Haleigh Marie Cummings was fast asleep in her bed next to the bed her brother and babysitter was sleeping in when apparently someone came in and took her and she hasn’t been seen since.

Now according to the babysitter, who happens to have been Haleigh’s father’s girlfriend also at the time, she woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom only to notice the kitchen light on and the back door wide open with the screen held open by a cinder block. She ran back to the bedroom to check on the kids and she found Haleigh to be gone.

Haleigh was 5 years when she disappeared. Her father, Ronald Cummings was reportedly at work at the time but the babysitter, 17 year old Misty Croslin called 911 to report her missing after the father got home.

Ronald Cummings had custody of Haleigh and her little brother. The family lived in a mobile home community in Satsuma, Florida. About 44 registered sex offenders also live in the immediate area that the Cummings family live in.

Police have stated that they do not believe this was a stranger abduction, therefore they believe that whoever took little Haleigh knew her.

Haleigh was at the time about 3 ft tall and she has blonde hair and brown eyes and she has pierced ears. She was born on August 17, 2003. Ronald Cummings 4 year old son, Junior also lived in the mobile home with the family.

Police seem to think that the babysitter, Misty holds the key to what happened to Haleigh but she claims she doesn’t know anything else. Since Haleigh has been gone, Ronald Cummings has married the 17 year old babysitter and now they have divorced.

The mother of Haleigh, Crystal Sheffield remains pretty quiet in the news after her then attorney, Kim Picazio was taken off the case. Marie Griffis, Haleigh’s grandmother  says her granddaughter was highly intelligent and she loved to play with makeup, purses, cell phones and girlie stuff.

Her Uncle Andrew Sheffield said in the beginning that he believed she was still alive but the question is where is she? “It’s fishy,” he said. “Somebody knows something.” I wonder if he still thinks this.

The public waits each day praying something will break in this case and this little now 6 year old child is found and brought home. Is she alive and being taken care of somewhere or is she dead with her body well hidden to be sure the authorities never find her?

There are lots of theories about her disappearance. Some blame the Cummings family, some blame the Croslin’s. Some blame the mother and her side of the family. Some of the theories make perfect sense but who knows what really happened to this baby? The truth is “We don’t!”  But we sure wish we did.

Ronald Cummings once said on NBC’s Today Show, “I know somebody took her. I know for a fact she didn’t wander off – she’s afraid of the dark.”

Crystal Sheffield also believes someone took her daughter. “I just want my baby here. I just want them to bring back my baby,” she said with tears running down her cheeks.

We will soon be at the year mark since Haleigh has been gone. If you know anything that can help find this little girl PLEASE call the local police in your area. You can contact the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office at 386-329-0808 or Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS.

Jan Barrett