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Missing [Dan Collins]

Believed abducted:

Investigators were treating the disappearance of a 5-year-old north Florida girl as an abduction and continued searching for the child Thursday. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office said investigators assume Haleigh Cummings was abducted because house-to-house searches of the neighborhood Wednesday found no evidence that she wandered away. Haleigh’s father Ronald Cummings also said he didn’t believe she had left their home in the middle of the night.

58 Replies to “Missing [Dan Collins]”

  1. happyfeet says:

    I haven’t seen her but I’ve been mostly working on my report. Her grandmother, Nancy Griffis, 43… let’s see. And the little girl what’s missing is five. So let’s say 43 – 5 = 38. Ok. And 38/2 = average childbearing age of these ones. That would be 19. Okay. I expected it to be younger somehow when I read that.

    This part is gack…

    George Anthony, the grandfather of slain Florida toddler Caylee Anthony, met with Haleigh’s father Thursday. Anthony said he was there simply to offer moral support.

    I just don’t get that at all. Gack. That’s a cheererupper.

  2. Just down the road a bit from here, where the ongoing vigil is heartbreaking.

    WTF with Florida?

  3. Dan Collins says:

    Just pray, and keep a weather-eye, Joan.

  4. Jeffersonian says:

    There’s no corner of Hell hot enough for people who do this to kids.

    Anyone else read “The Shack,” by the by?

  5. happyfeet says:

    This part is sorta unexplained…

    The girlfriend, 17-year-old Misty Croslin, told a 911 dispatcher that a back door that was usually locked had been propped open by a brick.

    They don’t say who put the brick there.

  6. happyfeet says:

    oh. I’m the most heartless one again I guess. I hate it when that happens. I don’t mean to be but this is southern and gothic and interesting in a sort of faulkneresque way. Ok so anyone else notice how this might be relevant? Meaning if something utterly tangential can be relevant…

    Florida

    The age of consent in Florida is 18, but close in age exemptions exist. By law, the exception permits an adult younger than 24 to engage in legal sexual activity with a minor aged 16 or 17.

    794.05 Unlawful sexual activity with certain minors.– (1) A person 24 years of age or older who engages in sexual activity with a person 16 or 17 years of age commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. As used in this section, “sexual activity” means oral, anal, or vaginal penetration by, or union with, the sexual organ of another; however, sexual activity does not include an act done for a bona fide medical purpose Florida code, Title XLVI, Chapter 794*

  7. lee says:

    There’s something like 300,000 missing children in America.

    This story is heartbreakingly common. Probably the majority are taken by non-custodial parents, or are runaways, but even if 10% of 300,000 are taken by strangers, it is heartbreaking.

    I think someone convicted of even one instance of pedophilia should be locked up forever. Murder to hide pedophilia should be a special circumstance crime resulting in death by impalement within one appeal/5 years, or in the case of DNA evidence, 10 minutes.

    FOR THE CHILDREN!!

  8. Pablo says:

    WTF with Florida?

    Yeah. Has Mark Lunsford showed up yet?

    I have a bad feeling about this.

  9. Carin says:

    Wasn’t that horrible story about that girl who ended up being taken by a neighbor and buried in his backyard … wasn’t that in Florida. Because, I’m thinking WHAT THE FUCK is wrong with Floridians?

    Either they attract sexual deviants, or parents don’t give off a strong enough “don’t fuck with my children vibe.” I need to know which, ’cause my cousin lives down there and has a baby.

    Sorry ’bout all the “fucks” but I’m just not in a good mood these days.

  10. Pablo says:

    Yeah, but before she was buried alive, she was in the trailer with the trailer trash and the psychotic pedophile while the cops were knocking on the door looking for her.

    On the bright side, Bill O’Reilly got a bunch of laws named after her. Meh.

    Mark is a good shit, though. I met him in DC once.

  11. SDN says:

    Wasn’t that horrible story about that girl who ended up being taken by a neighbor and buried in his backyard … wasn’t that in Florida. Because, I’m thinking WHAT THE FUCK is wrong with Floridians?

    Either they attract sexual deviants, or parents don’t give off a strong enough “don’t fuck with my children vibe.” I need to know which, ’cause my cousin lives down there and has a baby.

    Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t thor tell us all last year that he lives in Florida, off of A1A near Melbourne / Canaveral? I know who would head my suspect list.

  12. serr8d says:

    Not what I wanted to see this morning.

    From ELP’s “Daddy”

    It was a cold night in december
    The snow lay on the ground
    She was coming home from school one night
    From the other side of town
    It was getting late, there was something wrong
    Then I heard the news
    A tv flash and by 9 o’clock
    They’d found her socks and shoes

    Daddy come and bring me home

    I didn’t know which way to turn
    I was shaking like a leaf
    I got into my car and drove
    Searching every street
    Has anybody seen her
    Have you found my little girl
    She’s all I have, all I possess
    And to me, she means the world

    I can hear her calling
    Daddy come and bring me home
    Daddy, daddy come and bring me home
    Daddy, when are you gonna bring me home

    As time went by each silent night
    We knew all hope was gone
    We knew the light had flickered
    From the eyes that once had shone
    They caught a man in a bar one night
    He confessed to what he’d done
    He’d laid her body out in some dark wood
    Just didn’t know which one,
    Daddy, daddy come and bring me home
    Daddy, daddy come and bring me home

    I just couldn’t leave her out there
    Lying on her own
    ’cause she belongs to me
    And I belong to her
    I know she rests in heaven
    With the angels on a throne
    But now I hear her calling
    Daddy, daddy come and bring me home
    Daddy come and bring me home
    Daddy, daddy come and bring me home
    Daddy, daddy come and bring me home

  13. JHoward says:

    That brings tears, serr8d.

    I have one child, a daughter, 18. Thanks to the unfathomable vileness known as the national child support industry, I lost her four times. Pablo knows. I never quit because I couldn’t.

    But to lose a daughter forever — a small child — must have no comprehensible, expressible spiritual component. I’m guessing terror and utter despair don’t quite define it.

    There are many reasons to promote the private enforcement of law with extreme prejudice. These cases are probably the most vigorous of those reasons.

  14. B Moe says:

    I have very conflicted feelings regarding the death penalty, cases like this are one of the strongest proponents for it. There is one sure way to guarantee a child molester doesn’t ever do it again.

  15. Carin says:

    The pieces of shit who do stuff like this should be shot in the village square. Shot by someone with bad aim, so perhaps they hit an arm …a leg … the gut before they slowly and finally get the kill.

    People who molest children obviously don’t fear society’s wrath as much as they should. It is our failing.

  16. Pablo says:

    John Couey leaves me with conflicted feelings about the death penalty. I’m troubled by the prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. Given the opportunity, I would be unusually cruel to Mr. Couey. And I’d still be dismayed that you can only kill him once.

  17. happyfeet says:

    Here is part of the 911 call Misty made. So the brick just appeared out of nowhere is what she says. She went to sleep and when she woke up the back door was propped open with a brick.

    The dad was already ballistic at this point, probably because the whole brick thing had to mean someone had taken her is what they figured right away.

    Ronald Cummings: “if I find whoever has my daughter before you all do, I’m killing them… I don’t care – I will spend the rest of my life in prison… you can put that on the recording… I don’t care.”

    Here’s the rest of the transcript cause it’s not linked from the first one.

    Last interesting thinger was this

    Texas EquuSearch is coordinating the volunteer effort. People have already started to arrive in front of the neighborhood where Haleigh’s family lives.

    Tim Miller, Founder/Director of the search group, told reporters Friday he has 30 – 40 people from his group in Satsuma. He is expecting a lot of Putnam County residents to show up.

    Here’s their web page. It’s called EquuSearch cause there are horses involved. Texas ones. These are the ones they are looking for now. There’s two pages of them. I guess it’s quite an operation.

  18. JHoward says:

    Still living in the wrong country, meya? It shows.

  19. Frank P says:

    Carin

    “People who molest children obviously don’t fear society’s wrath as much as they should. It is our failing.”

    The fear is part of the buzz; the deviation and depravity is that they are convinced they are right and everyone else is wrong. These parasitical germs group together to give each other strength. Like all destructive bacteria they should be exterminated. A weak, pampered, pussified society like ours is vulnerable. History has shown that such depravity is of high incidence among those who frame and adjudicate the laws of ‘civilised’ countries.

    When homo sapiens goes really bad it is the most evil phenomenon so far discovered in the Universe (even greater than the election of Barack Obama as POTUS). Death to those who defile the young and innocent. Eternal damnation to those who protect the defilers.

    Can someone explain why there is an inordinate number of such crimes in Belgium. Or come to that, Florida?

  20. Squid says:

    I used to get annoyed by meya, but this morning’s low just makes me sad for it. It takes a really withered soul to look at a family’s loss of their daughter and turn it into an excuse to take potshots at internet political rivals.

    When praying for the safe return of the little girl, spare a brief prayer for meya.

  21. VAHighlander says:

    I have a four year-old girl so this stuff cuts to the quick. A great reason to keep two big dogs in the house, even if they are constantly underfoot and shed enough to knit sweaters.

  22. TheGeezer says:

    There is one sure way to guarantee a child molester doesn’t ever do it again.

    There is only one sure way to guarantee a child molester doesn’t ever do it again. There. Fixed the typo.

  23. Carin says:

    A house-to-house search for a child of mine would involve a gun. I wouldn’t take no for an answer. They could arrest me later.

  24. Carin says:

    In addition, a (legal) house to house search (mind you, I’m pefectly OK with an illegal search) would also enable the searchers to rule OUT certain houses.

    If the creepy guy down the street refused? I’d find a way in.

  25. meya says:

    “A house-to-house search for a child of mine would involve a gun. I wouldn’t take no for an answer. They could arrest me later.”

    Do you live in one of those states where they let you shoot people who break into your house?

  26. Carin says:

    Break into their house? No, I’d knock and then ask if I could search. With a gun at my side. Explaining why. How am I breaking into their house?

    Look, I’m just being honest here. If someone had a child of mine, I wouldn’t really care about the rule of law. They could arrest me later.

  27. Spies, Brigands, and Pirates says:

    I’m sorry, Carin, but if you showed up at my door with a gun and demanded entry, there wouldn’t be anyone to arrest later.

    Well, me, I suppose. But you wouldn’t be coming into my house.

  28. Carin says:

    I’m just saying. If my kid were missing, I would do whatever I had to to find ’em. I’d also assume that most people would cooperate once the situation was explained. If someone showed up at my house, with their kid missing … I’d let them search, and then I’d join them in their efforts elsewhere.

    I’m assuming that most people would be more interested in helping than being concerned about their rights. If I’m wrong, than I’m wrong.

  29. Spies, Brigands, and Pirates says:

    If my kid were missing, I would do whatever I had to to find ‘em.

    I suggest that knocking on the door of strangers with a gun in your hand would be a poor strategy toward that end.

    I’d also assume that most people would cooperate once the situation was explained.

    Really? If a stranger showed up on your doorstep with a gun, you’d let him into your house, just because he told you a story?

  30. Carin says:

    The house won’t get searched at that time.

    What about if the house is abandoned?

    I also imagine a house-to-house search was conducted to insure that the child just hadn’t wandered away and ended up at a neighbors.

    In addition, such a search could hopefully yield information regarding strangers/stragne occurances in the area.

  31. Carin says:

    If my neighbor showed up at my door, distressed, saying that his child was possibly abducted. Yep. I’d let them in.

  32. happyfeet says:

    Here’s more gack.

    George Anthony – the grandfather of Caylee Anthony, a 3-year-old Orlando girl who disappeared and was found dead – also spoke to the media.

    He said he showed up to support the Cummings family, just as Joshua Duckett, the father of a missing Leesburg boy did on Wednesday.

    They are now members of “a unique club,” Anthony said. “They need the community’s support. They do not need to be judged. They do not need to be scrutinized.”

    I can understand a phone call. But this is just tabloid bait I think.

  33. Spies, Brigands, and Pirates says:

    If my neighbor showed up at my door, distressed, saying that his child was possibly abducted.

    I didn’t say your next door neighbor. I said a stranger. And with a gun?

    C’mon, Carin. You’d call the cops.

  34. Carin says:

    And reading this:

    The admission stated that she was kept in his bed that evening, where he raped her again in the morning. It further stated that Couey put her in his closet and ordered her to remain there, which she did as he reported for work at “Billy’s Truck Lot”.[1] Lastly, the admission recounted that three days after he abducted her, Couey bound the child’s wrists together with speaker wire, placed her in a garbage bag, placed the bag containing her inside another garbage bag and buried her alive in a shallow grave, where she suffocated to death.,

    Stolen by a NEIGHBOR. She was RIGHT THERE. Fucker. That guy was, I’m sure, creepy. And, had someone decided to be forceful about the issue with him perhaps she wouldn’t be dead.

  35. Carin says:

    Well, I’m sorry I didn’t properly frame my position. Personally, I wouldn’t search a house by myself anyway. This girl was from a trailer park. I certainly don’t think it’s far out to consider that many , if not most, of those people knew each other. People fan out, check all the houses they know, etc… spreading the word and checking for anything suspecious as they went.

  36. Dan Collins says:

    SBP, do not argue with the mother bear. Just back slowly away. If it rushes, drop to the ground and curl into a ball with your hands on the back of your neck.

  37. Carin says:

    Also, as noted above, the house-to-house search was to confirm she hadn’t wandered away.

    So, back to the point that meya is making an irrelevant point.

    DAMN, sidetracked again.

  38. Sdferr says:

    And dependent on the intent or grasp of an unnamed AP reporter at that.

  39. happyfeet says:

    Is that true about dropping to the ground and curling up?

  40. happyfeet says:

    yup.

    The current wisdom is: If a bear attacks, fall to the ground and play dead. Try to lie flat on your stomach or curl into a ball and try to keep your hands behind your neck. Lying flat and still make the bear think you are no longer a threat and often they will stop the attack and leave. Stay motionless as long as you can since if you move and the bear is still within sight or hearing it may attack again. If a bear thinks you are food and continues biting after you have taken a defensive posture fight back as best you can.

  41. happyfeet says:

    There are lots of bears in Florida, you know. I looked it up once.

  42. happyfeet says:

    On this page you can scroll down and see a chart about all the different ways people in Florida interact with their bears.

  43. Sdferr says:

    Not if there’s someone else with you that you’re sure you can outrun, goes the old joke.

    Seems to me like Bill Bryson claimed in A Walk in the Woods that there is a difference between bear species in this regard, that you might have a shot curling up with a black bear but little chance using that tactic with a Grizz. I dunno. Others say climb the skinniest tree you can as fast as you can.

  44. happyfeet says:

    Yeah. I thought about it while I was making coffee and decided I really wasn’t a lay on the ground and curl up in a ball kind of guy. But it’s not like I’m gonna encounter nature anytime soon. I see deer around here sometimes, but that’s just weird. Urban deer. They’re deer what aren’t living right is what I think.

  45. Dan Collins says:

    See? Unlike some [Warren Bonesteels], the crap I make up is mostly true.

    Just kidding. I knew that from living in Alaska.

  46. Sdferr says:

    Fla fish and game says if you climb a tree you’re screwed. I’m thinking avoid the farkin bears is a good strategy where it comes to bears.

  47. happyfeet says:

    I’ll have to practice the rolling up into a ball thing. Not right now I mean later.

  48. happyfeet says:

    “That pastor over there, that man of God, he said God told him she was alive, nearby and safe, and he’s never been wrong, and if he tells you something, you can take it to the bank,” grandfather Johnny Sheffield said.

    ok so that’s her grandfather on her mom Crystal’s side. Johnny. Grandpa Johnny. This is so made for tv.

  49. happyfeet says:

    Teresa Neves, Haleigh’s paternal grandmother, said she continues to believe someone abducted her granddaughter.*

    I’m kind of despairing of finding two people involved in this story what have the same surname.

  50. happyfeet says:

    This comment from that last link…

    Submitted by ElJefe on Sat. 2/14/2009 at 11:29 am

    Little kid gone five days – it’s improbable that her fate is good. Her mother certainly didn’t kidnap her, and anyone good hearted enough to save her from her environment wouldn’t do it.

    an interesting mind ElJefe has I think.

  51. happyfeet says:

    While Haleigh’s maternal grandmother, Marie Griffis, has been willing to talk to the media…*

    you need an abacus to keep up with these people

  52. happyfeet says:

    here’s Grandma Griffis…

    “I’m too old to be criticizing the two, because they’re still babies,” she said, referring to 25-year-old Cummings and 17-year-old Croslin. “I feel maybe I’ve done some damage to Misty’s heart, and I can’t live with myself for doing that.

    “The Lord knows I want to apologize … and I want to do it face to face,” she said.

    these people are wonderful. Also it’s hard not to suspect that everybody’s just pretending not to notice that Ronald and Misty are likely afoul of the laws about when you can have sex and stuff in Florida.

  53. happyfeet says:

    that stuff they found yesterday and sent to the lab turned out not to be anything. This is new though. To me anyway…

    Police had never been called to the home in the past, but there have been investigations by a social services agency involving Cummings, Croslin and Haleigh and her 3-year-old brother Junior, according to Putnam County Capt. Steve Rose. He wouldn’t elaborate.

    John Harrell, spokesman for the northeast region of the Florida Department of Children and Families, said Thursday that his agency “was involved with the family.” He wouldn’t offer any details, citing state confidentiality laws.

    That sounds familiar. oh.

  54. happyfeet says:

    This is the first I’ve read this

    The father, Ronald Cummings, said Haleigh had gotten up to use the bathroom, and when she didn’t return, Croslin went to look for her and noticed the back door of the mobile home they shared was open.

    oh. That seems weird to just be reading that now, but ok. They’re looking for Chad now cause he’s sort of a sketchy character but that seems like a longshot.

    See… these other ones get the whole bathroom thing backwards

    Croslin told detectives she went to the bathroom, and that when she returned, the girl was gone.

    Someone may or may not have gone to the bathroom. And also there was a brick.

  55. happyfeet says:

    If you scroll to the bottom here there’s a picture of where Ronald works. They helped build the The St. Louis Arch it says.

  56. Carin says:

    Happy, I’m glad your on top of this. I can avoid Greta now.

  57. happyfeet says:

    I’m on the case, Carin. Where you can get lost is reading all the threads where people speculate, but the reporting on this has been really really bad I think. The brick is most likely a cinder block I think… but that’s never been reported. I’d think you’re more likely to find a cinder block around a trailer than a for real brick. I would like to see a picture of this brick.

    meanwhile, psychics suspect foul play

  58. happyfeet says:

    oh. Ronald + Misty = Love4Ever. Tacky question but I been wondering. If your kid vanishes in Feb do you get to claim her as a dependent for the whole year or how does that work exactly? This is new. That’s the bedroom where for sure we know Haleigh is not.

    This part I did not know.

    Haleigh’s father, Ronald Cummings, still spends his nights in a tent in the neighborhood, saying he can’t bring himself to go back inside while his daughter is still missing.

    That’s…

    Anyway. This is grim grim grim.

    Annette Sykes, Haleigh’s great-grandmother, said the bedroom door was kept open at night and the television was always on.

    That’s child abuse I think.

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