Haleigh Cummings Mother's Attorney Says She Met With DCF

3/17/2009

PUTNAM COUNTY, FL -- Haleigh Cummings' mother's attorney met with case workers with the Department of Children and Families Tuesday.

Attorney Kim Picazio told First Coast News she supplied information she has gathered from people in Putnam County about the homelife of Haleigh Cummings and her younger brother inside their father's house.

Both children live with their father, Ronald Cummings. Cummings was granted custody of the children in 2005.

5-year-old Haleigh disappeared from her father's home February 9th while being watched by Cummings' then-girlfriend, Misty Croslin. Cummings and Croslin have since married.

Picazio said she spent 90 minutes with DCF's attorney, the agency's supervisors in Putnam County, and with DCF caseworkers Tuesday.
Picazio said she does not intend to help Haleigh's mother, Crystal Sheffield, file for custody of the children at this time.

Picazio said she will wait for DCF to finish an investigation before filing any legal action for custody. She said she has faith DCF will swiftly investigate the information she has brought to their attention. Picazio first came to Putnam County last week at the request of individuals helping Sheffield's family. She said she first took on the case to help Sheffield deal with the media. She said she then learned about some allegations about the stability and safety of Haleigh and her brother's home.

Picazio has taken the case pro bono.
If you have any information that could help find Haleigh, call 1-888-277-TIPS. There is a $35,000 reward.

Grandma Defends Haleigh's Father

3/18/2009

SATSUMA, FL -- Haleigh Cummings' great-grandmother, Annette Sykes, says the allegations that her grandson abused Haleigh and Haleigh's little brother are "garbage and hearsay."
Sykes told First Coast News Wednesday, "Ronald's a good daddy. I'm not saying he's perfect because he's not. He's a young father, but he loves his children. He provides for his children. He spends as much time as he can with them."

Kim Picazio, Haleigh's mother's attorney, told First Coast News last week that after coming to Putnam County to help Crystal Sheffield handle the media, she received numerous calls and information about possible abuse involving Haleigh's father -- Ronald Cummings, Haleigh and Haleigh's little brother over the past few years.

Picazio said she provided all of that information to the Florida Department of Children and Families Tuesday so that the agency can investigate. "We're not worried about that [investigation]," said Sykes. "It's just a matter of if they want to investigate facts or if they don't want to take the time and go by hear-say."

John Harrell, a spokesman for the Department of Children and Families, confirmed the agency did receive the information from Picazio this week. Harrell said the agency takes the allegations seriously and will review the information carefully.

As for the speculation that Haleigh's mother, Crystal Sheffield, is fighting for custody of her children, Picazio told First Coast News she is still not pursuing a custody battle at this time.
Haleigh's great-grandmother, Sykes, said even talking about it right now is wrong.

"The only thing that needs to be talked about is Haleigh Ann Marie Cummings! Nothing else," Sykes said. "If they want to do all that other stuff, they should've waited until Haleigh came home. Any issues they had should not be now. Now is not the time."