HALEIGH CUMMINGS - 5 yo - Satsuma FL - The Beginning

Tommy Croslin's Attorney Says Croslin said Haleigh Likely Strangled

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Tommy Croslin, one of three people believed to have been in a mobile home the night Haleigh Cummings disappeared, told investigators he thinks she was strangled by his cousin, his attorney said today.

Attorney James Werter, representing Croslin, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison this month, said Croslin told authorities in April that he believed Joe Overstreet strangled Haleigh after losing his temper in February 2009.

Overstreet, Croslin's cousin, was reportedly looking for a gun that belonged to Haleigh's father Ronald, but couldn't find it.

"The gun wasn't there. Joe Overstreet lost his temper and took or did something to Haleigh that evening," said Werter, citing Croslin's account of the night.

Werter said Croslin told this information to authorities in April, which led to a re-intensified search for the missing girl in the water near their Satsuma home.

"Tommy rode with (Joe Overstreet) to where Joe Overstreet disposed of the body off that dock, which was the subject of search in April," said Werter.

Werter said while Croslin claimed to be with Overstreet that night, "Tommy had not act of participation."

Earlier this week, after the "no contest" plea by Misty Croslin on her drug charges, her attorney told Misty's side of what happened.

Misty was in the home babysitting Haleigh and her younger brother.

She said Tommy and Overstreet came in looking for the gun, then went after Haleigh while Misty and the younger brother hid under the covers.

Misty said Haleigh was screaming and fighting back, then became quiet, and she next heard the door to the house open and close, then the door to a van open and close.

She said she saw Overstreet put Haleigh in a bag.

Haleigh has been the subject of an Amber Alert ever since.

Werter said his client has not had contact with his sister, making each story more believable.

"The two of these people have not been in contact with each other while in jail, so it was not like they are collaborating on stories," said Werter. "It gives it more credibility through there may be variances. That is a normal thing with different witnesses seeing different things."

The information about Tommy came after Werter spoke about Tommy's reaction to his prison sentence.

He said Croslin was "shocked" at his recent sentence of 15 years in prison on two drug charges, one for possession and one for trafficking.

Werter plans to appeal the sentence.

He said Tommy and his sister have had no contact since their arrest in January on the drug charges for which Tommy was sentenced, and the fact that both of them tell the same story means it is true.

Misty Croslin entered pleas of "no contest" this week to her drug charges, and is scheduled for sentencing in October.

First Coast News tried to contact Overstreet's attorney Shawn Sirgo in Nashville, Tennessee. Overstreet lives in that area.

However, Sirgo's staff would not connect the call to him, saying simply there was no comment.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office, which is handling the Haleigh case, is not commenting.

In the past, authorities have maintained Haleigh is not alive, but won't specify why they believe that.

Haleigh's family meanwhile, contends that she is alive.

Her grandmother keeps a porch light on just in case if the little girl wanders home one night.
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=163701&catid=3

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pleads guilty - sentencing sept 24 - thanks mermaid for the update

She was the babysitter! she was entrusted to care and protec this child. Instead she hid cowardly under the covers and just let them take Haleigh. One never knows what type person they are trusting their kids to. She should have fought for that child. She should have died trying to keep them from taking Haleigh! THAT IS IF SHE IS TELLING THE TRUTH....

Haleigh's Dad Pleads To Drug Charges

Girl Still Missing As 3rd Person Related To Her Pleads
To Unrelated Charges

POSTED: Friday,
August 20, 2010
UPDATED: 12:18 pm EDT August
20, 2010

PALATKA, Fla. -- The father of missing girl Haleigh Cummings pleaded
guilty Friday morning to three of five drug trafficking charges against
him in exchange for him agreeing to testify in any future trial criminal
involving the disappearance of his daughter.

Cummings, along with his ex-wife, Misty Cummings, her brother,
Hank Croslin Jr., and two other people were arrested after an undercover
drug sting by St. Johns and Putnam County detectives. Misty Cummings
and Croslin have pleaded no contest to charges. Croslin received a
15-year sentence and Cummings faces sentencing in October.All
three are central figures in the disappearance of Ronald Cummings'
5-year-old daughter in February 2009. After an Amber Alert, weeks of
exhaustive searching and an investigation involving more than 4,000
leads, Haleigh remains missing. In May, the Putnam County sheriff said
she is likely dead and described the case as a homicide investigation.
Earlier this week, attorneys for both Misty Cummings and Tommy Croslin
said their clients have told investigators a similar story of what
happened the night Haleigh disappeared. They both said that a Croslin
cousin, who lives in Tennessee, placed the screaming girl in a black bag
and took her from Cummings' mobile home.That cousin, Joe
Overstreet, has been questioned at least twice by detectives, but never
charged or named a suspect in Haleigh's case.Ronald Cummings
could face a maximum of 90 years in prison. He will be sentenced Sept.
24.

Channel 4's Tarik Minor was in the courtroom for the hearing. He will be getting
reaction from those involved and learning more about this new
development in the case. He will have complete reports on
the local station beginning at 5 p.m.

http://www.news4jax.com/news/24700021/detail.html

Pictures of Ron's Plea Deal Today

http://www.ocala.com/article/20100820/ARTICLES/100829981/1402/NEWS?Title=Haleigh-Cummings-dad-pleads-guilty-in-drug-case


http://photos.jacksonville.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=1061180&CategoryID=57667&ListSubAlbums=0

Ronald Cummings pleads guilty to drug trafficking

PALATKA - Ronald L. Cummings, the father of missing Putnam County girl Haleigh Cummings, pleaded guilty Friday morning on three counts of trafficking in hydrocodone.
One of the crimes carries a mandatory minimum sentence of three years in prison. The other two offenses -- more serious because they involve larger amounts of the prescription drug -- carry mandatory minimum sentences of 15 years.

Cummings, 26, was initially charged with five counts, and the remaining two were dropped as part of a plea agreement.

Circuit Judge Terry LaRue set a sentencing date of Sept. 24.

Cummings has been in jail since his arrest along with several co-defendants in January following an undercover investigation.

His attorney, Terry Shoemaker, said he hopes the total sentence will be 15 years, with the three sentences being served concurrently.

Shoemaker said part of the agreement is that Cummings will provide testimony about his drug co-defendants if needed. But Shoemaker said he doubts that will be necessary because they are not contesting the charges.

"I don't think there is anything else he can give (prosecutors). He has answered all of their questions," Shoemaker said.

Also arrested in the operation were Cummings' former wife, Misty Croslin, who was in the home when Haleigh disappeared; her brother, Hank "Tommy" Croslin Jr.; Cummings' cousin, Hope Sykes; and a friend of Misty Croslin, Donna Brock.

Haleigh's mother, Crystal Sheffield, was in the courtroom Friday for Cummings' hearing. Also in the courtroom were several relatives of Cummings and the Croslins' mother, Lisa Croslin.

Misty and Tommy Croslin are key figures in the Haleigh case and have implicated a cousin in her disappearance.

Outside the courthouse after the hearing, an emotional Sheffield began yelling from a distance at Lisa Croslin. Relatives of Sheffield had to physically keep her from going over to Lisa Croslin.

Members of Cummings' family declined to comment after the hearing.

Lisa Croslin and her husband, Hank Croslin Sr., were recently arrested by Palatka police on charges of purchasing cocaine. She said Friday that the charges against her were dropped, while her husband remains in jail.

Misty and Tommy Croslin are key figures in the Haleigh case and have implicated a cousin in her disappearance.


http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100820/ARTICLES/100829978&tc=omni?p=1&tc=pg