REPORTER'S NOTESTJ Hart
The lines are getting blurred.
I am talking about the reporting on the story of missing 6-year-old Haleigh Cummings of Satsuma, FL who was taken from her father's home February 9, 2009 while in the care of her babysitter--now stepmother--Misty Croslin-Cummings.
Last night, I willfully refused to obey a request from a cable network "news" show.
A producer wanted be to play it up in an update about the child's stepmother getting away from the public for a few days ..."Cops find Misty!!!! Misty refusing to speak!!!! Attorney has made no effort to bring her in for questioning!!!!!!
All the cops said this week is that Misty has a standing invitation to come in anytime with her lawyer and straighten out her timeline.
The police knew how to get in touch with her with on call. Contact her lawyer!
Truth:
* Misty was at Universal---not Disney or Epcot.
* Ron was supposed to meet with her Thursday, but plans changed
* Ron and Misty were in contact with each other every day
* Lawyer knew where Misty was every hour of the day
* A friend of Teresa Neves paid for the tickets
* Ron and Jr. did not go to Universal, but met with Misty over the weekend and went to a large park so Jr. could play like a regular kid with no cameras or internet stalkers
* I don't much care for Ron and Misty's behavior, but they are people, too. They have been under a microscope and just wanted to get away from the public for awhile
* No laws were broken
As for "where is Misty?" I sat next to Misty last night in the waiting room of a TV in Jacksonville, FL for 20 minutes just before we went on the air.
In fact, I had a long talk with her.
We talked about her family.
She said, "It looks like my mom is on quite a ride!"
Misty's mother just had an extradition hearing earlier in the day in Tennessee where she was being held on $100,000 as a fugitive from justice. The charge she faces in Putnam County Florida is forgery of a check in the amount of $400--a check she allegedly stole from a blind former neighbor who let her and her son Tommy use his phone.
Misty got a very hateful look in here eye when she talked about her brother Tommy. She has a permanent restraining order on him after he drove with Misty's parents to the home where Misty and her husband Ronald live with Ronald's grandmother in Wellaka, FL and started a fight.
Tommy was with his mother the night she allegedly stole the checks from the blind former neighbor. In fact, Tommy was arrested and charged with theft after the blind man discovered his gun missing.
Before he bonded out, Tommy told Putnam County investigators that he was called by Ronald to check on Misty since she had not answered his telephone calls and text messages following a fight on the phone earlier in the evening of February 9, 2009.
Tommy told officers he went down to Ron's home and banged on the door. He said he saw no lights on and did not see or hear a TV. He claimed it was silent and said he thought no one was home and left.
Police have been trying to find out for months where Misty was that night since her timeline has been very inconsistent.
Just as Misty was ending her spout off on Tommy, she looked away from me as she said without being asked, "...and wasn't at no party that night either!"
She just put it out there.
Misty folded her arms, clamped her mouth shut looked at the big screen TV in the room.
At this moment, I am examining my heart, my soul, my mind and my actions.
When did the truth become irrelevant and hype win out for ratings and page views?