer, when they are referring to the significant new leads that they got after talking to people in the neighborhood, if that was the tip that they`re referring to.

BAUER: Well, you know, Jane, up until this point we are on day eight. Police have not gotten specific with us about those tips and leads. And when I called investigators just about 25 minutes ago and talked to them about this new information, they said, quote, "It is a possibility. It is something we are looking into."

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Drew Findling, this is a 17-year-old girl. And again, the investigators are saying at this point they have no reason to believe she wasn`t there, but apparently somebody is claiming that she wasn`t there and they`re investigating it, but at this point does this young lady need to get lawyered up? She`s not considered a suspect, I want to stress that, but it`s a 17-year-old girl, the center of a national storm.

DREW FINDLING, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well on the one hand, she has a concern if she misled officers and there`s a variety of misdemeanors that you can be charged for making a false statement. On the other hand, hey, she`s 17 years old. That`s in my estimation an 11th grader. We have another strange issue. What is she doing with an adult man living there?

Really, she has no custodial issues regarding caring for this child. She`s not really looking at criminal charge if she wasn`t there. She may have problems with her much-older boyfriend. But in terms of criminal conduct for taking off and going to a party, it`s very different than going to a party, like Casey Anthony when your child -- it`s your child is missing and you`re the adult that`s responsible for her.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What I`m hearing you say, Drew, is that even if this is true it leads more to a conclusion of negligence or irresponsibility not that she is responsible for the disappearance of this child in terms of her doing something to the child.

FINDLING: That`s exactly right.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Let me ask you this question, Joe Navarro. We also hear that they originally thought little Haleigh was wearing a pink shirt and now we`re hearing she was not wearing a pink shirt. They have found the pink shirt they thought she was wearing.

Does that dovetail with the idea that perhaps somebody wasn`t there watching the kids, because if you were there you would know exactly what the child was wearing when the child went to sleep?

JOE NAVARRO, FORMER FBI AGENT: Well, you know, that`s a good question. And a lot of times parents will because they`re nervous, the tension and so forth may not remember exactly what they were wearing.

But, you know, I go back to that interview you did a few days ago of the grandfather who said -- basically, he said, you know, this doesn`t pass the stink test. There`s so many things that are weird here.

Why are we getting information that, you know, that doesn`t match up? There were -- everybody seemed to have been in that room, and yet somehow this child was magically abducted, and nobody heard it. The doors were locked. Nobody seems to know the complete story. There are so many things here that are irregular which really makes you wonder, what is the true story? Why is it constantly being changed?

And why is it being parsed out? It seems like it`s being parsed out on a daily basis. Usually, when you get a complete and truthful story, it all comes out together at once. You don`t get it in these small packets.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Joe, precisely to that point, Misty Croslin, Ronald Cummings` girlfriend, has given many different accounts of where Haleigh was sleeping the night she went missing. Now, first I want you to listen very carefully to Misty on the CBS "Early Show" this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You were the last person to see Haleigh alive. She was sleeping in the same room as you when she vanished. How far away was she sleeping from you, Misty?

MISTY CROSLIN, GIRLFRIEND OF HALEIGH`S FATHER: Like, four feet away.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And how is it that she could have disappeared without you waking up?

CROSLIN: I don`t know. She just -- she wasn`t there when I woke up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: She looks like a child in that video. Now she said Haleigh was four feet away. I want to play you now two clips of Misty from last week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were you all in the same bed?

CROSLIN: No. She was in her bed in front of the TV, and me and Junior were in my bed.

I gave a little sheet to cover up with, and she fell asleep. And I came in there to put a blanket on her and then I lay down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CROSLIN: Gaby Cora, these are not necessarily completely conflicting stories. It`s just a totally different description of the same event.

However, there have been conflicting stories out there. We heard at one point that all three were in the bed together. Then we heard that she and the little boy, Junior, were in the bed and Haleigh was in another bed in the same room. I mean, it keeps changing, and that`s one of the reasons why there is suspicion about whether she`s being 100 percent truthful.

GABY CORA, PSYCHIATRIST: Jane, there seem to be very conflicting story around this one story, but the bottom line is that parents are responsible for the safety of their children. And if they leave anyone in charge of their children, they should really be trusting them with their dearest treasures. So this is a very sad and complex story where kids are taking care of kids.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And I ask you a question, Jennifer. Have you heard this new report that I read? And remember, we get stacks of reports from all sorts of different sources, so I don`t know the source of this and it`s certainly not confirmed.

But there`s a new report now claiming that Ron said Haleigh, little Haleigh, got up to use the bathroom and when she didn`t return Misty went to look for her because originally we heard that it was Misty who went up to use the bathroom and never got there because she saw that the light was on and realized the child was missing.

BAUER: That`s right. I have not heard that story, Jane, but I can tell you we have asked numerous times whether or not it was a possible they Haleigh got up herself or if maybe she walked out the backdoor. I even asked investigators if the kid sleep walks, but they kept saying over and over, she will not leave and she will not get up and get out of bed, because she is extremely afraid of the dark. That is what investigators and the family have told us numerous times.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Drew Findling, why doesn`t the sheriff and the people who have been speaking twice today, just come out? Why don`t they just come out and clarify this all? I mean if Misty passed the lie detector test, why not say she passed the lie detector test? She says she passed it.

FINDLING: I think right now they are trying to determine who is a suspect as one issue, but where is the child is another, and I think, you and I have to be convinced. I just am totally convinced that they`re also treating Misty as a 17-year-old.

I listened to what she said and you know what she sounded like? She sounded like my 17-year-old daughter when I said, "So who was at the party last night." I can ask it three different times, and every child 17-year- old is going to give you a different explanation.

And I think these detectives know that they`re dealing with that. Remember, it is not her that has the custodial issue here. It is the parents. The other thing they`re looking into is what kind of behavior did she exhibit during the child in the past?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And we`re going to get to that right after the break. Hang tight, we have so much to get to.

Don`t forget: Nancy Grace is up immediately following this program at 8 p.m. Eastern. She will have the very latest on the search for Haleigh.

And right here on ISSUES, my expert panel will weigh in on the shocking new developments in the disappearance of little Haleigh Cummings. Do you think police are closing in on a suspect? Call 1-877-JVM-SAYS. That`s 1-877-586-7297, and let me know.

But first I want you to listen to the desperate 911 call from Haleigh`s father.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CUMMINGS: I just got home from work and my 5-year-old daughter is gone. I need somebody to be here now, I`m telling you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Listen to me, listen.

CUMMINGS: If I find whoever has my daughter before you all do, I`m killing them. I don`t care. I`ll spend the rest of my life in prison. I`m tell you, you can put it on record and I don`t care.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. It`s OK, sir. We`ve got them on the way. Can you give me any -- what kind of the description of the pajamas she was wearing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t (EXPLETIVE DELETED) know, I was at work!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DOMINICK PAPE, FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT: It`s been a national man hunt from day one. We will take any lead, any place any time. I don`t know where this investigation is going to take us, and every lead is critical. So we will take anyone that will lead us to her recovery or lead us to a subject (ph).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: The special agent in charge of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement emphasizing that the search for Haleigh Cummings has been a national manhunt from the very start.

I`m back taking your phone calls on this case. Give me a holler to join the discussion: 1-877-JVM-SAYS. That`s 1-877-685-7297. Phone lines totally jam-packed.

Carrie in Florida, your question or thought, ma`am.

CALLER: Yes. I remember Casey Anthony`s fiance saying that Casey was jealous because she believed he cared more for Caylee more than her. So I`m wondering, did Misty also have issues with jealousy regarding her boyfriend`s daughter? Was there friction between Misty and Haleigh?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow! That, I have to say, I didn`t know where that question was going, but that is a pretty fantastic question when you think about it, Gaby Cora, because we can never forget about the psychological underpinnings of any kind of criminal case and what the conditions are leading up to something like this.

CORA: And you know, this is -- this is a great question and could hypothetically this be an issue. And yes, it could, but we have to remember that we do not really know if there was that kind of a motivation. On the other hand, we do know that there was a 17-year-old taking care of two young children.

But Drew Findling, by the same token, published reports are indicating the Florida Department of Children and Families is confirming that the agency was involved with this family, indicating a possible investigation involving the children.

Now, this was a published report that we haven`t been able to independently confirm, but we have reached out to the authorities to try to get it confirmed. If it`s true, if the Department of Children and Families was involved in some way, shape or form, and remember, Ron has complete custody, full custody, what does it say?

FINDLING: Well, let`s -- let`s start by addressing the caller, and that is there were two children there. So that`s really not resolving any jealousy issue by one child disappearing.

I think more importantly the reason why you`re going to see child services involved is what we`ve talked about, and that is you have a family where a dad is working through the night and has the equivalent of an 11th grade girl, who`s apparently his girlfriend, caring for two little children, who in my best definition, had she been the mother, which she`s not, would have had them at 12 and 13. Which just indicates she`s not ready to care for children through the night like this.

That`s a statement as to why you need the Department of Family and Child Services from time to time to look into a family like this or, unfortunately, it doesn`t seem at this point possibly to be a good ending to this.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Right. Stephanie, California. Question or thought, ma`am.

CALLER: Hey, I was wondering if they have thoroughly checked all the neighbors within that mobile home park, because we had a case in San Diego County with little Danielle Van Dam.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, yes. I remember her.

CALLER: And it was the neighbor, and he was able to see the schedules of the mom and dad and the kids, and he was able to see the daughter.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, interesting that you should say that, because Jennifer Bauer, the paternal grandmother, says that she feels it`s somebody that had to know that Ron was at work at night, because they wouldn`t come in and want to confront a man.

BAUER: Yesterday -- yesterday, local, state and even federal investigators were back out into that mobile home neighborhood, going door to door. They tell us they knocked on some 300 homes and interviewed homeowners.

A lot of people who live in this area don`t live here full time. A lot of what we call snow birds, people who live up north most of the year and then come down to this part of Florida for the winter may not have been here last week. So investigators told us today some 300 homes, they`ve gone back and re-interviewed and talked to neighbors.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow!

Debbie in Michigan. Question or thought, ma`am.

CALLER: Yes. Jane, I enjoy watching your program.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you.

CALLER: I have a comment and a question. My comment is I had heard on one of the previous programs that Misty was molested by a cousin, and I can understand if that happened to her by a cousin why would she allow him in that house with that little girl? Unbelievable.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: There have been so many different stories and again, the key is to verify them, Jennifer?

BAUER: Yes, you know, we have not heard anything about that or not been able to confirm anything about that. Of course, we are getting the majority of our information from investigators here on the scene.

And, as you know, for eight days they have been extremely tight- lipped, and not because they necessarily want to be, but because they feel it is just Heard anything about that or not been able to confirm anything about that. Of course, we are getting the majority of our information from investigators here on the scene.

And as you know for eight days they have been extremely tight-lipped and not because they necessarily want to be, but because they feel it is just crucial to this investigation and crucial to bringing the 5-year-old back home.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You are absolutely right. We have so much more to cover. Stick around. Much more to come on the Haleigh Cummings` case. I want to hear your take. Call 1-877-JVM-SAYS. That`s 1-877-586-7297.

But first, how did the abductor get into the home? Here is the 911 call placed by Haleigh`s father`s girlfriend regarding the crucial backdoor. You`ve got to listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does the door look like it was pried open?

CROSLIN: Um...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does it look like you had some sort of -- someone tried to enter into your house?

CROSLIN: Um -- hold on.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And another thing, make sure you and your husband don`t touch the door anymore. Don`t mess with the door or anything.

CROSLIN: No, it doesn`t.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We obtained information through our investigation that young Haleigh was, in fact, not wearing the pink shirt as reported at the time of her disappearance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So much in question tonight. Little Haleigh not wearing a pink shirt at the time of her disappearance as previously reported.

Back with my panel and the phone lines lighting up. Sharon in Florida, question or thought, ma`am.

CALLER: yes. Is Haleigh`s father going to be charged with having sex with a minor when this is all over? If he were a coach or a teacher he would be in jail already.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Drew Findling, you hinted at this issue earlier.

FINDLING: Well, he -- there is not going to be a charge for that, because she is of majority at 17 years old. The difference between a teacher and a student is that that is considered sexual assault upon a person in custody, even though they`re not really in custody. That`s what we consider the student/teacher relationship.

So you may be disturbed by the fact that he`s 25 and she`s 17 and he`s leaving her in the care of a 5- and a 4-year-old. It`s disturbing but not illegal, just uncomfortable for all of us.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Listen, I`ve been thinking about everything, because there`s been so much breaking news. And again, this is only one person`s claim. It`s a tip that police got that they`re checking out a claim that Misty left the house. They say they have no reason to believe that it`s true at this point.

But, if you think about it hypothetically, Joe Navarro, if you`re baby-sitting, let`s say kids, you`re not going to leave them when they`re up. You`re more likely to leave them after they`ve fallen asleep. Hypothetically, to account for the open door, would it be possible, if this is true -- and again, I`m just totally speaking hypothetically -- that the kids fell asleep, she left, left the door open, went outside for whatever reason -- to see a friend or get a smoke or something innocent -- comes back and at that time is when she finds little Haleigh missing?

JOE NAVARRO, FORMER FBI AGENT: Well, it`s certainly possible, and like I said, we don`t know all the facts. It is possible.

But look at it this way. If she was in the house, you know, and they live in a trailer. And if you`ve ever been in one of those trailers, they`re very noisy. When you walk through those things the floors vibrate. It just seems inconceivable to me that she was not aware that someone was, you know, inside that residence and has no explanation for the...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, you know, every morning I wake up and I tiptoe around getting coffee, and I don`t necessarily wake up the people in the house. I mean, you can be quiet. And people are asleep. They call it dead asleep because they`re asleep. I don`t think that`s necessarily significant.

Let me get to this, though. Sometimes it`s really hard to know what the police are saying when they come out and they give press conferences in the midst of a search. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROSE: The investigation, we feel pretty confident, as to the general timeline when the girlfriend last saw Haleigh to the time when she reported it on the 911 call. That`s the timeline we`re focusing on. But there again, as far as the timeline prior to and afterwards, we`re not releasing that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Gaby, I have ten seconds. I didn`t understand what he was talking about.

CORA: Well, I`m not particularly clear about that either. But I think -- I think there are so many things about this case that we need to try to figure out and, you know, someone -- an adult wouldn`t know when a child is walking around.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: It doesn`t make sense.

Jennifer, Gaby, thank you so much. Drew, Joe, stick around. Coming up, breaking developments in the Caylee Anthony case. New inconsistencies, bombshell evidence could be revealed tomorrow.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[Sassycat]

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0902/17/ng.01.html

NANCY GRACE

Police Pursue New Leads in Missing Florida Girl

Aired February 17, 2009 - 20:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


NANCY GRACE, HOST: Breaking news tonight, Satsuma, Florida. A 5- year-old little girl tucked into bed, five hours later, she`s gone -- gone, vanished into thin air, the back door propped wide open. The father comes home from the night shift to find not a single trace of little Haleigh.

Bombshell. Literally in the moments before we go to air tonight, local WJXT reports the girlfriend/baby-sitter was not -- repeat, not -- sleeping in the home with the children when little Haleigh disappears, what the girlfriend first told police, a bed she was reportedly sharing with the girlfriend/baby-sitter and her 4-year-old little brother. Where was she? What was the scenario that night? After claiming she passed not one but two polygraphs, the girlfriend`s apparent lie at the least costing police invaluable hours at the get-go in the search for Haleigh!

And in another major development, police announce they have in their possession the pink shirt little Haleigh reported wearing the night she disappears. Turns out she wasn`t wearing it at all. How -- how -- can you not know what your child`s wearing after you bathe and dress them for bed? This leaves us with no clothing description, information critical in bringing Haleigh home!

And tonight, police on the search for a nearby and unaccounted-for sex offender. Offense? A 2002 break-in of a trailer in the middle of the night to molest an 11-year-old little girl. Sound familiar? Tonight, with the investigation turned upside-down, where is 5-year-old Haleigh?

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

911 OPERATOR: OK. What`s your address?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, Green Lane (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: What`s the numerical?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The numerical? What`s that?

911 OPERATOR: The number. Green Lane?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

911 OPERATOR: OK, when did you last see her?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just, like -- you know, it was about 10:00 o`clock. She was sleeping (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: OK. How old is your daughter?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She`s 5.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

RONALD CUMMINGS, FATHER: Hello?

911 OPERATOR: OK. What was she last seen wearing?

CUMMINGS: (INAUDIBLE) the middle of the night.

911 OPERATOR: Ma`am?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She was in her pajamas. We were sleeping.

RONALD CUMMINGS, FATHER: I just got home from work, my 5-year-old daughter is gone. I need somebody to be here now, I`m telling you.

911 OPERATOR: OK. Listen to me. Listen to me. We`ve got two officers...

CUMMINGS: If I find whoever has my daughter before y`all do, I`m killing him. I don`t care. I`ll spend the rest of my life in prison, I`m telling you. You can put it on the report, and I don`t care.

911 OPERATOR: OK. It`s OK, sir. We`ve got them on the way. OK, can you give me any -- what kind of description of her pajamas that she was wearing?

CUMMINGS: I don`t (DELETED) know! I was at work!

911 OPERATOR: OK, sir, we`ve got them coming, OK?

911 OPERATOR: What`s her date of birth?

CUMMINGS: Y`all are (DELETED) playing games, man! I`m going to (DELETED) kill somebody!

911 OPERATOR: OK, tell him we understand. We need to get her date of birth.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What`s her date of birth?

CUMMINGS: (DELETED) her birthday! We need to find her! (DELETED) her date of birth!

(END AUDIO CLIP)

GRACE: I agree with the father. Who cares about the date of birth at a time like that? Good evening. I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us. Bombshell tonight. As we go to air, local WJXT reports the girlfriend/baby-sitter was not -- was not -- sleeping in the home with the children the night little Haleigh disappears out of her own bed. And in another major development, police announce they have the pink shirt Haleigh reported wearing when she goes missing. Police losing critical hours at the onset all because of a single lie?

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just woke up, and our back door was open, and I can`t find my daughter.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I laid down (INAUDIBLE) I mean, I`m not positive what time. It was, like, 3:00. You know, it was (INAUDIBLE) 3:00 o`clock in the morning. I got up. And I got up because I had to use the bathroom, but I didn`t make it to the bathroom. I seen the kitchen light on and I walked in the kitchen, and the back door`s wide open. And I didn`t notice about Haleigh then until I seen the back door open. And I (INAUDIBLE) and`s was gone. And that`s all I know, is when I woke up -- when I went to sleep, she was there, and then when I woke up, she was gone!

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

CUMMINGS: Hello?

911 OPERATOR: OK, sir, let me talk to your wife. Let me get some information from her.

CUMMINGS: (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: Can I talk to her?

CUMMINGS: (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: OK.

CUMMINGS: How the (DELETED) can you let my daughter get stole (DELETED)!

(END AUDIO CLIP)

GRACE: There we see at the very beginning if we had only understood then what we know now. As we go to air, local stations reporting the baby- sitter not at home the night little Haleigh goes missing.

Out to Jennifer Bauer at the command center with WJXT. What`s happening?

JENNIFER BAUER, WJXT: Well, Nancy, I`m going to be very clear. We are reporting, WJXT out of Jacksonville, that so far to date, police have received some 1,200 tips and leads. One of those leads is that Misty Croslin, the baby-sitter, may not have been home the night Haleigh disappeared. And police tell us they`re looking into it as a possibility. They have not confirmed she was not in that home, but they tell us they are looking into it as a possibility.

GRACE: What is the alternative? Where is the tipster saying she was?

BAUER: That we don`t know. Police are telling us they`ve received 1,200 tips. Yesterday, they had 500. They have more than doubled the amount of tips in just one day. And they`re coming in from everywhere. They`re coming in by phone. They`re coming in by e-mail. People are faxing. People are calling. So you know, police are trying to make sense of all of this.

We got this information late today. And when I called detectives just about an hour ago to confirm all of this information, they said, We`ve gotten a lot of information, but we can confirm that it`s something we`ve heard. We are looking into it as a possibility.

And considering we have been here for eight days, police have not gotten very specific to this point about some of those leads that have been coming in. So this is definitely a development. This is definitely new information that we didn`t have yesterday, or we didn`t even have this morning.

GRACE: And Jennifer Bauer, joining us tonight from WJXT, what can you tell me about the description of what little Haleigh was wearing when she was last seen? That`s wrong, too?

BAUER: Well, we have to be very careful, too. Police are not telling us how they got it or where they got it, but they are telling us that they have in their possession that pink shirt they originally thought Haleigh was wearing the night she disappeared. To me, that opens up a lot of questions. But detectives are being very tight-lipped because, again, they keep telling us they keep reiterating they do not want to compromise this investigation at this point.

So the only information they`re willing to say is that that pink shirt they thought Haleigh was wearing that night, they have with them. We don`t know where they got it. We don`t know where they found it. We just know they have it.

GRACE: Let`s talk about what the scenarios are. Let`s unleash the lawyers. We`re taking your calls live. Susan Moss joining us out of New York, child advocate, Raymond Giudice out of Atlanta, defense attorney, Greg McKeithen, former prosecutor, current defense attorney also out of the Atlanta jurisdiction. Susan Moss, what do you say?

SUSAN MOSS, FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY: This 17-year-old is no Rip Van Winkle. Her story makes no sense. Her argument that she was sleeping in the bed and then she wasn`t woken up when a door was opened, when a cinderblock was placed by the door, and when this child was taken -- I don`t buy it.

GRACE: What about it, Ray? Could both scenarios be true?

RAY GIUDICE, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Sure. Sure.

GRACE: Could she -- let`s just give her the benefit of the doubt for a moment. Could she have, if this tipster`s correct, left the home to go out -- partying, I don`t know, go somewhere -- and someone come in the home while she`s gone? Just because she wasn`t there does not necessarily mean she`s responsible for the disappearance.

GIUDICE: Absolutely. I think we need to separate the question of whether she made an irresponsible act and wasn`t there at the time, as opposed to any involvement in the actual disappearance and potential harm to the child. There`s no allegation and no evidence of that. And I think everyone should stay on that track for now.

GRACE: But of course, Greg McKeithen, you know, when you`re trying to find a missing girl and you find out someone may have lied at the very beginning, that`s serious.

GREG MCKEITHEN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: That is, I agree. And that is an issue that has to be explored. And whether or not she...

GRACE: Explored?

MCKEITHEN: ... intentionally misled the police.

GRACE: Explored? That`s putting perfume on a pig, McKeithen!

MCKEITHEN: That...

GRACE: If this girl is lying about what happened that night, I want to do more than a little exploration.

MCKEITHEN: Well, I think we must examine the totality of the circumstances in the statement, Nancy, to find out exactly what did she say and what did she not say. Maybe there`s a simple omission of information.

GRACE: You know what? You`re right. It could be. And right now, Ms. Bauer is reporting it as a tip that police are following up onto.

T.J. Hart, the news director at WSKY, 97.3 Fuhrman. T.J., thank you for being with us. Did we ever get any clarification regarding where everybody was sleeping? Let`s say the girlfriend was home. First of all, they were all three in the bed together. Then the story shifted. The children were in another room. Then the story shifted again. She was in bed with the little 4-year-old boy and the little girl was sleeping in another room. Has that been clarified?

T.J. HART, WSKY: No, that hasn`t, as a matter of fact. And in fact, it is a topic of discussion just about anywhere you go in this part of Florida. And you know, people are discussing this story at all hours of the day and night, and it all centers on the inconsistencies of this story and the bedroom situation as to where the kids may or may have been and where Misty might or might not have been.

GRACE: Well, Mr. Hart, I can tell you, unless there`s been a drastic change since I left home, I know what pajamas the twins have on. I can tell you exactly what they`re wearing.

HART: Yes, you would know, if you`re a parent, and you are.

(CROSSTALK)

GRACE: I know every single button that they`ve got on tonight. So how can you be confused about a pink T-shirt?

On the other hand -- back to Giudice -- both things could be true. The baby-sitter may have put her in the pink T-shirt and then later finds the T-shirt on the floor.

GIUDICE: That`s right. And we don`t know where the police found the pink T-shirt. Was it outside the home?

GRACE: That`s what I`m telling you, Ray.

GIUDICE: I agree. Oh, absolutely, both alternatives are true. So before we start accusing this young lady of serious crimes...

GRACE: OK, you know what?

GIUDICE: ... she has inconsistencies...

GRACE: Hold it for a moment. Thank you. Joining me right now, Teresa Neves, the paternal grandmother of little Haleigh. Ms. Neves, thank you for being with us. What do you make of this scenario? Was the baby- sitter at home that night in bed with the little girl or not?

TERESA NEVES, PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER: I believe that she was. To the best of my knowledge, she was there. I had a family member there that night checking on the children, dropping off some clothes. So I know up to a point that she was definitely there. There`s no doubt in my mind that she was there, you know?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, that`s -- I just didn`t hear it. And I wish I did because I wouldn`t let no one take her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you blaming herself?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just know, like -- I feel like that, you know, I wish that they would have took me instead of her, you know, because I could have fought. You know, she`s only 5. She can`t really do anything. And I just wish they would have took me instead of her! What do they want with a little 5-year-old?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He`s feeling helpless, not knowing if his daughter, Haleigh, is a few miles away or a few thousand. Today Ronald Cummings was adamant that he`s never giving up hope.

CUMMINGS: It`s not time to give up. It`s time to (INAUDIBLE) It`s still time to look. You know, my daughter is still gone somewhere, and we want her home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Whoever has her (INAUDIBLE) just bring her back. And Haleigh, if you`re watching, Mommy loves you. And I miss you! And I want you to come home!

CUMMINGS: Please bring her home. Please bring her home safe. And if she`s watching, baby, I love you. I`ll never give up on you!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: We are taking your calls live. But first, to Teresa Neves, the paternal grandmother of little Haleigh. Ms. Neves, again, thank you for being with us. In light of the recent reporting by WJXT on a tip that police have received that Misty was not in the home when the little girl, Haleigh, goes missing, you believe she was. Explain.

NEVES: I do believe she was at home. I believe she`s a very responsible girl. I believe -- like I say, I had family members there that night, dropping off clothes, and so I know she was there up until a point. And I don`t believe that she left after that.

GRACE: OK. Good to know. And Ms. Neves, what do you make of the confusion about who was sleeping in what bed?

NEVES: I believe that`s a big misconception caused by the media. When she made the report, they were all sleeping together, and they were. They may not have been in the same bed, but they were all in the same room.

GRACE: OK. You know what? That makes sense. And I hope that you`re correct because it`s shifted and changed, but it may have been just been a manner of phrasing that made the inconsistency. And I also...

NEVES: Absolutely.

GRACE: Yes. And I also noticed that even though they are now exploring, investigating, whether or not she may have been home that night, they are still saying -- police are saying, anyway, that they don`t have information suggesting she wasn`t there. So unless they`re flat-out lying, they believe she was there, as well. Although...

NEVES: Absolutely.

GRACE: ... the tip is being explored. Also, Ms. Neves, while I`ve got you on the phone -- with me is the paternal grandmother of little Haleigh, who goes missing out of her own bed -- Ms. Neves, what about the pink T-shirt she was reported to be wearing the night she goes missing by Misty? Now we find out the police have that pink T-shirt. She wasn`t wearing it.

NEVES: We still say she was wearing it when she was put in bed.

GRACE: OK. So how did it reappear?

NEVES: I cannot answer that. I was not there when someone came in and took her. I don`t know.

GRACE: OK. Do you have any idea how they -- where they found the pink T-shirt?

NEVES: No, ma`am.

GRACE: OK. Ms. Neves, has anyone gone through her clothes to determine what`s missing, what she may be wearing, as a way to help find the little girl?

NEVES: That home is now considered a crime scene. No one is allowed in there.

GRACE: Well, do you think that someone -- you know, let`s go to Detective Lieutenant Steve Rogers. Shouldn`t someone go through the clothing with police to determine what`s missing? I mean, that`s kind of a tough thing to determine. You`ve got a 5-year-old little girl. She`s probably got a ton of T-shirts that she wears. It`s going to be tough to determine what`s missing, what one outfit may be missing.

DET. LT. STEVEN ROGERS, NUTLEY, N.J., POLICE DEPARTMENT: You`re absolutely right, Nancy. The police would take a relative in, perhaps a mother in, to look through the belongings. I got to tell you...

GRACE: No, the mother lives 150 miles away. It`s not going to be the mother.

ROGERS: I`m sorry.

GRACE: The grandmother says it`s a crime scene. She hasn`t been back in. So where does that leave me?

ROGERS: Well, it leaves us at ground zero, where the police are going to begin, meaning the person closest to this child. Look, Nancy, we`ve been through this a dozen times. And I`ve got to tell you that the police are going to start at ground zero, closest people to the child. They`ll probably end up there. And then we have a sex offender.

GRACE: You know, you`re right. Let`s go back to Jennifer Bauer with WJXT. Jennifer, what can you tell me about Chad Eugene Reynolds?

BAUER: The police are calling Chad Reynolds a sexual predator, Nancy, and he`s missing out of Marion County, which is the county just below Putnam here. He apparently, we`re hearing, failed to check in with his probation officer, and he was reported missing at the beginning of this month. Forgive me, but I believe it was February 3rd. Police have not been able to locate him since.

We did ask investigators about him, whether they`re concerned, whether they`re trying actively right now to locate him, and detectives here on this case tell us, at this point, he is not a person of interest, but of course they are actively trying to locate him. There is a warrant out for his arrest and they do want to talk to him. Again, he is considered a sexual predator, missing out of Marion County, which is one county south of Putnam County, which is where we are right now.

GRACE: You know, I`m noticing that the incident back in 2002 took place in Putnam County. It dealt with breaking into a trailer -- I`m looking right at the police report in my hand -- in the middle of the night to molest an 11-year-old little girl sleeping in her bed. Sounds extremely familiar.

Out to the lines. To Wonder in Massachusetts. Hi, dear.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Nancy. How are you?

GRACE: I`m good. What`s your question tonight?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My question is, you know, everyone`s saying that -- how responsible this girl is. And when she noticed that the little girl was missing, your first instinct is to call the police, call 911. Why would she wait for her boyfriend to pull up in the driveway? Even the boyfriend says, Why are you telling me this? You should be on the phone calling 911. Why wouldn`t a responsible person call 911?

GRACE: To Teresa Neves, the grandmother of little Haleigh. What was the cause of the delay?

NEVES: Misty was trying to find Haleigh herself. She was going through the house, looking, you know, through closets, their playroom, what have you. She was looking for Haleigh herself when my son came home.

GRACE: Everyone, we are taking your calls live. With me, the grandmother of little Haleigh.

But another case, still no answers tonight in the murder of a 13-year- old Georgia boy, Chuckie Mauk. On this day, 1987, Chuckie riding home on his bicycle, Warner Robins, Georgia, stopped to talk to a man in a car. As Chuckie got back on his bike, the unknown driver fatally shooting Chuckie near a local convenience store. Please look at little Chuckie. If you have any information, call Houston County sheriff`s 478-542-2125. Tonight, we still remember Chuckie Mauk.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

CUMMINGS: Hello?

911 OPERATOR: OK, sir, let me talk to your wife. Let me get some information from her.

CUMMINGS: (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: Can I talk to her?

CUMMINGS: (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: OK.

CUMMINGS: How the (DELETED) can you let my daughter get stole (DELETED)!

(END AUDIO CLIP)

GRACE: We are taking your calls live. Back to Haleigh`s grandmother. Teresa Neves is joining us tonight there from Satsuma. Ms. Neves, again, thank you. And you probably have no idea how many people are praying for Haleigh and for your family tonight. What do you believe, Ms. Neves? What do you believe happened to Haleigh?

NEVES: I believe that someone came in that house and took her. I believe that they either know my grandchildren and my family or Haleigh`s mother`s family, or they had to watch for a while because my son`s on the night shift. And you know, anybody who knows my son knows that he is very protective of his children. So no one would dare to come in when he is there. So you`ve got to be talking about somebody who knew my son wouldn`t be there.

GRACE: And tonight, Ms. Neves is standing by the girlfriend/baby- sitter, Misty, saying she was in the home and was sleeping there in the room with the children. We are taking your calls live. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Authorities have received over 1,200 tips in the search for 5-year-old Florida girl, Haleigh Cummings.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The original AMBER Alert say she was wearing a pink t-shirt when she disappeared. Well, investigators now said that`s not the case.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We obtained information through our investigation that young Haleigh was, in fact, not wearing a pink shirt as reported at the time of her disappearance.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Law enforcement officials say they`re investigating new leads in the case. Leads obtained after canvassing the neighborhood where Haleigh lives with her father Ronald Cummings.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s been a national manhunt from day one. We will take any lead any place, any time that we have mentioned earlier in press conferences. I don`t know where this investigation is going to take us. And every lead is critical.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Police believe Haleigh was abducted in the middle of the night last week, taken from her own bed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re doing everything we can to recover this child. That`s still number one. We will not leave a stone unturned or lead not followed up.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Putnam County Sheriff`s Office say they will continue to investigate until she is found, saying they will re-interview family and their associates.

RONALD CUMMINGS, FATHER OF MISSING 5-YR-OLD HALEIGH CUMMINGS: It`s not time to give up. It`s time to -- there`s still time to look.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello?

911 DISPATCHER: OK, sir, let me talk to you wife. Let me get some information from her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man. (INAUDIBLE)

911 DISPATCHER: OK. Can I talk to her?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) can you let y daughter get stole, bitch?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY GRACE, HOST: We are taking your calls. Live out to Mary Jo in Mississippi. Hi, Mary Jo.

MARY JO, FROM MISSISSIPPI: Hi, Nancy. You`re so precious to all of us. We love you, your family and all of your staff.

GRACE: Thank you.

MARY JO: I have a question and a comment. I notice on the close-up of the young girlfriend that her eyes were very dilated, which it would indicate that maybe she`s on some medication or drug of some type, which could actually explain why she`s so confused with her answers.

Has anybody thought about giving her a drug test?

GRACE: To Dr. Bethany Marshall, psychoanalyst and author of "Dealer Breakers," what about it, Bethany?

BETHANY MARSHALL, PSYCHOANALYST, AUTHOR OF "DEALBREAKERS": Well, Mary Jo is correct. This is one of many things that the investigators are going to be looking at, and especially those who do the forensic psychological examinations. Was she on drugs? Was she a partier? Or was she a really responsible young woman? Because past behaviors are a predictor of future behavior.

When that 911 call comes in, Mary Jo, she identifies herself as the mother of the children and the little girl is her daughter. Was that confusion, panic, or was she exaggerating the nature of her relationship with the child to make it -- herself look like a better caretaker?

The hysteria, I`m very interested in that. Was she hysterical because the child was gone, or was she hysterical because she was terrified of getting into trouble with her boyfriend? I feel that perhaps her fear of Ron Cummings might be one of the biggest obstacles in this investigation, because a 17-year-old could be more afraid of the boyfriend than of the actual legal authorities.

And the final question was, predators are so cunning. Was there a child predator who was grooming her as well as the children, endearing himself to her in order to have access to the children?

GRACE: I want to go back to the grandmother of Haleigh, Teresa Neves is with us. Miss Neves, I don`t know what to make of the call. And it`s a legitimate call from Mary Jo in Mississippi. I can`t tell whether Misty Croslin`s eyes are -- look that way because she`s been crying so much.

She`s probably hasn`t slept a wink since all of this occurred. Or was there any drug history?

TERESA NEVES, GRANDMOTHER OF MISSING 5-YR-OLD, HALEIGH CUMMINGS: There is no drug history that I know of. And I would like to say that Misty has cried. The reason that Misty calls Haleigh, my daughter, my daughter, should be evident. I mean, Misty loved those children like they were her own.

GRACE: And Miss Neves, how long has she been taking care of them at night while the dad had the night shift?

NEVES: My son has not been on the night shift that long. So, I mean.

GRACE: So not very long.

NEVES: She was taking care of them. She has taken care of them -- well, pretty much since they`ve been together. I mean my mom and I are here. You know?

GRACE: How long have they been together?

NEVES: Five months. That.

GRACE: Miss Never.

NEVES: The night shift is only -- he`s only been on that like -- I mean I can`t give you an exact date, but I`m going to say he hasn`t been on that night shift four or five weeks.

GRACE: Miss Neves, the other evening I was told that Haleigh had missed a lot of school because she`s been sick. What has been wrong with her? Why has she been missing so much school?

NEVES: OK. I don`t know where your medical experts are, but Haleigh has Turner syndrome. And Haleigh has been sick a lot in her life. I mean, I personally have stayed in the hospital with her three times. Her immune system is not what it should be.

GRACE: We know for a fact, Miss Neves, that she was at school the day that she went missing.

NEVES: Yes, ma`am, she was. I picked her up from the bus stop.

GRACE: Let`s go out to Marc Klaas, president and founder of Klaas Kids Foundation.

Marc, weigh in.

MARC KLAAS, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, KLAAS KIDS FOUNDATION: Well, first of all, I don`t think for one second that this young girl is going to be able to finesse law enforcement. Remember, there`s a multi jurisdictional task force that goes from highly trained FBI agents all the way down to the local authorities.

And if, in fact, she`s not telling the truth, which quite frankly, it seems like she`s not, because there are many inconsistencies, not only the ones she mentioned, but did she get up to go to the bathroom or did she get up to get a drink that night. Those are very, very different scenarios of their own.

But she`s not going to be able to finesse them if she`s lying. Right now her story is incredibly self-serving. It -- answers nothing but her own personal issues as to, she slept through the deal, she didn`t call 911 because she woke up at the very last minute. The clothing is miscalculated. There are -- there are many, many things wrong here.

Now, what law enforcement is going to do, they have 1,200 tips, but they`re not all of equal value. They have hard tips, they have soft tips, and a lot of them might even be a theory. They`re using a piece of soft where something like rapid start to help them prioritize those tips.

And for whatever reason, and I think it was calculated, they let this information out tonight that this little girl may not have been home. And they did that for a very specific reason. They`re probably leaning on her. They probably want to find out exactly what did happen and deal with all of these inconsistencies.

Because this is a search for the truth. And if people are not telling the truth in this effort to recover this little girl, it`s going to hinder that investigation, and it`s going to slow down that process and there is no time to slow down here.

Misty has to come clean with whatever happened, whether she`s involved, or whether she`s not involved. If she was not in the house, where was she, who was she with? If she was in the house, then why are these stories so inconsistent and why do they seem to shift a little bit here and a little bit there with the different tellings?

The truth is consistent. The truth does not change. Misty`s story is inconsistent at this point.

GRACE: You know, Marc Klaas, you said something that I found to be true during all the years that I prosecuted. The truth doesn`t change. Now, as you retell and retell and retell your story, you may remember details that you didn`t say the first or the second or the third time, small details may be added. Your story may become embellished as you tell it. You may remember something else.

But it`s very rare that it actually changes, that the story of the truth changes. It can be embellished, it can be added to, but not significantly changed.

I want to go back to the grandmother, Teresa Neves.

Miss Neves, do you mind just going over with me one more time where everybody was sleeping that night?

NEVES: Not a problem.

GRACE: OK.

NEVES: As I stated before, Misty, I believe, said that they were all sleeping together. And that was true, because they were all in the same bedroom. OK? Haleigh has a small toddler`s bed. And she was on the mattress on that toddler`s bed in the room with Misty and Junior.

GRACE: OK. And that leaves Misty and the little brother in the big bed?

NEVES: Yes.

GRACE: Everyone, with me tonight, Teresa Neves, the grandmother of little Haleigh. We`re going to break. We`re taking your calls live.

As we go to break, I want you to know about the Joan Gaeta Lung Cancer Foundation. Joan Gaeta Lung Foundation treats the number one cancer killer in the world, lung cancer. Claiming more lives than breast, colon, prostate, melanoma and kidney cancer combined. 450 Americans die every day.

PS, you don`t have to smoke to get lung cancer.

Joan Gaeta, a beloved wife and mother of five, a teacher who lost her battle with lung cancer. In her honor, the second annual Dancing for Joan fundraiser for lung cancer research. It`s this Saturday, February 21, Marietta, Georgia.

For info or to make a donation, go to DancingForJoan.org.

And happy birthday to Florida friend of the show, Elyssa.

Elyssa, happy birthday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Phyllis Bard has watched from her front porch as cops pull into the Hermits Cove neighborhood one by one Monday afternoon in this otherwise quiet and sleepy little town. What was once her mother`s home is now the center of the investigation into Haleigh Cummings` disappearance.

PHYLLIS BARD, NEIGHBOR: She was really a delightful little girl, (INAUDIBLE) hugged me when I`d be taking clothes off my line.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She says she knows the home where Haleigh lives inside and out. And yet even so, she says she couldn`t tell you offhand exactly where the light switches are located in the kitchen. The light 17- year-old, Misty Croslin, noticed were on when she saw the back door was wide open, making Bard wonder if the person who took the little kindergartner out of her bed perhaps may have been someone who had been in the home once before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: With me right now is Reverend Jesse Smallwood, who previously lived in the home from which Haleigh disappeared.

Reverend, thank you for being with us. Describe the home.

REVEREND JESSE SMALLWOOD, PREVIOUSLY LIVED IN THE SAME HOME WHERE HALEIGH DISAPPEARED: Well, it`s a typical mobile home. It was (INAUDIBLE) when we looked at it then it was not quite as sturdy as we expected.

GRACE: Reverend, let me ask you about the bedroom. The bedroom in which the little girl was sleeping along with.

SMALLWOOD: Would you mean the master or one of the two children`s rooms?

GRACE: To Grandmother Neves, weren`t they in the master bedroom?

NEVES: They`re in the master bedroom, yes.

GRACE: Reverend, it was the master bedroom.

SMALLWOOD: OK. Well, what would you like to know?

GRACE: Well, how big is it? Because we know the babysitter did not hear someone when they took the little girl.

SMALLWOOD: Well, it was 10 by 10, if I`m not mistaken, with a room tarp, with a huge garden tub in the corner. Left-hand corner of the room as you enter into the door. Because we had a queen size bed, and I`m 6`5", pretty big guy.

GRACE: OK.

SMALLWOOD: And I had bypass surgery, and so I could not get around in the room.

GRACE: Were you surprised when you heard that the babysitter did not hear someone take the little girl?

SMALLWOOD: Well, if they came in the back door, because it`s a long ways, because you had to come through the washroom, the kitchen, the dining room.

GRACE: So were you surprised?

SMALLWOOD: The double living room. Yes, I was.

GRACE: To Dr. Marty Makary, what can you tell me about the Turner syndrome the little girl suffers?

DR. MARTY MAKARY, PHYSICIAN, PROF. OF PUBLIC HEALTH, JOHNS HOPKINS: Yes, Turner syndrome affects specifically young little girls, about 1 in 3,000 girls have it. And they have webbing of the neck. They have a somewhat shortened stature. Low setting ears.

And their mental capacity is normal, but their immune system is suppressed because their heart, essentially, does not pump as efficiently as most -- most young girls. And their hands and feet can sometimes be swollen. So expect their coordination to be a little off.

GRACE: That sounds exactly like what the grandmother, the paternal grandmother Neves was telling us. So not only has this child been taken from the home, she`s also suffering from this syndrome.

Please, everyone, the tip line, 888-277-8477. There is a reward. Please help us find Haleigh.

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ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL

Aired February 18, 2009 - 19:00:00   ET

-SNIPED FOR SPACE-
The latest developments in the desperate search, just 70 miles away for little Haleigh Cummings: police say, more than 1,000 tips have poured in, since Haleigh went missing over a week ago. One of those claims her father`s girlfriend, Misty Croslin, may not have been home when the five- year-old vanished. Police today revealed how they are handling that Misty lead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. DICK SCHAULAND, PUTNAM CO. SHERIFF`S OFFICE: We have a team of detectives that are following up on it. And yes, they are questioning her about that, as well as all of these other things that we`ve gotten tips on. As the tips warrant, the interviews are made not only with her but with the rest of the family, with neighbors, with whatever comes in.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looks like Misty`s story is changing. A lot of folks are looking at this and they are saying, well, her story is changing. How is the sheriff`s office looking at that now?

SCHAULAND: Well, I don`t know that you can say that her story is changing. All that I can tell you is that`s a tip we`ve received and that`s a tip we`re following up on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Authorities emphasize, this is just a tip. Only one of 1,200 they`re looking at. Misty has maintained she was sleeping in the home with Haleigh and Haleigh`s younger brother when the five-year-old girl disappeared.

Also today, perhaps relevant to the investigation, the Florida Department of Children and Family has confirmed that the agency was previously quote, "involved with the family," end of quote.

Meantime, an anonymous donor has contributed $10,000 to a reward fund. It now totals $16,000.

Let`s go to my expert panel: Pastor Terry Wright, the Cummings family pastor; Stacey Honowitz, Florida prosecutor; Casey Jordan, criminologist and a former criminal profiler; and Jennifer Bauer, reporter with WJXT TV.

Jennifer, we know Ronald Cummings was rushed into the Putnam County Sheriff`s Office today. Do we know why he was there, what is the significance? And what else do you have for us?

JENNIFER BAUER, WJXT-TV REPORTER: Well not only Ronald Cummings, but also his mother and Crystal Sheffield, who was Haleigh`s mother. Police tell us it`s very routine. As new tips of course, continue to come in, they say new questions are raised and so they brought the family in today for another round of questioning.

They keep stressing this family is being very cooperative. And they say they will continue to bring them into the sheriff`s office. They will continue to question them until they feel the answers they have are the answers they want.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Pastor Terry Wright, you are Haleigh Cummings` family`s pastor. I`m sure that you`re aware that there are so many questions and concerns about possible inconsistencies in stories. And now this new lead that perhaps claiming -- and we understand it`s just a claim -- that perhaps Misty wasn`t where she says she was on that night and might have slipped out. And again, they`re just checking that out. It could be a false lead.

But how is the family dealing with the fact that so many people are kind of filled with questions about what happened that night?

REV. TERRY WRIGHT, CUMMINGS` FAMILY PASTOR: Yes. You know, Jane, again, thanks so much for keeping Haleigh`s story out in front of the American people. You know, they`re dealing with it like I think every American family would deal with it.

They are far more concerned with finding their daughter than the perception of a nation or people that might question it. Look, there`s a lot of questions in this thing and we all know that. But they are clinging strong to their faith, they`re clinging to each other and they`re really focused on Haleigh coming home.

Just this morning, even though Equusearch left, you know the other day, Ronald was out this morning, riding a horse on his own, walking on his own, looking for areas -- looking in areas where maybe they`d looked before and trying to find his daughter.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But pastor, it`s not so much looking at the father -- his alibi that he was at work has been confirmed.

WRIGHT: Right.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s more Misty.

WRIGHT: Yes, yes. Yes, I spoke with Misty. And she claims that she was there all night. She had had a pretty active weekend, a few days prior to that, and was very tired. And went home and was resting.

Now, that`s what she`s told me. And, you know, that`s what she`s claiming, at least to me.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right.

Haleigh`s family, they have theories of their own as to what might have happened. Haleigh`s paternal grandmother Teresa Neves said this to Nancy Grace just last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY GRACE, "THE NANCY GRACE SHOW" HOST: What do you believe, Mrs. Neves? What do you believe happened to Haleigh?

TERESA NEVES, HALEIGH`S PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER: I believe that someone came in that house and took her. I believe that they either know my grandchildren and my family or Haleigh`s mother`s family or they had to watch for a while because my son is on the night shift. And anybody who knows my son knows he is very protective of his children. So no one would dare to come in when he is there.

So you`ve got to be talking about somebody who knew my son wouldn`t be there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Casey Jordan, you`re the criminal profiler, does that make sense?

JORDAN: I`m not going to at all rule out the idea of an abduction, but taking a sleeping child from the same bed as her caregiver if indeed Misty was sleeping in the same bed with little Haleigh --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, the story has changed a number of times.

JORDAN: Right.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now we hear that she was in sort of a blow-up bed four feet away in the same room.

JORDAN: Wow, and the more the story changes, the less credibility the last witness has. That is -- it just doesn`t happen. I mean, that the closest thing we`ve ever had is the Elizabeth Smart case where Elizabeth was taken from the same bedroom with her sister.

But her sister was 9 years old, and she wasn`t a caregiver. That is so high-risk. It`s virtually unknown.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right.

Stacey Honowitz, police confirmed today, that a car has been seized. No more details were given.

A former tenant of this doublewide trailer says that it was a very noisy trailer and he says that the floors are noisy, that it wouldn`t be able -- it wouldn`t be possible to take somebody out without waking up the inhabitants.

There is so much coming in, what do you make of this story? Because it just doesn`t seem to add up.

STACEY HONOWITZ, FLORIDA PROSECUTOR: Well, I`m going to tell you something very interesting, Jane. I don`t think anybody knows anything. I`ve tried child molestation cases for the last 20 years, and I`m going to tell you that there`s many cases where a child is molested right in the bed with the mother sitting there and another child.

So I`m not ruling anything out that it`s hard to go in and take a sleeping child. Yes, it is high-risk. Is it virtually impossible? No, it`s not. And I don`t think any of us are going to know anything until some pertinent leads come to fruition.

Now, if in fact, Misty was not there, if this lead does pan out, if somebody saw her out of the trailer at the time, then certainly the whole case of the investigation is going to change. So we`re going to have to wait and see.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Pastor, we`re running out of time. But I want to ask you, local stations reporting that little Haleigh has Turner syndrome, which is a chromosomal affliction that kind of affects body features, but she looks to me in all the photos as just a gorgeous young child and I don`t see any sign of it. What do you know?

WRIGHT: Yes, absolutely. As she attended our church, and involved in our kids ministry which is called Kid`s Creek (ph), she was just a normal little girl.

Over there having a great time learning about the Lord, learning about the reality of the Christian faith and just growing in her faith. And so, yes, there were no real obvious signs of that. I`m not real familiar with the syndrome and all of the implications, but she seemed real normal to us.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow. Well, listen, I want to say to you, pastor, that I -- my heart and speaking for my whole staff here, our hearts go out to what the Cummings family is going through. And we do pray that somehow something we say will trigger something in somebody`s mind and that they will make a call to authorities and this child will come home safely.

Let`s hope, right?

Thank you to my fabulous panel.

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ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL

Aired February 19, 2009 - 19:00:00   ET

(Sniped to include only text pertaining to Haleigh Cummings)

Meanwhile, we turn to the desperate search for five-year-old of Florida, Haleigh Cummings now missing for ten days. Her father`s girlfriend, Misty Croslin, re-questioned by investigators today and then there was this stunning announcement by authorities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF JEFF HARDY, PUTNAM COUNTY SHERIFF`S DEPARTMENT: An arrest was made on a sexual predator here in Putnam County. However, this particular person does not have any direct link to Haleigh Cummings as far as being able to put him anywhere near her residence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Earlier, Haleigh`s father, Ron, spoke out at a very emotional news conference.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONALD CUMMINGS, HALEIGH`S FATHER: Please bring my daughter home. And she`s not yours. It`s not property. You know, it`s not something that you just take and say it`s mine or whatever. This is my daughter. This is blood. And I would like to have my daughter back, please. Please, bring my daughter home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hopefully somebody out there is listening and will do precisely that.

Troubling questions keep surfacing. Is Ron`s girlfriend, Misty, reportedly the last person to see Haleigh, telling the truth about where she was that fateful night?

And could reports that Ron fought about a gun just one day before little Haleigh went missing provide a much needed break in this case?

Let`s go straight to my excellent panel: Ashleigh Banfield, anchor on the Legal Network "In Session" and Terry Lyles, psychologist, plus Jennifer Bauer, a reporter at CNN affiliate WJXT TV.

Jennifer, what is the very latest?

JENNIFER BAUER, CNN AFFILIATE WJXT TV REPORTER: Well, today in that news conference this afternoon, Jane, you heard Sheriff Jeff Hardy announce the arrest of Timothy Lou Kakis (ph). He is a registered sex predator here in Putnam County, but in the same breath Sheriff Jeff Hardy said his arrest has nothing to do with Haleigh`s disappearance.

However, he is a registered sexual predator. Sheriff Hardy called him a dangerous individual who wears a GPS monitoring device. Apparently last night, he violated curfew and so this afternoon, detectives went, picked him up and put him in jail.

Sheriff Hardy tells us he is being questioned about the Haleigh case, but he tells us right now there is no direct link.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, among the hundreds of tips, one that Ron Cummings, the dad, got into a fight about a gun just one day before little Haleigh`s disappearance. He was asked about that this morning at the news conference. Listen to his response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CUMMINGS: There was no fight with no cousin over a gun. I don`t know where people are getting information from. You know, people say a lot of things. And they don`t know what they`re talking about.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you didn`t have an altercation with anybody verbally, physically, at all before?

CUMMINGS: I don`t have any enemies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But Ashleigh Banfield, this claim that he had a fight reportedly came from his own family members who alleged that Ron accused this other guy of stealing a gun and then the man disappeared and the next day, the gun was found in a ditch.

He says it`s not true, but if there is a missing man with a grudge against the child`s father, I mean, how do police check this out?

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, ANCHOR OF "IN SESSION": Well, everything that happens, especially if it`s something unusual within hours of a missing -- you know, a missing child, but it`s kind of tough because at this point, we don`t know anything except what one report is from a family member.

And that family member didn`t suggest it was a cousin. Just suggested that it was a person, they couldn`t remember anything, they didn`t even know where it had happened. They did say that the gun was retrieved and they also know this, that -- that the father in this case actually said to the police responding, if I find the person who did this, I`ve got a gun and I`ll use it on him.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Absolutely. He did say that.

Now, I have to go back to Jennifer Bauer and this very, very cryptic set of questions and possible leads. Please sort it out because what I have is based on questions that were asked at a news conference which the authorities didn`t answer.

But there has been something raised about a cousin of Misty`s -- a possible cousin of Misty near Knoxville, Tennessee, who may have a history as a sex predator who may have been seen with a little girl that was shielded when the person approached.

Again, this is total speculation but we`re trying to get to the bottom of this.

BAUER: Yes, Jane. That`s the problem, there`s so many rumors floating about. We are hearing that there were possible Haleigh sightings in Tennessee and maybe he met at a Caraboo`s (ph) Restaurant.

All we know here in Putnam County is that the Sheriff Jeff Hardy is not confirming any of these sightings or talking about Haleigh being in Tennessee. But he did say that Misty has a relative who lives in Tennessee that has been questioned.

That relative is not in custody and the sheriff would not comment on whether or not he is a registered sexual offender or predator, but he did say that that relative was in Satsuma recently visiting Misty and went back to Tennessee.

We don`t have a timeline. And we don`t know when he was here and when he went back, but we do know that relative has been questioned and we do know that relative is not in custody.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Jennifer, a quick follow-up. I thought I heard something in the mix of all of these sort of rumors floating around that somebody -- aside from the air conditioner repairman had visited Misty at the trailer hours before the little girl disappeared.

Like some sort of cousin of hers.

BANFIELD: Yes, that`s right. And we`re trying to confirm that as well, Jane, because as I mention, there is a lot of speculations, a lot of rumors going around. We`re trying to find out if it is this relative, if it was a friend, but the sheriff will not comment.

All he is saying that people are being questioned and they are following up on those now 1,300 tips.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Right, a lot of questions over Ron`s girlfriend Misty and whether her story checks out.

Listen to what Ron had to say about his 17-year-old girlfriend just today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In your heart, do you believe that Misty was, indeed, home and that she has been telling the truth?

CUMMINGS: Yes, I believe she`s telling the truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So he says he believes her, but listen to this part of the 911 call made when Haleigh was first reported missing.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

CUMMINGS: Hello?

OPERATOR: Ok, sir. Let me talk to your wife.

Let me get some information from her.

MISTY CROSLIN: [INAUDIBLE]

OPERATOR: Ok, can I talk to her?

CUMMINGS: How the [bleep] do you let my daughter get stolen, [bleep]

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ashleigh, he seems very angry. What do you think, is he suspicious or not?

BANFIELD: I wouldn`t read anything into that. I can only imagine as a parent what it would be like upon learning that your child is missing in the middle of the night. You might want to blame anybody around you.

I wouldn`t read a thing into that. My heart goes out to this father at this point. And I`m thinking back, Jane -- I know you covered this as well -- to Mark Lunsford who also was in a trailer whose child was also missing in the middle of the night.

And then sadly, a sexual predator was at fault for that, only a few trailers away, and they had actually looked at that trailer.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You are absolutely right. It can happen. And certainly we shouldn`t cast any aspersions or suspicions on anyone. It`s way too early. Ashleigh, Jennifer, thanks

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NANCY GRACE

Sex Offender Arrested Near Missing Haleigh`s Home

Aired February 19, 2009 - 20:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

NANCY GRACE, HOST: Breaking news tonight, Satsuma, Florida. A 5- year-old little girl tucked into bed, five hours later, she`s gone, vanished into thin air, the back door propped wide open. The father comes home from the night shift to find not a single trace of little Haleigh.

Bombshell tonight. In the last hours, a sex predator -- repeat, a convicted sex predator -- living less than one mile from Haleigh in custody tonight. But is he connected to Haleigh`s kidnap? We also confirm investigators seize a car, possibly a Toyota Rav-4 SUV, processing that vehicle for evidence as we go to air.

This as girlfriend/baby-sitter Misty Croslin, with Haleigh the night she was taken, has now been taken into custody for questioning, taken in a police car. Despite a tip to police Croslin was not home when Haleigh disappears, the entire family standing behind her. We are hearing she is now through with questioning. And tonight, detectives plow ahead with more polygraphs and another round of questioning for family members. Has Haleigh been spotted in Knoxville, Tennessee? The reward climbing tonight as the search goes on. Tonight, where is Haleigh?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Breaking news in the case of missing 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings, who police say was abducted from her own bed in the middle of the night. Police have arrested a sexual predator that lives about a mile away from where Haleigh Cummings was last seen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: An arrest was made on a sexual predator here in Putnam County. However, this particular person does not have any direct link to Haleigh Cummings as far as being able to put him anywhere near her residence.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Florida investigators say there is no direct link between the sex offender just arrested and Haleigh`s disappearance. Authorities say they are still not ruling anyone out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m not going to exclude anybody from not being involved. This man is a sex predator.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Over 1,30- tips have come in as investigators continue to search for Haleigh`s abductor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m looking for Haleigh wherever she`s at. I do not have her. So I am looking and I`m looking for the information that will get to her recovery.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Officials confirm they have seized a vehicle in this case but would not specify who the vehicle belonged to or where it was recovered. The reward has now increased to $16,000 as the family waits in tents, hoping for Haleigh`s safe return.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`ll be right here, waiting.

RONALD CUMMINGS, FATHER: I`ll be here every day until my child returns.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: That entire family living in tents while they`re looking for their little girl.

And breaking news tonight in the desperate search for another beautiful 2-year-old girl, Caylee. Six months of searching culminates when skeletal remains found in a heavily-wooded are just 15 houses from the Anthonys` confirmed to be Caylee, manner of death homicide. This after a utility meter reader stumbles on a tiny human skeleton, including a skull covered in light-colored hair. The killer duct tapes the child`s mouth and then finishes off by placing a heart-shaped sticker over the child`s mouth, then triple bagging her like she`s trash.

As we go to air, reports emerge tot mom doubles over, hyperventilating, demanding medication when she is purposely shown live TV coverage of the discovery of Caylee`s body, the entire thing caught on jailhouse video. And just released, hundreds of police investigative files, literally over 1,000 crime scene photos taken by land, by air, tot mom`s personal diary, duct tape, stickers, diapers, laundry bag, garbage bags and clothing -- it`s all part of state`s evidence.

And tonight, did grandparents George and Cindy Anthony`s private eye change his story again? He`s caught on video in the same wooded area just weeks before Caylee`s found. Now we learn he made three -- that`s right, one, two, three -- separate trips to that very same spot beforehand. Why?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Breaking developments in the case of 2-year-old Florida toddler Caylee Anthony. Newly-released documents detail evidence collected at both the crime scene and later the Anthony home during the execution of two search warrants. Items including duct tape, a laundry bag and clothing all found at the crime scene appear very similar to items found inside the home of George, Cindy and tot mom Casey Anthony.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When investigators collected the evidence from the house after Caylee`s remains were found, they say in the documents that Cindy Anthony told them a Winnie-the-Pooh blanket was missing from Caylee`s bed. Caylee`s remains were found with a Winnie-the-Pooh blanket.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Meanwhile, the Anthony family private investigator`s interview with police is being released by the judge`s order, even though the defense argued the information could be privileged.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This chilling video, which has been given exclusively to channel 9, shows the Anthonys` private investigator, Dominic Casey, in November, searching and ramming a metal rod into the ground here at the crime scene, mere feet from where Caylee Anthony`s remains were later found.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: PI Dominic Casey telling police why he was at the crime scene a month before Caylee`s skull and bones were found. Dominic Casey told investigators, at first he tried (ph) to determine if the location was a teenage hangout, as he had heard from the tot mom`s friends. But on his way there, Dominic Casey says he got a call from a psychic suggesting this could be where Caylee`s remains were located.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Good evening. I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us. In the last hours, a sex predator living less than one mile from little Haleigh in custody tonight. But is he connected to Haleigh`s kidnap?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The search continues for missing 5-year-old Florida girl Haleigh Cummings, who police believe was kidnapped from her own bed last week. Authorities announce they`ve arrested a sexual predator who lives about a mile from Haleigh`s home for violating the terms of his probation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The man`s name is Timothy Randolph Loucakis. He`s a 50-year-old white male, and he does live within about a mile from Haleigh`s residence. This man is a sex predator. That means he`s a very dangerous individual. I mean, there`s no getting around that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Putnam County officials say there is no evidence linking the sex offender, Timothy Loucakis, to Haleigh`s abduction, but say they will continue to treat everyone as a suspect.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re questioning a lot of people and family members. We have polygraphs going on as we speak.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police confirm they are re-interviewing girlfriend Misty Croslin today and have also seized a vehicle as part of their investigation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t have any suspicions of anybody. Anybody could have done anything. I don`t know what`s what.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We`re thinking the worst not for Haleigh because I still feel she`s alive. But I just -- everybody`s a suspect.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A $16,000 reward is now being offered as tips continue to pour in, over 1,300 so far, Haleigh`s family holding out hope Haleigh will be brought home to them, even staying in tents near the home where the 5-year-old was taken in the middle of the night.

CUMMINGS: I`d ask that you please, please bring my daughter home. She`s not yours. It`s not property. You know, it`s not something that you just take and say, It`s mine, or whatever. This is my daughter. This is blood, and I would like to have my daughter back. Please, please bring my daughter home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Straight out to T.J. Hart with WSKY 97.3 FM. He`s standing outside the family tent. And it breaks my heart to say the "family tent." Their home is still deemed to be a crime scene, where the little girl was taken. They have nowhere to go. They are living in tents while the search for their little girl goes on.

T.J., what can you tell me about a convicted sex offender -- I`ve seen his photo, he looks to be about 50 -- living less than a mile from little Haleigh? What can you tell me?

T.J. HART, WSKY 97.3 FM: Fifty-year-old Timothy Loucakis does indeed live about a mile away from the home, and he was picked up here just last night with -- he was away from his home zone. He violated the order of his release. He had his GPS device on. Not only did he violate curfew, but he also got outside of his home zone. He was taken in not only for arrest, but also for further questioning today.

GRACE: Uh-uh. Uh-uh. Uh-uh. Listen, T.J. Hart, I`m sure you remember the recent case, Jennifer Hudson, "American Idol," the guy was taken into custody for a parole violation, for not reporting in. That is a technical violation. It is extremely rare to be arrested for a technical violation such as breaking curfew. Tell me what this guy`s history is.

HART: This history -- he did have a history of performing a sex act on a youngster and -- excuse me here, we`re being interrupted here by a train (INAUDIBLE)

GRACE: Hold on! Hold on! Hold on, T.J. I`ll go to our producer, Matt Zarrell, standing by. Matt, what can you tell me about this guy`s history quickly?

MATT ZARRELL, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Well, in 2001, he was convicted of trying to make a video of porn and distribute it over the Internet. Now, apparently, what happened...

GRACE: Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Everybody and their half-brother is selling porn and distributing porn on the Internet. What does that have to do with a child molestation? Matt, you`ve got to be more specific.

ZARRELL: OK. What happened was, is that there was a 10-year-old girl that he was trying to set up a "meet and greet" with. And what he did was he sent child pornography pictures to who he thought was the child`s father. Turns out the father is an FDLE agent. So he was arrested before the meeting ever took place.

GRACE: OK. And he`s convicted of that, of trying to send porn to -- did you say to the child or to the father?

ZARRELL: He tried to send it to the father, who he thought was the child`s father.

GRACE: So he -- OK, wait. He was sending porn to the child`s father? He thought he was sending porn to the father?

ZARRELL: He thought he was sending porn to the child`s father in order to set up his "meet and greet."

GRACE: And that`s the way he thought he was going to get to see the child?

ZARRELL: That`s our understanding, according to reports.

GRACE: Good Lord in heaven!

OK, back to T.J. Hart, I think we`ll be able to hear you now, joining us from WSKY. He`s standing outside the family tent. OK, T.J., you`re saying he was picked up on a technical curfew violation. Yes, no.

HART: Yes, he was, and he was brought in for questioning, and they had him in there until this afternoon. I don`t know if he`s been released at this point in time.

GRACE: OK, to Michelle Sigona with "America`s Most Wanted." What more can you tell me about this guy, Timothy Randolph Loucakis? I`ve got his rap sheet, his information right here in my hand. What more do we know, Michelle?

MICHELLE SIGONA, "AMERICA`S MOST WANTED": I can tell you, Nancy, based off of what an investigator just told me about 15 minutes ago, that Timothy did, in fact, have a GPS tracking device on him. That GPS tracking device was checked around the time that Caylee went missing, and he was around his home. He was nowhere where Haleigh went missing. So that is what I can confirm to you at this time. And yes, he is being questioned by authorities.

GRACE: Of course, Michelle, that depends on what time Haleigh went missing. It all depends on that timeline reported by Misty Croslin, the 17-year-old girlfriend/baby-sitter.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CUMMINGS: I would like to tell my daughter, if she`s watching, baby, I love you and we will find you. I love you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Another tough day, another desperate plea.

CUMMINGS: I just want my daughter home. That`s it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Today investigators brought in Misty Croslin for more questioning. She`s Haleigh`s dad`s girlfriend and the last person who saw Haleigh when she tucked her into bed. Investigators now say Haleigh wasn`t wearing the pink T-shirt they originally thought she had on the night she disappeared.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We still think she was wearing it when she was put in bed.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Deputies say they`ve interviewed a cousin of Misty`s who was visiting from Tennessee before Haleigh`s disappearance.

CUMMINGS: (INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you suspect she did anything?

CUMMINGS: I don`t have any suspicions of anybody. Anybody could have done anything. I don`t know what`s what. Obviously, if I knew what was going on, I`d have my daughter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

DISPATCHER: Green Lane. The complainant (INAUDIBLE) she cannot find her 5-year-old daughter. The back door is open at this time.

DETECTIVE: I got the age on this kid. Is it a boy or a girl?

DISPATCHER: Whiskey Foxtrot, last seen wearing her PJs.

DETECTIVE: 10-4

DETECTIVE: 1256.

DISPATCHER: 1256?

DETECTIVE: There`s a railroad track that runs right through there. Can we find out from CSX when the next train comes through?

DISPATCHER: 10-4.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

GRACE: Whiskey Foxtrot -- white female. That is police radio communications that we are now hearing the night little Haleigh was found missing from her own bed.

I want to go straight out to a special guest joining us there outside the family tent. This is Teresa Neves, the paternal grandmother of Haleigh. She is preparing to head to a vigil for little Haleigh. Ms. Neves, thank you for being with us. I understand that the girlfriend/baby- sitter, Misty Croslin, was taken in a police vehicle for questioning today. What happened?

TERESA NEVES, PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER: Well, to my knowledge, they took her in and questioned her. I couldn`t tell you what happened. I have not spoken with Misty. I`m assuming that they needed to talk to her, you know? And we want them to talk to as many people as they have to talk to to find the truth about where our Haleigh is. I don`t care who that is or when they do it.

GRACE: Tell me, how is your son holding up? We`re on day 10 now.

NEVES: Ronald`s having a hard time. She`s his little girl. He loves her. He`s having a very hard time.

GRACE: And you know what, Ms. Neves? They`ve been through so much with Haleigh and her medical problems with the Turner syndrome, and he has been there by her side throughout all of this and I know his heart is breaking. They have got a very special bond after all of her illness that she has suffered, and now this.

I want to go back to Misty Croslin. Did she volunteer to go in to speak to police? Did she request to go speak to police, or did they want to see her themselves?

NEVES: Today I believe that they wanted to see her. Misty has made herself open to them at any time, and they came to see her.

GRACE: I understand we are now hearing that she was, in fact, the one who alerted police that she had discovered the pink pajama top that they found outside the back door.

NEVES: I`m not exactly sure where they found it. They`re not telling us where they found it, only that they did find the shirt that she was supposed to be wearing.

GRACE: What more can you tell us? What are police -- what information are they sharing with the family?

NEVES: That they have leads that they`re following. We don`t get a whole lot more information. We usually get an update right before they go in to media, but we don`t get much more information. And I understand that because we want them to do whatever it takes to bring Haleigh home. We don`t want to interfere with anything that they`re doing.

GRACE: So your son is having to live in a tent right now. There`s nowhere else for him to go because his home is still deemed a crime scene?

NEVES: His home is still a crime scene, but I don`t think if they opened it, my son would ever be able to go back in there. And I don`t believe that he wants to leave from right here where they took his baby until she comes home.

GRACE: Ms. Neves, did he tell you that?

NEVES: Did he tell me that? He told me he would not leave unless they make him. He will not leave until somebody brings his baby back to him.

GRACE: Ms. Neves, what does he believe happened to Haleigh?

BREMNER: You know, if he had any -- any kind of clue, he would be wherever he thought they had Haleigh. You couldn`t stop him.

GRACE: I see that there are a lot of people there with candles. Is that the vigil happening right now?

BREMNER: No, ma`am. No, ma`am. Those candles burn for Haleigh every day.

GRACE: Ms. Neves, what is your day -- what is the day of your son, Ronald, like during all of this search?

NEVES: He gets up every morning and he goes and he finds somebody who will search with him. He searched with Equusearch for two or three days, and he searched with volunteers. He spends his day looking for Haleigh.

GRACE: What about his job?

NEVES: You know, they`ve been good, I guess. He really is not going to worry about his job right now. He`s not worried about anything but Haleigh. All he wants is for Haleigh to come home. He can always find a job.

GRACE: What have police told you, if anything, about an alleged sighting of Haleigh in Knoxville, Tennessee?

NEVES: A sighting? I heard it on TV. I haven`t heard that from the police. No law enforcement has told me that.

GRACE: When you said that Ronald, your son, is not taking it very well, what did you mean by that?

NEVES: He`s lost without his little girl. He holds onto his little boy and he prays for that little girl every night and every day. He searches however he can.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m trying to do everything to find her, you know, answer any questions I have to because I know I didn`t do anything to that little girl. I would never hurt her. They love me. They love me. They look at me like their mom, you know? You ask little Junior. He`ll tell you. You know, they talk lovely (ph) about me and I`m so good to them kids.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: We are taking your calls live. We are live outside the family tent, the family of little Haleigh now living in tent. They don`t have anywhere they can go. They refuse to be far away from the scene where little Haleigh was taken. There you are seeing a live shot of what is happening right now.

We just spoke with the paternal grandmother. I want to go now to Marie Griffis, the maternal grandmother of little Haleigh. Ms. Griffis, along with Crystal Sheffield, Haleigh`s mother, also joining us there outside the family tent. Ms. Griffis, what do you make of the developments today, the baby-sitter/girlfriend taken away in a squad car for questioning?

MARIE GRIFFIS, MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER: I don`t know what to make of it. They`re taking her in so many times, it`s like they know she might know something.

GRACE: How many times do you believe she has been questioned?

GRIFFIS: I`ve -- I`ve known of three different days they`ve taken her out, including today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello.

911 OPERATOR: OK. Sir, let me talk to your wife. Let me get some information from her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man, (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (expletive deleted)

911 OPERATOR: Can I talk to her?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

911 OPERATOR: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (expletive deleted) (INAUDIBLE).

911 OPERATOR: What`s her date of birth.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (expletive deleted) (INAUDIBLE) (expletive deleted)

911 OPERATOR: OK. Tell him we understand. We need to get her date of birth.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What`s her date of birth?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (expletive deleted) we need to find her, (expletive deleted) her date of birth.

911 OPERATOR: Tell him we`ve got them coming. He needs to try to calm down a little bit, OK? The officers are going to come out there and do what they can. We can`t have him screaming and yelling at the officers whenever they get there, OK?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give me the (expletive deleted) phone. I`ve got better people to talk to than (expletive deleted) that ain`t coming.

911 OPERATOR: Can we check with St. John (INAUDIBLE) and see if they can put a chopper in the air for us?

DISPATCHER: 10-4.

911 OPERATOR: Also if you can contact Tenner (ph) at home and tell him I need to get him a boat prepared that would go into canal areas, one of the smaller ones, and get activated and head down this way.

DISPATCHER: 10-4.

DEPUTY #2: When you all make contact with Deputy Tenner, advise him it`s going to be east of the Hermit Cove Marine and (INAUDIBLE) south- southwest of the railroad track.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

GRACE: Tonight, the babysitter/girlfriend, 17-year-old Misty Croslin taken back in a squad car for more police questioning. All this as a local convicted sex offender, a 50-year-old guy trying to meet a 10-year-old girl via child porn also taken into custody, but is it connected to Haleigh`s kidnapping?

In the middle of all of this tornado, we have got an alleged sighting of the little girl in Knoxville, Tennessee. We are taking your calls, live to Cassandra (ph), North Carolina. Hi, dear.

CALLER: Hi, thanks for having me on.

GRACE: Thank you for calling. What`s your question, dear?

CALLER: I just wanted to know, did anybody check out the family for drugs in the house?

GRACE: Excellent question. To Crystal Sheffield, this is Haleigh`s mother who is joining us right now outside the family tent. As you know, the family is estranged. Haleigh is living with her father right now. The mother lives about a hundred miles away. She is joining us today there at the scene.

Crystal Sheffield, thank you for being with us. Was the family checked out for possible drug use, anything, cocaine, methamphetamine, anything?

CRYSTAL SHEFFIELD, MOTHER OF MISSING 5-YEAR-OLD HALEIGH: I have no idea.

GRACE: What can you tell me, back to.

SHEFFIELD: I haven`t heard anything about it.

GRACE: OK. To T.J. Hart with WSKY, also joining us there at the family tent, what can you tell us about that?

T.J. HART, PROGRAM & NEWS DIRECTOR, WSKY: We`ve not received any information, nor I have been able to independently verify any information pertaining to drugs in the house the night of the disappearance or any time prior.

GRACE: To Michelle Sigona, "America`s Most Wanted," I haven`t heard a word about any drugs being in the home, have you?

MICHELLE SIGONA, "AMERICA`S MOST WANTED": No, I haven`t either, Nancy, but I can tell you that investigators, you know, again, have taken a lot of evidence out of that house. They have sent it out to a crime lab in Jacksonville where they`re awaiting some DNA results to come back.

Those results have not come back yet, along with the car that was seized earlier today. They will not say whose car that belongs to, but that car is there as well as investigators continue to comb through the vehicle, through the inside of the house, and also re-questioning a lot of the family members today.

As you mentioned, they did bring back in Misty. She did go willingly, not in handcuffs. She was picked up in an unmarked car, she was dropped back off in an unmarked car. And what investigators tell me even within the last hour, is that Misty, along with Ronald are in 100 percent cooperation with investigators.

Any time they want to be brought in for questioning, they are there. They are willing to do whatever it takes to help find Haleigh.

GRACE: OK. Right there, Mike Brooks, something is wrong. It has been 10 days. It doesn`t take 10 days to get a DNA result. I can just tell you that right now. Unless -- wait a minute, unless they don`t have anyone to compare the DNA to.

Say they`ve compared it to the father, the girlfriend, family members, X, Y, and Z. It`s not theirs, they`ve got to have somebody to match it up to. You see where I`m going?

MIKE BROOKS, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Absolutely, Nancy. And if it was a child predator, registered sex offender, that would be in that codice (ph), the national database of people from local, state, and federal who have been through the system.

One thing I just want to point out, Nancy, that 911 call we were listening to with Ronald Cummings, something struck me when I was listening to it just this last time. When they were talking -- the dispatcher was talking to him, he said, you all are F-ing playing games. If he`s talking to Misty, who is "you all"? "You all" is plural. Who is he talking about?

GRACE: Well, why would you think he`s talking to the girlfriend? Because my interpretation of that call was he was PO`d at the 911 operator, and I don`t blame him. They`re screaming, my daughter`s gone, my daughter`s gone, and they`re going, what`s her DOB?

BROOKS: Right. Now -- but -- exactly, but -- that`s OK, but they`ve got cars on the way. That`s the way they do, they can type it in while cars are going. In fact, from the dispatcher, it was -- the call was received at 3:27, dispatched at 3:28.

GRACE: You know, Brooks, Brooks, save it. I`ve been in the dispatch office. I`ve seen.

BROOKS: Did you see the police report, too, Nancy?

GRACE: Yes.

BROOKS: When he called his girlfriend?

GRACE: Yes. And? And?

BROOKS: OK. Well, there has got to be some reason why he was calling -- when he told the police "my dumb `B` girlfriend," and he called her that on the dispatch tapes. There was something else going on there, Nancy, I guarantee it.

GRACE: I hate to shatter your illusions, but that type of language amongst live-ins, married people, boyfriend-girlfriend, is not all that unusual, especially in a pressurized situation, right?

BROOKS: Oh, OK. I don`t know what -- no, whatever you say. You must have experience, because apparently, I don`t.

GRACE: I`m going go back to Crystal Sheffield, the mother of little Haleigh.

Ms. Sheffield, I understand that the girlfriend has been taken back for police questioning at least three times. What do you make of it?

SHEFFIELD: I don`t know what to make of it. It bothers me, but I really don`t know what to make of it.

GRACE: What do you mean it bothers you?

SHEFFIELD: I mean, her story has changed several times and now she`s the one that supposedly found the shirt. I mean, it just -- it doesn`t make sense, and I know my kids did love her. They told me that, and I just hope she would not have nothing to do with this.

GRACE: Explain to me the circumstances under which the pink pajama top was found. What do you know about that because that was a description Misty Croslin gave police and then suddenly she found the shirt. What happened?

SHEFFIELD: I was down talking to Ronald, me and my cousin drove down there. She was giving my son some birthday presents and a detective was down there and Ronald called me over there and the detective told me that they had found a shirt Haleigh was wearing.

And I broke down and then I walked away and Teresa (ph) walked over to me and was talking to me and the detective walked over and he was, like, did you know -- do you know what happened?

And she was, like, yes. And he was, like, you know that we found the shirt in the house. And that bothered me. And then today, this morning, I do believe it was, I got the paper from the store and it says that Misty found the shirt in the house, I guess, by the back door in the dirty clothes pile.

GRACE: So that`s near the back door, the back door that was found propped open with a cinder block?

SHEFFIELD: Yes.

GRACE: Crystal, do you know if any other items of clothing of Haleigh`s are missing?

SHEFFIELD: I wouldn`t -- I`ve never been in that house. I wouldn`t know.

GRACE: OK. And back to Marie Griffis, the maternal grandmother of Haleigh Cummings. Were you also aware that Misty Croslin was the one that found the pink T-shirt? Of course, she found it, which is a little suspicious, but she also pointed it out to police.

MARIE GRIFFIS, MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER OF MISSING 5-YEAR-OLD HALEIGH: Not until Crystal told me she had read in the paper that Misty found it by the door. I had -- we had heard that an officer had found it. But if they found it by the backdoor in the dirty clothes then somebody evidently put Haleigh in fresh, clean clothes before they took her out of that house.

GRACE: Everyone, we are going to break, we are taking your calls live. With me little Haleigh`s mother and grandmother there outside the family tent. These people are having to live in tents while the little girl is being searched for.

The Joan Gaeta Lung Cancer Foundation is fighting the number one cancer killer in the world, lung cancer, claiming more lives than breast, colon, prostate, melanoma, and kidney cancer combined. You don`t have to smoke to get lung cancer. Joan Gaeta, a beloved wife, mother of five and teacher lost her battle with lung cancer, and in her honor, the second annual "Dancing for Joan" fundraiser for lung cancer research, this Saturday, Feb. 21, Marietta, Georgia. For info or to make a donation, go to dancingforjoan.org.

And tonight, a heartfelt happy birthday to veteran New York trial lawyer Richard Herman. And please, I`m asking for your thoughts and prayers for Richard in the fight of a lifetime, battling leukemia. Richard, we are thinking of you right now. Happy birthday, friend, and please stay strong.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

>>END OF HALEIGH COVERAGE<<

[Sassycat]

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0902/20/ijvm.01.html

ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL

New Evidence Released in Caylee Anthony Case; Where is Haleigh; Full House

Aired February 20, 2009 - 19:00:00   ET


>snipped to only include parts pertaining to Haleigh<

Coming up, breaking developments in the desperate search for 5-year- old Haleigh Cummings. New questions surrounding Misty Croslin. Stunning, shocking new developments just in.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HLN ANCHOR: Shocking new developments in the search for little Haleigh Cummings: more questions surround Misty Croslin`s, the father`s girlfriend. Following up on tips of a possible Haleigh`s sightings in Tennessee, cops reportedly questioned Croslin`s relatives who lives there. Too many leads, too few answers -- where do investigators go from here?

Then, I`ll have the latest on octo-mom Nadya Suleman. Did she really buy a million-dollar home?

And shocking twists in the alleged beating of pop superstar Rihanna. I`ll tell you about it.

Stunning new developments coming in fast and furious in the search for missing Florida girl Haleigh Cummings: now the story has crossed state borders. Police today questioned Misty Croslin`s cousin, now referred to as Joe, hundreds of miles away in Tennessee. Reports suggest that it was this cousin who got into a fight with father, Ron Cummings hours before little Haleigh disappeared and that he had taken off to Tennessee afterwards.

All this made more compelling by a tip that a girl matching Haleigh`s description was seen in a Knoxville, Tennessee Carrabba`s Restaurant in a red Toyota RAV-4 with Florida license plates and that her face was shielded by a man.

Haleigh`s family held a news conference today and answered the many questions about this mysterious cousin, Joe, who Misty says she doesn`t trust.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I bet you don`t trust him?

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS, HALEIGH`S AUNT: We don`t either.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why don`t you trust him?

NEVES: Well, from the newspaper clips that we have and what we`ve heard, he might not be a very good person for Haleigh to be with. We`re just hoping that if he does know something that he tells someone so we can bring her home safely.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you feel comfortable with this man who you consider potentially a pedophile in a home with Haleigh? He was in the home at one point.

TERESA NEVES, HALEY`S GRANDMOTHER: You know, you trust your friends and your family to bring in people that you can trust. He did not carry a sign that says "I`m a sexual offender and I`m going to steal your child." He carried nothing like that.

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.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Also in the mix, a car impounded and a sex offender at large. Could any of this lead to a major break in the case?

I want to go straight to my expert panel to examine all the various leads.

Don Clark, former special agent in charge in Houston FBI. And Drew Findling, Atlanta criminal defense attorney. Plus, Lisa Bloom, anchor on the legal network "In Session" and T.J. Hart, program and news director at WSKY 97.3 FM, on the scene.

T.J., what is the very latest, particularly as regards this Joe person?

T.J. HART, WSKY 97.3 FM: This Joe person has become a person of interest. We`ve been hearing lots about a man who may be a relative up until late yesterday who lives in Tennessee and who may have been here during the time frame when young Haleigh disappeared.

Now he has a name. He goes by Joe. At least that`s how he`s being identified today. Misty Croslin was on morning television today, and she spoke a bit about this character Joe, this cousin, and she said she doesn`t trust him, she doesn`t trust him at all. She doesn`t think he`s a good person.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Is there any confirmation that he indeed has some kind of record as a pedophile because that`s what the family was referring to in the news conference.

HART: That`s the suggestion that`s being made, and that`s the lead that we`ve been following for a couple of days now. One, who is this cousin? What is this person`s full name? What is his age? And I`ve been looking through the sexual predator registries on just what I have. And of course, you`re not going to get much with what I`ve told you already.

But in the press conference yesterday at 3:00, with Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy, he said I`m not going to answer that question. So he just declined to answer; very tight-lipped about the situation and the status of this cousin.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right, so much to talk about.

The girlfriend of Haleigh`s father, Ron Cummings, appeared on "The Today Show" this morning. When asked about this cousin in Tennessee, here is what Misty said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MISTY CROSLIN, GIRLFRIEND OF RONALD CUMMINGS: He`s -- you know, he`s a criminal pretty much. He`s been in trouble his whole life. I don`t trust him. No, I don`t.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Lisa Bloom, this is such scary information. And then you dovetail it with this tip about a child that looks like Haleigh being spotted at a restaurant with a white male and, according to some reports, a mystery woman as well.

And my thought is why didn`t we know about this a long time ago? I mean, if this guy had had a fight with the father of this missing child, wouldn`t that be the very first person they would go to find since he would have some kind of motive?

LISA BLOOM, ANCHOR OF "IN SESSION": Jane, you are putting your finger on the most important development in the case over the past couple of weeks, and that is Misty, 17 years old, having the presence of mind to say on television, you know what, I don`t trust this guy. I don`t trust my cousin.

And you would expect her to say, well, he`s my family member, I`m sure everything`s fine. She doesn`t say that. And we know that when a child is missing it`s about a 95 percent chance that somebody in the family or somebody she knew is the one who abducted her. It`s the stranger abduction that gets all of the attention, but usually it`s a family member or somebody who knows her.

So I agree with you. Look, I`m sure Misty knows her cousin`s real name and they doesn`t just call him by Joe. I`m sure she knows where he lives.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.

BLOOM: And I hope that she`s given that information to the police and they are following this as closely as you are because this is a very significant development.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`m just wondering, we`re in day 11 now, why this didn`t happen sooner.

New reports suggest that it was Misty`s cousin Joe who was fighting with Haleigh`s dad, Ron, the night before she disappeared. But when asked about that fight yesterday, here`s what Ron had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONALD CUMMINGS, FATHER OF HALEIGH CUMMINGS: There was no fight with no cousin over a gun. I don`t know where people are getting information from. But you know, people say -- people say a lot of things, and they don`t know what they`re talking about.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You didn`t have an altercation with anybody verbally, physically at all before --

CUMMINGS: I don`t have any enemies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But that report claims came from a relative, Don Clark. Now if this fight in fact did occur, wouldn`t it be in the father`s best interest to come clean with it immediately to help police?

I mean, wouldn`t he want to say to the cops, "Check this out, I got into a fight right before Haleigh disappeared and he might be seeking revenge?"

DON CLARK, FMR. SPECIAL AGENT, HOUSTON FBI: Absolutely. The two adults involved here, number one, the young lady who was there, that person has to be continually talked to in my opinion if her defense attorney`s going to allow. Or hopefully a defense attorney would allow it.

But also the father too. They can`t be playing these games if that`s a good person, and that is a good person. The key is here let`s get the information that`s going to give the police some leads to try to find this little girl.

And it doesn`t make any difference about whether this was a good person or not. Now, if there`s an issue there, let`s spell it out right now.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: T.J. Hart, was this cousin at the trailer hours before little Haleigh disappeared? Because I remember a week ago hearing that there was an air-conditioning repairman there. He had been questioned and cleared. And there was also a report at the same time, I can`t remember the source, that Misty`s cousin had stopped by the trailer earlier with some of her nephews.

Is this the same person, this Joe because that would explain everything? I mean, it could account for how this door was mysteriously opened that was supposed to be locked. If somebody`s in a trailer, they can unlock the door when nobody`s looking.

HART: Well, Jane, this right now is having this person of interest, Joe as he`s being referred to, being in this area, this tight little area, during the time of the disappearance. But no one has said anything about cousins, and no one has said anything about nephews, rather, at the time.

This is something I`ve not been able to confirm at this point. But it is something that my other reporters are working on.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, girlfriend Misty was re-questioned yesterday and was reportedly at the sheriff`s office for five hours. Misty was also asked on "The Today Show" about finding the pink shirt that Haleigh was supposedly wearing when she disappeared. This was her response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CROSLIN: I was looking by the dirty clothes for the clothes that she was wearing earlier that day for school, and I found that shirt, and found that shirt and I showed it to the detectives. If I was hiding something, why would I show the cops the shirt?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Lisa Bloom, another part of this puzzle is that there have been inconsistencies in Misty`s story. There were various stories about where she was sleeping vis-a-vis the two kids, and there were some claims, according to one tip, that she left the trailer that night, possibly after the kids went to sleep.

BLOOM: Right.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`m starting to see a picture. It`s almost like a portrait is sort of emerging of what possibly could have happened. If this cousin had been in the trailer home and then had gotten either -- unlocked the door or had gotten into a fight and had come in there and then she puts the kids to sleep, then she leaves, then he could come in and possibly take the child.

BLOOM: Right. And the pink shirt is very intriguing. I believe Misty. There is something about her that I find credible. And she says I`m the one who showed the police, look, here`s the pink shirt that I told you that she took off in.

I mean, so I think she`s right. It`s hard to imagine she would have called that to their attention if she did something wrong. What it does sound like, and she`s very certain that Haleigh was wearing that shirt the last time she saw her is that somebody came in, removed the shirt and maybe other clothing from Haleigh, put other clothing on her, wrapped her in a blanket, and abducted her.

That may be what happened. Because it is very strange to think that her shirt ends up in the dirty laundry, the same shirt that she went to bed in.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And Lisa, precisely to your point, all of that couldn`t happen while Misty was asleep. And I think that why she`s being questioned over and over again is not that -- I don`t think anybody believes that she was complicit in anything that happened to this child, but it`s more like a case of was she negligent --

BLOOM: Wait a second. Why couldn`t it happen when she`s asleep? Somebody comes in and threatens that child, "Shh, don`t tell," maybe they have a weapon, they have a gun, they`re threatening. I mean, children are abused and taken all the time, and there`s not a peep out of them. It`s very easy to intimidate a five-year-old.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, the reason I say that, and T.J. Hart, clarify, please is that people are saying this is a double-wide trailer. It`s squeaky. The previous tenant said you can`t do anything without it making a lot of noise and that this is not something that could have happened without somebody noticing, especially if the child`s changing clothes now.

HART: That`s absolutely true.

We spoke with Dr. Smallwood. He`s now a minister up in Claxton, Georgia. He was describing the double-wide trailer that he lived in with his family, and he said unless they did some major repairs on it, it is pretty darn squeaky. You can hear anybody moving about the house. That`s something that`s pretty --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok, we`ve got to go, but just one final little detail; an army of investigators searching the woods today 200 yards behind the home. We know this story is going somewhere. I pray that this little girl is still alive.

Don, T.J., thanks. Lisa, stay right there.

A reminder, "Nancy Grace" is up immediately following this program

[Sassycat]

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0902/20/ng.01.html

NANCY GRACE

Girlfriend`s Cousin Eyed by Police in Missing Haleigh Case

Aired February 20, 2009 - 20:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


NANCY GRACE, HOST: Breaking news tonight, Satsuma, Florida. A 5- year-old little girl tucked into bed, five hours later, she`s gone, vanished into thin air, the back door propped wide open. The father comes home from the night shift to find not a single trace of little Haleigh.

Bombshell tonight. A new tip leads dozens of law enforcement to search deep in the woods south of the home where little Haleigh disappeared days ago. A simultaneous search goes down around the home of a convicted sex predator, a predator living less than one mile from Haleigh. He was taken into custody last night, but is he connected to Haleigh`s kidnap?

We also confirm tonight the FBI now on the heels of the girlfriend Misty Croslin`s cousin. His location? Tennessee. Croslin`s cousin visiting the night Haleigh vanishes, but suddenly, he takes off for Tennessee when Haleigh reported missing. In the last 24 hours, an alleged sighting of Haleigh, Knoxville, Tennessee. Detectives seize a car, processing that vehicle. They`re looking for evidence, but they refuse to reveal make, model or ownership.

And tonight, after the girlfriend taken in a squad car for over five hours of police questioning, Croslin raises her own suspicions of the unnamed cousin. As the FBI joins in the hunt, tonight where is 5-year-old Haleigh?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: New details emerge in the search for 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings, who police believe was abducted from her own bed. As investigators searched specific areas today, more information is coming out about this alleged cousin who was at the home around the time Haleigh went missing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can tell you that we`re not going to confirm whether or not he`s a sexual offender or predator. But have we in contact? Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: According to reports, the FBI`s investigating girlfriend Misty Croslin`s cousin, only identified as Joe. Some media outlets are reporting that the cousin got in an argument with Haleigh`s father, Ronald Cummings, over a missing gun.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Deputies say they`ve interviewed a cousin of Misty`s who was visiting from Tennessee before Haleigh`s disappearance. Cummings denies the two got into a dispute.

RONALD CUMMINGS, HALEIGH`S FATHER: There was no fight with no cousin over a gun. I don`t know where people are getting information from, but you know, people say a lot of things and they don`t know what they`re talking about. I don`t have any enemies.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: While Cummings denied any argument took place, his girlfriend, Misty Croslin, says that she doesn`t trust her cousin and isn`t sure if he`s involved in Haleigh`s abduction.

CUMMINGS: I`d like to tell my daughter if she`s watching, Baby, I love you and we will find you. I love you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Good evening. I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us. A new tip leads dozens of law enforcement to search deep in the woods south of the home where Haleigh disappeared days ago. We also confirm tonight the FBI now on the heels of the girlfriend Misty Croslin`s cousin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Authorities are out searching multiple locations again today as part of their investigation into what happened to 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings. After arresting a sex offender who lived less than a mile from Haleigh, officers began looking in the area near the sexual predator`s home today.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What we`re concerned about is the fact that we do have a sex predator that violated his curfew and wasn`t where he was supposed to be.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Investigators say they aren`t ruling anyone out, including Misty Croslin`s cousin, who is reportedly being investigated by the FBI. Croslin herself says she can`t trust him, telling reporters he`s been in trouble his whole life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And Misty don`t trust him.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don`t, either. From the newspaper clips that we have and what we`ve heard, he might not be a very good person for Haleigh to be with.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Law enforcement officials confirm they have been speaking with the cousin but refuse to comment on what information, if any, he`s provided them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I never met the guy. I don`t know the guy. I know he came to visit Misty`s family, and he left the same day that my granddaughter left.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re working leads now. And again, we have people we`re interviewing. We`re doing polygraphs. We have some new leads that have come in, and we`re going to go ahead and follow up on all of them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I miss the little girl. Look at every child you see. Look at every baby, every little girl you see.

CUMMINGS: I`d like to see my daughter brought home safe soon (INAUDIBLE) now, yesterday. I just want to thank everybody that`s been looking for her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Straight out to T.J. Hart, the news director at WSKY 97.3 FM. T.J. is joining us there outside the family tent. The family has been forced to live in a tent. Their home is declared a crime scene. We have learned today that a local is donating an RV or a trailer of some sort for them to live in for the duration.

To T.J. What can you tell me about the search outside the home of that convicted sex offender?

T.J. HART, WSKY 97.3 FM: Well, this is a precautionary search, as we were told, of Timothy Loucakis`s home. He was arrested, as we mentioned at the top of the show, for violating his curfew. Now, he was sentenced in 2001 for child abuse and promoting sexual performance by a child. This is a follow-up to his breaking of curfew. They don`t believe this has anything to do with the disappearance of Haleigh, but they`re doing their follow-up on this just to be sure.

GRACE: Let`s unleash the lawyers. Joining us tonight out of LA, Gloria Allred, victims` rights advocate, Penny Douglas Furr out of Atlanta, defense attorney, and Joey Jackson, defense attorney out of New York.

Gloria, they did not arrest the man simply because of a curfew violation. Now, I`m not saying that this convicted sex offender who sent child porn over the Internet, trying to meet a 10-year-old little girl -- you know what? Whatever. I`m not saying he`s connected to Haleigh`s disappearance. But I am saying, and I`d put everything I own on it, you do not arrest somebody simply for a curfew violation, Gloria.

GLORIA ALLRED, FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY: Well, it`s really hard to know why they arrested him. Apparently, that`s what they`re saying, and apparently, they have excluded him, as well, because -- since he was in his home wearing an ankle bracelet or other identifying equipment, they were able to pinpoint him as having been at his home or in his yard at the time of Haleigh`s disappearance. However, when they know that he has no -- that he has committed a curfew violation, then they have to make an arrest because this is a high-profile case.

GRACE: To Natisha Lance, our producer, also outside the family tent. Natisha, clearing him is based on a timeline given to us by the girlfriend, all right? So you know, we`ve got to confirm that timeline before he can be totally cleared.

NATISHA LANCE, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: That`s right, Nancy. But what police are saying right now is that he was in his home zone area, which is within a mile of the Cummings home. Now, they`re also saying that this home zone area is not around the Cummings home. They feel comfortable with where he was at that time.

GRACE: To Tom Shamshak, former police chief. He`s now a private investigator and instructor at Boston University. Tom, can an ankle bracelet be beaten?

TOM SHAMSHAK, PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR: Good evening, Nancy. Nancy, that`s an open question. People I`ve spoken to say they are not fool- proof. This material that is around the ankle is nylon-like, with electrodes and wires attached to it. It is locked by a mechanism. Again, people have said it is not fool-proof, so that`s an open question.

GRACE: Back to Natisha Lance, standing by outside the family tent along with T.J. Hart. Natisha, I understand that police searching outside the sex offender`s home, the cardilage (ph), or the area around his home, but also deep in the woods behind Haleigh`s home. Now, was that because of a tip?

LANCE: Yes. Police were led to this area based on a tip, Nancy. They said they would not confirm if this is an area that they have searched before, but they said they were led there by a tip. They were searching this area earlier this morning. It`s about 200 yards away from the Cummings home. And they said that they are going to continue doing their search. It`s taking a tactical approach to areas they are led to by tips.

GRACE: To Matt Zarrell, our producer, also covering the story. Matt, I want to talk to you very briefly about the girlfriend, Misty Croslin, who was picked up by law enforcement yesterday and interrogated for about five hours. According to her family and others, she has been extremely cooperative with police. She`s the last one to have seen little Haleigh. She is the one that discovered the pink shirt that she originally told police the little girl was wearing when she was taken. And the entire timeline is based on Misty Croslin`s story. Yesterday, did she drive herself to the police station?

MATTHEW ZARRELL, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: No. She was brought in an -- in a marked police car.

GRACE: OK. She was not handcuffed, correct?

ZARRELL: No.

GRACE: How long was she questioned?

ZARRELL: About four or five hours, from 12:00 to about 5:00 o`clock.

GRACE: Did she have a lawyer with her?

ZARRELL: Not that we know of.

GRACE: Do we know how many times she has been taken in for questioning?

ZARRELL: The family says at least three times that they know of. There could be another incident where they did talk to her.

GRACE: Matt Zarrell, was this her own volunteering to go in, or did they seek her out?

ZARRELL: Our understanding is police wanted to speak with her again and asked her similar questions to what she`s been asked before.

GRACE: So they wanted to re-question her on the same topics?

ZARRELL: That`s what she had said, yes.

GRACE: Let`s go to three very special guests joining us right now. Crystal Sheffield is Haleigh`s biological mother -- she is joining us there from Satsuma -- Crystal Cummings, the paternal aunt of Haleigh, and Teresa Neves, the paternal grandmother of Haleigh. Ladies, thank you for being with us.

First to Teresa Neves, the grandmother of little Haleigh. Teresa, what are police telling you today?

TERESA NEVES, HALEIGH`S PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER: Hard question to answer. I haven`t talked to anybody today.

GRACE: Tell me about the search...

NEVES: All I know...

GRACE: Tell me about the search behind the home.

NEVES: I didn`t know about it until the media asked me.

GRACE: How is your son holding up?

NEVES: My son has not come out of the tent today.

GRACE: Explain.

NEVES: He`s not doing well. He`s been out every day searching. You know, he was out with Equusearch and he was out with the volunteers. So today, he didn`t have anybody to go out with, and it`s very hard for him to just sit and wait.

GRACE: So your son has been out physically searching for his daughter, right, Ms. Neves?

NEVES: Absolutely. Yes, ma`am.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just woke up, and our back door was all open, and I can`t find our daughter.

911 OPERATOR: Can`t find what?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My daughter.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That`s all I seen, the back door open. And then I go in her room, and she`s gone! And that`s all I know! Because when I woke up (INAUDIBLE) when I went to sleep, she was there, and then when I woke up, she was gone!

CUMMINGS: All I want is my daughter. It doesn`t matter. It doesn`t matter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you suspect she did anything?

CUMMINGS: I don`t have any suspicions of anybody. Anybody could have done anything. I don`t know what`s what. Obviously, if I knew what was going on, I`d have my daughter.

NEVES: His home is still a crime scene, but I don`t think if they opened it, my son would ever be able to go back in there. And I don`t believe that he wants to leave from right here where they took his baby until she comes home. He told me he will not leave unless they make him. He will not leave until somebody brings his baby back to him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Straight out to Teresa Neves, the grandmother of little Haleigh. Ms. Neves, I want to clarify what you just said. Did you say that your son is not searching today because he did not have anyone to search with?

NEVES: Yes, ma`am. There are usually people who come by and they say, We have four-wheelers, or we have horses, is there anything we can do for you? And he automatically responds with a, Yes, let`s go here and look. And some people, I`m not so sure they expect that. But yes. But there was nobody by today to offer that, so...

GRACE: He must be exhausted.

NEVES: Yes, ma`am.

GRACE: Everyone, we need your help. Haleigh needs your help. Look at this little girl. She`s 5 years old. She is missing, Satsuma Florida. The tip line, 888-277-TIPS -- 277-8477. Her father is out physically looking for her. He is now living in a tent near his own home since it has been declared a crime scene. His mother says he may never be able to go back inside again where his little girl was taken from him.

Crystal Cummings, the aunt of Haleigh, tell me how the family is holding up.

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS, HALEIGH`S AUNT: We`re doing the best we can right now. I mean, we`re not going to give up hope. I mean, every day, it`s more -- it weighs more and more on us, but we`re never -- we`re going to -- we`re going to keep looking and continuing to do what we can until Haleigh is brought home to us.

GRACE: This morning, the baby-sitter/girlfriend appeared on the "Today" show, talking about her own suspicions regarding a cousin now under scrutiny, the FBI on his heels. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT LAUER, CO-HOST: Do you have any reason to believe that that relative of yours has anything to do with the disappearance of Haleigh?

MISTY CROSLIN, HALEIGH`S FATHER`S GIRLFRIEND: I really don`t know. I don`t know if he did or not.

LAUER: You`re not quite sure?

CROSLIN: I`m not quite sure at all, no.

LAUER: Can you tell me a little bit more about that person?

CROSLIN: He`s -- you know, he`s a criminal, pretty much. He`s been in trouble his whole life. I don`t trust him. No, I don`t.

LAUER: Have you spoken to him?

CROSLIN: I don`t trust -- I haven`t spoken to him since he`s left, no.

I was home. I was home. I don`t know where (INAUDIBLE) I wasn`t home. I was home.

LAUER: Apparently, when Haleigh was first reported missing, you said she was wearing a pink shirt and you have now said that, no, in fact, she was not wearing that pink shirt, and I believe that pink shirt was actually found at your home. Can you explain that discrepancy for me?

CROSLIN: I was in the house with the detectives. They were showing me -- I had to back in the house to show them some stuff. And I was looking by the dirty clothes for the clothes that she was wearing earlier the other day for school, and I found that shirt and I showed the detectives. If I was hiding something, why would I show the cops the shirt?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: That is the girlfriend, Misty Croslin, speaking out today -- it was on NBC`s "Today" show -- kind of addressing accusations that her story doesn`t add up.

Back to T.J. Hart, standing by outside the family tent. What can you tell me about this cousin? He has not been named a suspect. We know he`s in Tennessee. We also know that there has been an alleged sighting of her at a Carrabba`s restaurant in Knoxville.

HART: So far, we`ve been chasing the same trail probably for a couple of days now about this mysterious cousin. Now today, of course, he`s been identified as only Joe. His placement has been here in the area. Also, there have been reports of sightings in Tennessee, where a 911 call was made stating that -- a witness stating that they saw a girl who matched the youngster`s description. They also say she was accompanied by a white male, who tried to shield or to hide her face. It`s also been said by witnesses, too, that they left in a red Rav-4, which is the Toyota vehicle, if I`m not mistaken.

And so far, we were not able to get a confirmation or validation on that yesterday, but we have heard confirmation today at the 3:00 o`clock presser that this Joe fellow has been spoken to by the FBI.

GRACE: You know, it`s all very mysterious, as Hart says, Natisha Lance. Apparently, there was an argument between (SIC) the cousin of Croslin that evening, that he disappears around the same time that Haleigh disappears?

LANCE: That`s what we`re hearing from reports, Nancy. Apparently, there was an argument over a gun. Now, Ronald Cummings has said that there was no argument that happened. Apparently, this guy ended up...

GRACE: And could you explain to me why the gun was recovered from a ditch?

LANCE: That`s what reports are saying, the gun was later on recovered from a ditch. And after that time, the cousin then disappeared from the area. And the next day, Haleigh was missing.

GRACE: Everyone, quick break. We are live there in Satsuma, Florida, and the search for little Haleigh.

Tonight, the Joan Gaeta Lung Cancer Foundation fighting the number one cancer killer in the world. Lung cancer claims more lives than breast, colon, prostate, melanoma and kidney cancer combined. You do not have to smoke to get lung cancer. Joan Gaeta, a beloved wife, mother of five, a teacher who lost her battle with lung cancer. In her honor, the second annual Dancing for Joan fund-raiser for lung cancer research this Saturday, Feb 21, Marietta, Georgia. For info or to make a donation, go to Dancingforjoan.org.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

DISPATCHER: (INAUDIBLE) cannot find her 5-year-old daughter. The back door is open at this time.

DETECTIVE: I got the age on this kid. Is it a boy or a girl?

DISPATCHER: Whiskey foxtrot, last seen wearing her PJs.

DETECTIVE: 10-4

DETECTIVE: 1256.

DISPATCHER: 1256?

DETECTIVE: There`s a railroad track that runs right through there. Can we find out from CSX when the next train comes through?

DISPATCHER: 10-4.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEVES: My son would not allow anyone around his children who he thought would do anything to them.

CUMMINGS: If I find whoever has my daughter before y`all do, I`m killing him.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He came as a relative. When I have friends bring over relatives, you know, I don`t ask them, Hey, can I see the criminal background check on your friend you`re bringing in here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He did not carry a sign that says, I`m a sexual offender and I`m going to steal your child.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: We understand that the father, Ronald Cummings, is living in a tent near his home that has been declared a crime scene since his 5-year- old daughter was kidnapped in her sleep in the middle of the night.

Today he wanted to go searching, but no volunteers showed up. They are in Satsuma, Florida. So as we all sit down to dinner tonight, as we sit back on our sofas and flick channels, he is waiting, waiting for help, law enforcement working around the clock to find this little girl, who has a host of health problems. Won`t you help Ronald Cummings and his family bring this little girl home? There is hope that Haleigh is still alive.

I want to go back out to Natisha Lance, our producer standing outside the family tent. I want to delve more into the search outside the family`s own home. You have told me that a tip led police to go south, deep into the woods behind the family home. Why? And what, if anything, did they find, Natisha?

LANCE: Well, Nancy, they`re not revealing very much to us. They`re not telling us if they found anything. They said, at this point, nothing significant has been discovered. But once again, they are keeping things very tight to the vest. Now, they are saying that they were led there by a tip. However, they would not give us information as to what that tip said or when the tip actually came in. But they are saying that they did search that area and they will continue to search areas based on tips that come in.

GRACE: Dozens of law enforcement combing the woods deep south behind the home.

To Dr. Marty Makary out of Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Makary, Turner syndrome -- she has it. What is it? Is it common? And is it threatening?

DR. MARTY MAKARY, PHYSICIAN, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIV.: Yes, Turner syndrome affects about 1 in 3,000 little girls. It can cause a lot of deformities, like low-set ears, webbing of the neck. And their hearts oftentimes don`t pump as efficiently as normal otherwise healthy girls.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m not going to exclude anybody from not being involved.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you want to say to the people who are calling your story inconsistent, Misty? Do you have anything to say to that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Misty Croslin, Haleigh`s father`s girlfriend and the last person to see the little girl, spent hours with detectives. We`re told she was undergoing routine questioning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As the tips warrant, the interviews were made not only with her but with the rest of the family, with neighbors. Whatever comes in.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Deputies say they have interviewed a cousin of Misty who was visiting from Tennessee before Haleigh`s disappearance.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have people that we`re interviewing. We`re doing polygraphs. We have some new leads that have come in and we`re going to ahead and follow up on all of them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Investigators made an arrest but stressed it`s not related to Haleigh Cumming`s disappearance. However, Timothy Loucakis is being questioned. Police say he`s a registered sexual predator who violated the terms of his terms of probation by violating curfew. Now he`s behind bars.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s been national manhunt from day one. I don`t know where this investigation is going to take us and every minute is critical. So we will take anyone that will lead us to her recovery or lead us to a suspect.

CRYSTAL SHEFFIELD, MOM OF MISSING 5-YR-OLD HALEIGH CUMMINGS: Ronald called me over there and the detective told me that they have found the shirt Haleigh was wearing. And I broke down and then I walked away and Teresa walked over to me and was talking to me and the detective walked and he was like, did you know -- do you know what happened? And she was like, yes.

And then he was like, you know that we found the shirt in the house? And that bothered me. I got the paper from the store and it said that Misty found the shirt and how, I guess, by the back door in the dirty clothes pile.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello?

911 DISPATCHER: OK, sir, let me talk to you wife. Let me get some information from her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man. (INAUDIBLE)

911 DISPATCHER: OK. Can I talk to her?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) can you let y daughter get stole, bitch?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY GRACE, HOST: I don`t know if you can, but I cannot imagine coming home after work, for me, after this show at night, and going in to check on the twins and finding their beds empty.

That is what happened to Ronald Cummings coming home after the night shift around 3:00 a.m. His little girl, 5-year-old Haleigh is gone. Apparently tucked in to bed that night, a few hours later she seemingly vanished into thin air. The back door to the kitchen propped wide opened.

Where is Haleigh? Apparently, by all outward appearances, police still functioning under the theory that Haleigh is alive. Right now, police in Knoxville, Tennessee pursing a lead that she was spotted there while dozens of law enforcement searched deep in the woods around the home of little Haleigh and that, and a convicted sex predator living less than one mile away.

I want to go out to a special guest joining us there outside the tent where the father is having to live now that his home has been declared a crime scene. With me, Haleigh`s mother, Crystal Sheffield, her aunt, Crystal Cummings, and her paternal grandmother, Teresa Neves. The two sides of the families, joining together in the search for Haleigh.

To Crystal Sheffield, Haleigh`s mother. Miss Sheffield, I want to thank you for being with us at this very difficult time. What do you know about this cousin, this cousin not named a suspect, in Tennessee who was there in the area visiting when Haleigh went missing? What do you know?

SHEFFIELD: I know nothing about him. I don`t -- I`ve never met him. I know nothing about any of her family.

GRACE: Well, what do you know about an alleged argument that was had that evening?

SHEFFIELD: I`ve heard about it. I don`t know if it`s true.

GRACE: Back to Teresa, the grandmother of little Haleigh. What have you heard about an alleged argument regarding a gun? That gun later found in the ditch?

TERESA NEVES, GRANDMOTHER OF MISSING 5-YR-OLD, HALEIGH CUMMINGS: There was a gun that was found in the ditch. There was no fight. The gun incident was two weeks before Haleigh`s disappearance.

GRACE: And to Crystal Cummings, the aunt of Haleigh. Miss Cummings, what, if anything, do you know about this mystery figure, this cousin Joe, that apparently disappeared from town around the time Haleigh went missing?

CRYSTAL CUMMINGS, PATERNAL AUNT OF MISSING 5-YR-OLD HALEIGH CUMMINGS: I only know what Misty has told me. I don`t know -- I just found out his name by the media because, obviously, we get a lot of our information from the media. So I know of that by that. I have no idea what he looks like or anything. I mean, I don`t know much of him.

GRACE: Let`s unleash the lawyers, Gloria Allred, Penny Douglass Furr, Joey Jackson.

To Penny Douglass Furr, there was a sighting at a Carrabba`s, Italian restaurant there in Knoxville and it`s under very unusual circumstances. The police apparently are taking it seriously. And the people that make these sightings truly believe that they have seen the little girl.

PENNY DOUGLASS FURR, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: They do, Nancy. And I find it very suspicious that the cousin left at the same time. Because if you`re cousin is going through this, wouldn`t she be going to your cousin instead of leaving your cousin?

I found it very suspicious that he`s not at least there giving her support even if he`s completely innocent. He has nothing to do with it. Why isn`t he there supporting his cousin through this very difficult period?

GRACE: You know, Joey Jackson, Penny Douglass Furr has an excellent point. Now I know you defense attorneys like to say you can`t read anything into that. People react differently or unusually when they are a target of an investigation. He is not a suspect.

Mr. Jackson, can authorities force Croslin`s cousin to return back to Satsuma for questioning?

JOEY JACKSON, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Absolutely, Nancy. You know what, he needs to be questioned. He needs to be evaluated for two reasons. One, his criminal background and the second reason being the inappropriate contact alleged have been engaged in by Misty. Now there`s an extradition code in Florida which would provide for him to be extradited as a material witness to give information in this case. And that should be exercised.

GRACE: Joey Jackson, is that true even if there is not an indictment yet?

JACKSON: Well, here`s the way it would work, Nancy. They would convene a grand jury for investigatory purposes.

GRACE: Jackson, Jackson.

JACKSON: This is the time.

GRACE: I don`t have time for a grand jury to convene.

JACKSON: What, no, well, let me say this, Nancy.

GRACE: You know as well as I do that every hour counts when a child is missing.

JACKSON: It does. But here`s what happens at the.

GRACE: A grand jury?

JACKSON: Let me say this. In order to get the extradition warrant signed by a judge, you have to follow protocol. So I agree that it would be a step that would waste time. However, it`s imperative that he be questioned about what he knows and when he knew it.

GRACE: Well, OK, here`s a crazy idea. I`m just going to throw at you three lawyers. Let`s go to expert trial lawyer, Gloria Allred. How about the Knoxville police going in, on his door and questioning him there?

GLORIA ALLRED, VICTIM`S RIGHTS ADVOCATE: Wouldn`t that be so much easier and wouldn`t that accomplish the goal that you just pointed out, Nancy, which is to get whatever information they need as quickly as possible and he could voluntarily agree to speak to them? He wouldn`t have to be extradited. He wouldn`t need a subpoena if he would do that.

GRACE: And I would -- while I was at it, Gloria, go ahead and put the icing on the cake. Strap up to a lie detector. If he`s got nothing to hide, answer those questions. We`re getting conflicting reports whether this guy is in Ashville or whether he is in Knoxville.

We do know Tennessee. We understand there was an argument over a gun around the time Haleigh went missing. The dad goes to work. The gun is later recovered from a ditch. The little girl is gone.

To Dr. Leslie Austin, psychotherapist. Dr. Austin, the girlfriend, Misty Croslin, who was babysitting that evening, has stated that this cousin made sexual advances on her in the past. Why would somebody like that even be allowed in the home?

DR. LESLIE AUSTIN, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: If that`s true, a, it`s sad. That`s not.

GRACE: I mean, listen, Leslie. Come on, when I`m at home alone with the twins, somebody knocks at the door, I go to the door and say, go away.

AUSTIN: Sure.

GRACE: I don`t know who you are, but go away.

AUSTIN: Right.

GRACE: I don`t -- forget it.

AUSTIN: If that`s true, it`s really bad judgment and it also might be, if it`s true, that she has a victim mentality and was afraid to stand up to him but it`s really bad judgment, if it`s true.

GRACE: And let me reiterate, this cousin has not been named a suspect. And by allowing him to visit in the area does not necessarily mean he was in the home. So let`s not start putting blame on the victims.

Everyone, the tip line 888-277-8477. Ronald Cummings needs your help, volunteers in the Florida area.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

911 DISPATCHER: OK. Was your back door locked, do you know?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, the back door always stays locked.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need somebody to get here now.

911 DISPATCHER: OK, let me to speak to him so.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, yes, yes, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just got home from work, my 5-year-old daughter is gone.

911 DISPATCHER: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need somebody to be here now. I`m telling you.

911 DISPATCHER: Listen to me, listen to me. We got two officers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I find whoever has my daughter before you all do I`m killing him. I don`t care. I`ll spend the rest of my life in prison.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m telling you. You can put it on recording, I don`t care.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. It`s OK, sir. We`ve got them on the way. OK? Can you give me any -- what kind of description of her pajamas that she was wearing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t (EXPLETIVE DELETED) know. I was at work.

UNIDENTIFIED 911 DISPATCHER: OK, sir. We got them coming, OK?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mounted on horseback, Haleigh`s father, Ronald Cummings, continues to search the area with family and friends and volunteers. Both sides of the family their canvassing is far from over.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) Someone`s face, poppy eyes, we don`t care. We will be here. We`re not giving up hope.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We will be here through any day. Rain, shine, anything. I was here early this morning trying to save everything of Haleigh`s because I see children that come out here and donate their favorite toys. And that`s what we`re trying to do, is save everything, because we know that she`s going to come home and she`ll be able to play with everything that everybody has given her.

C. CUMMINGS: We want to say, whoever has her is -- if they could please contact someone or drop her off somewhere safe and even if it`s anonymous, just call in and tell us where she`s at. And we want to tell Haleigh, if she`s watching, that we love her and we`re doing the best we can. And the officers are doing the best they can to bring her home safely.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Right now we understand that a camper has been donated by someone there in the local area for the father to live in. He`s been living in a tent ever since his home was declared a crime scene, when little Haleigh was apparently kidnapped in the middle of the night, in the wee hours of the night.

I want to talk about that sighting one more time in Knoxville, Tennessee at a Carrabba`s Italian restaurant.

T.J. Hart, WSKY 97.3 FM -- T.J., what exactly happened?

T.J. HART, REPORTER, WSKY 97.3 FM: What happened is that a tip came in saying that a little girl matching the description of little young Haleigh was spotted at this Carrabba`s restaurant in Knoxville, Tennessee. She was reportedly with a white male. The white male was constantly trying to shield or hide her face, according to witnesses. Now witnesses also say that the two later left in a red RAV4. Now we do have confirmation from the Tennessee.

GRACE: Everyone -- T.J., hold on just a moment. Hold on just a moment. There you see the RV, the trailer being brought by a donor there in the local area for the dad to live in. That is a state of affairs for Ronald Cummings. His daughter is gone. He`s physically searching for the little girl, living in a tent. And today, according to his mother, he waited for volunteers to show up so he could go out searching again and no one showed up to help him.

Police working round the clock, overextending themselves, to bring Haleigh home alive. Very quickly, back to T.J. Hart, I understood that volunteers were showing up in droves to look for Haleigh. What happened?

HART: Well, the scale was -- the search was scaled back on Monday and this tip came in, we understand, either last night or this morning, and immediately deputies were dispatched as soon as they could get some kind of order on this, 100 yards away from Haleigh`s home into a wooded area. They were not looking for volunteers at that time. They quickly went out and acted on the tip and now they are not saying anything more about it. No comment is what we`re getting from the Putnam County Sheriff`s Office and the FBI.

GRACE: Back to Crystal Sheffield, Haleigh`s mother, or biological mother.

Miss Sheffield, what can you tell me about the girlfriend, Misty Croslin, being the one that discovered the shirt she first told police she was wearing when she was taken?

SHEFFIELD: All I know is that they just found the shirt and then I heard that it was found in the house and then I read in the paper that it was discovered by her. And she just -- I guess she gave it to the police. That`s all I know.

GRACE: And to Teresa Neves, Haleigh`s grandmother. Miss Neves, the shirt, I just heard, it was inside the home or outside the back door?

NEVES: The shirt was in the dirty clothes, which is right inside the back door.

GRACE: OK. And.

NEVES: So if you were, if you were going to do the laundry, you would be standing in the back door.

GRACE: I got it. Miss Never, I also understood that Misty Croslin, the girlfriend, has taken not one but two lie detector tests. Why two?

NEVES: I do not know. My personal opinion is I really don`t care. I don`t care if they polygraph her a hundred times. They can come and polygraph every person who`s ever walked out here or breathe out here. And you know, they can continue to do that over and over until they find my baby girl. I don`t care.

GRACE: You know what? That is the attitude I wish other families would have when someone goes missing. Miss Neves, you`d be surprised how many people don`t cooperate. So I`d say, right on, you`re absolutely dead right.

Very quickly, back to Natisha Lance. Natisha, what more do we know about how many tips are coming in?

NATISHA LANCE, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Well, Nancy, they`re saying there`s about 1300 tips that are coming in and they continue to receive more and more tips and leads on a daily basis.

GRACE: To Dr. Marty Makary, you and I were talking about the Turner syndrome this little girl suffers from. Would an abductor really be prepared to take care of her health problems? She`s missed a lot of school. She`s been to doctors. She`s been to the hospital.

DR. MARTY MAKARY, PHYSICIAN, PROF. OF PUBLIC HEALTH, JOHNS HOPKINS: It could be a lot of work. Yes, we do know that she`s missed lots of school. It`s probably related to the fatigue. It`s probably related to the fact her immune system is down. She probably has a lot of sore throats, coughs, lung infections and things like that that require a lot of medical attention.

GRACE: And back to Gloria Allred, victims` rights lawyer, joining us out of L.A., I was listening to what Misty Croslin, the girlfriend, said to Matt Lauer this morning regarding her cousin. She couldn`t really vouch for him or say whether he was involved or not. What do you make of it, Gloria?

ALLRED: Well, obviously, she has an apparently long standing issues with her cousin and maybe even suspicions about him. But you know, we don`t know what her motive is in saying that, whether -- we don`t know whether, in fact, he is guilty of doing anything to her that would have been inappropriate. We don`t know the timeline of when he was there and so there are a lot of questions that have to be answered.

GRACE: Everyone, very quickly, "CNN HEROES."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Heroes.

ROY FOSTER, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: I actually joined the army right out of high school. I became introduced to alcohol once I was out. It was just simply drinking and drugging and I would then stay in the streets. I was looking for a safe haven. The places that I were introduced to were no better than on the street. It was humiliating.

That`s when the commitment in my heart, it was born. How can I turn my back and walk away and leave you right here? I can`t.

Nationwide veterans are neglected, homeless. Unacceptable. What branch of service?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Army.

FOSTER: Army. So was I. We are (INAUDIBLE), you know, brothers in arms. So no man left behind.

My name is Roy Foster. My mission is to help and empower homeless veterans. If you`re going to work for sobriety, you`ve got to change. Stand Down House provides services for veterans only, a safe, clean place to live. All the meals. To health services, the camaraderie, it is that internal gloom.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I got back from Iraq it was difficult for me until I met Mr. Foster who helped me.

FOSTER: Tell him one of his brothers in arms came looking for him and let him know, yes, we will be back. They are the best and they deserve the best. What I do, I love. I love.

ANNOUNCER: Tell us about your hero at CNN.com/Heroes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRACE: What a week in America`s courtrooms. Take a look at the stories and more important the people who touched our lives.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: A treasure trove of discovery released by police and prosecutors. As we go to air, we are just now still sifting through all of it.

LANCE: We haven`t seen all of the diaries but she does go on to mention these new friends that she has. She said she has positive people in her life and she hopes that the future holds a lot more positive things for her. As she said, it`s happiest that she`s ever been.

GRACE: Well, you know what, Natisha, she`s going to make a lot more new friends behind bars.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The search continues for missing 5-year-old Florida girl, Haleigh Cummings, who police believe was kidnapped from her own bed last week.

R. CUMMINGS: I`d like to see my daughter brought home safe soon. Real soon.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are reporting WJXT out of Jacksonville that so far today police have received some 1,200 tips and leads. One of those leads is that Misty Croslin, the babysitter, may not have been home the night Haleigh disappeared.

GRACE: But of course, Brad McKeithen (ph), you know, when you`re trying to find the missing girl and you find out someone may have lied at the very beginning, that`s serious.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is. I agree. And that is a news that has to be explored on whether or not she intentionally misled the police.

GRACE: Explored? Explored? That`s putting perfume on a pig.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Let`s stop and remember Army Captain Darrick Wright, 37, Nashville, Tennessee, killed Iraq. A University of Tennessee grad. Put his job on hold at the TVA to serve. A beautiful smile. Remembered for kindness and faith. Leaves behind parents Roy and Gloria. Three brothers, two sisters, baby boy, Trevor.

Darrick Wright, American hero.

Thanks to our guests but especially to you for being with us. And a special good night from the New York control room. And happy birthday to the backbone of our show, there she is, Liz, our superstar. No, I didn`t really fire her.

Liz, we love you so much. And you`re finally 21, Liz. But I advise you, Liz, don`t drink. The devil`s in the bottle, Liz. So go celebrate. Happy birthday, baby girl.

Everyone, I`ll see you tomorrow night, 8:00 sharp Eastern and until then, good night friend.

END

[Sassycat]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,498153,00.html

GERALDO AT LARGE

Geraldo Confronts Haleigh Cummings' Dad

Aired February 21, 2009 


This is a rush transcript of "Geraldo At Large," from February 21, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

Watch "Geraldo At Large" weekends at 10 p.m. ET!

The following transcript is Geraldo's confrontation with Ronald Cummings, father of missing 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings. In the confrontation, Geraldo asks him about allegations he'd abused Haleigh, her biological mother and drug use.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RONALD CUMMINGS, HALEIGH'S FATHER: This is uncalled for.

RIVERA, HOST "GERALDO AT LARGE": Chad and Marcus told me that during the vigil, you told them you were 75 percent sure who took Haleigh.

CUMMINGS: There is no way — I do not know who took Haleigh. If I had — if I had, uh, five percent of where Haleigh was at, I would be there now and not here.

RIVERA: Did you tell them that, though? Maybe you weren’t — maybe you were just [OVERLAP] were just — are they lying?

CUMMINGS: Yes, they’re absolutely lying. No, for no reason have I ever told anybody that I have any clue where my child is at. If I had any clue where my child — you know, national TV, they’re a bunch of liars. Chad and whoever told you this are a bunch of liars. I never even spoke with them.

RIVERA: They told — they told me that you hit Haleigh. Is that true?

CUMMINGS: No. Never, ever have I ever hit my child. Me and my child have an agreement. Daddy, daughter. She has been spanked on her behind the way DCF says that you can take care of disciplining your children.

RIVERA: You never backhanded her to the face?

CUMMINGS: [OVERLAP] Never. Never have I ever backhanded my child in the face, ever.

RIVERA: Did you hit Crystal when she was pregnant?

CUMMINGS: No. I did not. Never.

RIVERA: You didn’t hit her in the back of the head and kick her?

CUMMINGS: No. No. I never have.

RIVERA: You swear to God you never hit your pregnant woman?

CUMMINGS: [OVERLAP] Never. Never, never have I ever hit any woman, period. Never. And I’d like to know where all these allegations are coming from because I would like to talk — talk to law enforcement and have these false allegations, um, known that, um, the false allegations against me, somebody needs criminal charges pressed against them.

RIVERA: What about the allegations of cocaine use, methamphetamine use?

CUMMINGS: There’s nothing. I do not do drugs.

RIVERA: You don’t do drugs? All those arrests were all —

CUMMINGS: No.

RIVERA: Do you work for the police? Are you an informant?

CUMMINGS: No, I am no an informant. I do not work for the police. I work for PDM, which is a, um, bridge building company. That’s who I work for.

RIVERA: And you’ve never been involved in the drug trade?

CUMMINGS: No.

RIVERA: And when they tell me they saw bricks of marijuana that you had in the house, plants all around the house, is that a lie?

CUMMINGS: It is absolutely a lie and I would like to know where the information is coming from so that I can get, um, the proper authorities to take care of this.

RIVERA: You’re — put all this stuff aside. If some associate of yours, some associate that had something to do with drugs and this is not about drugs but if these people are on the dark side of life, don’t you think that you should share that information? Share — tell us about — when you told Marcus and Chad that you were 75 percent sure and you had your gun ready and your — and you had your gun ready and you were gonna go get em, didn’t you say that? Isn’t that a fact, Ron?

CUMMINGS: No, it is not a fact.

RIVERA: Why would they make that up? Why would they make that up?

CUMMINGS: I don’t know why they would make [OVERLAP] for you. But I — I am fixing [OVERLAP] to have the law called right here, right now because you’re making up things or they’re making up things and you’re getting into —

RIVERA: I am — I am relating to you what they are saying.

CUMMINGS: [OVERLAP] My face, man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You need to back off, man. That’s my son.

RIVERA: Alright. Well I’m sorry — I am sorry for what has happened.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, you’re not sorry. [OVERLAPPED CONVERSATION]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You need to go.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are — [OVERLAPPED CONVERSATION] Listen. You wanna come up here and make [OVERLAP] allegations. Why don’t you go back to —

RIVERA: These are not my allegations, man. These are not my allegations. You have to understand that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: [OVERLAP] Okay. [OVERLAP] All we care about —

RIVERA: You have to understand this is not my allegation. Don’t touch him, don’t touch him, please. We’re leaving. Come on, let’s go. Let’s go.

CUMMINGS: [OVERLAP] I wanted you to see that all this is about is my daughter. I love you, baby. [OVERLAP] If you are out there, I want you to know that I love you and I will find you, baby. I love you. And two, whoever — whoever has you, please bring my daughter home to me. I love my daughter. I love you, baby. I will find you.

RIVERA: You believe she’s alive then?

CUMMINGS: I’m always gonna believe that my daughter’s alive until they find her. [SILENCE]

END

[Sassycat]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,498154,00.html

GERALDO AT LARGE

Missing Girl's Mom Opens Up to Geraldo

Aired February 21, 2009 
 
Print ShareThisThis is a rush transcript of "Geraldo At Large," from February 21, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

Watch "Geraldo At Large" weekends at 10 p.m. ET!

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

GERALDO RIVERA, HOST "GERALDO AT LARGE": When Ron Cummings is seen on television, most often, he is crying or in mourning or other conduct appropriate to a father whose daughter has gone missing. But the family on the mother’s side tells a much different story and a much different image emerges of Ron Cummings. Crystal, is not a fact that he was abusive to you?

CRYSTAL SHEFFIELD, HALEIGH'S MOM: Yes he was. He — when I first got pregnant with Haleigh, he punched me in the back of the head and before then, he was verbal. I mean he was just very abusive.

RIVERA: What did he call you?

SHEFFIELD: Stupid *EXPLETIVE DELETED*. You stupid *EXPLETIVE DELETED*. You *EXPLETIVE DELETED*. I mean you name it, he said it.

RIVERA: Describe when he punched you when you were pregnant.

SHEFFIELD: We were living in Leesburg at his mother’s house. And I had just found out I was pregnant. We were both doing cocaine and I stopped and I walked in the bedroom and he was doing it.

And I was like, you know, how are you gone do this in front of me after I just found out I was pregnant and I just stopped? And he got very pissed off and I had my — I was facing — I had my back turned to him. He punched me in the head and then I turned around and he kicked me off the bed.

RIVERA: And he knew you were pregnant when he kicked you?

SHEFFIELD: Yes he did. He knew.

RIVERA: And was he abusive, basically, throughout your relationship?

SHEFFIELD: The whole time. I mean his mother knew, his granny knew. His granny even told me once, um, I don’t know why you’re with him.

RIVERA: Why did you stay with him?

SHEFFIELD: Because I was scared to leave.

RIVERA: Are you frightened of him even today?

SHEFFIELD: Yes I am.

RIVERA: Why?

SHEFFIELD: Just because of all the things he’s done to me.

RIVERA: Are you fr— frightened that he’ll come after you?

SHEFFIELD: Sometimes I am. I mean he’s called and wanted me to come back several times and I have went back a couple times just to be with my kid and he was still the same and I left. It hurt to leave em but I’m not gonna put myself through that.

RIVERA: Do you believe his story about what happened?

SHEFFIELD: No, I don’t. I mean I know he loves Haleigh and — [PAUSES] — his temper, I mean it could get bad enough for him to hurt Haleigh. But I do know he loves Haleigh. Haleigh is his heart and everybody knows that.

RIVERA: Has he ever hit Haleigh?

SHEFFIELD: Um, my cousin, Candice, told me when we got down here for this incident, that, um, he come to her house — it was Ronald, Haleigh, Junior and Misty. And Haleigh bumped into him or smarted off to him and she said he just backhanded her. And she fell flat on her face on the porch.

RIVERA: Marie, you have a picture of Haleigh.

MARIE GRIFFIS, HALEIGH'S GRANDMA: Yes.

RIVERA: Do you want me to see it?

GRIFFIS: Yes. You get it.

RIVERA: Alright this is a picture, a disturbing picture, that shows Haleigh with an obvious black eye, a cut on her nose and the — a bruise that goes from the top of her left eye all the way down to the left side of her cheek.

Now I understand the school records indicate that she had an accident at school. Are these injuries the result of that accident?

GRIFFIS: Uh, that’s what we were told, that she fell at school and — or who was pushed at school by — by another child and that she fell catching the sidewalk and that was the results of it. But if you fall on the sidewalk, why didn’t her hands get skinned, her knees get skinned?

SHEFFIELD: [OVERLAP] The nurse said that all she had was a scratch on her nose.

RIVERA: So you — you — do you believe that Ron Cummings hit this child?

SHEFFIELD: I don’t know if he hit her or if she fell down or any other incident happened. But that did not happen at school. The nurse said she had a scratch on her nose.

RIVERA: And you have witnesses that he has hit this child?

SHEFFIELD: Yes.

GRIFFIS: Yes.

RIVERA: Do you believe that Ron Cummings knows who took Haleigh?

SHEFFIELD: Yes. I mean he’s told my brother and my fiancé that he knows — he’s 75 percent sure he knows where his daughter is. He said on TV that he had no enemies.

RIVERA: Is that true?

SHEFFIELD: No. He’s got plenty of enemies.

SHEFFIELD: I know when he’s really crying, that is fake.

END