Ronald Cummings' Attorneys Fight Back Against Abuse Allegations

March 27, 2009

PUTNAM COUNTY, FL -- New photos have been released in the Haleigh Cummings case by Haleigh's father's attorney.

The pictures come in response to allegations of child abuse against Ronald Cummings, Haleigh's father.

The law office of Kimball & Snider, P.A., is representing Ronald Cummings.

It released Thursday, via email, a press release and time-stamped photos of Haleigh -- before and after she fell at a school playground in November 2008.

Haleigh's mother, Crystal Sheffield has said she believes Ronald Cummings abused their 5-year-old daughter, Haleigh, and their 4-year-old son, Ronald Jr.

A couple weeks ago, Sheffield's attorney, Kim Picazio, released pictures of Haleigh with a black eye and scratches on her face and her little brother with marks on his leg. Picazio said the photo she released was of Haleigh during a visit with her mother on November 16, ten days after the playground incident.

In Thursday's press release, Cummings' attorneys said on November 6th, according to Haleigh's school records, she was injured on the playground and cut her nose.

The attorneys provided a photo taken by Haleigh's paternal grandmother the day before the playground incident. The attorneys say it shows no injuries.

In the next photo provided, time-stamped almost two hours after the playground incident, Haleigh has scrapes on her nose and face.

Cummings' attorneys said Haleigh's paternal grandmother, Teresa Neves, took Haleigh to the hospital for the injury and that the staff there reported the girl had swelling and superficial abrasions. Cummings' attorneys wrote, "emergency room physicians and staff are extensively trained in recognizing, treating and reporting child abuse and it is clear there were no such concerns."

The next day, November 7th, a photo shows Haleigh's injuries were getting worse and a black eye was developing.

Two days later, November 9th, a photo shows a black eye which appeared to be worse and scrapes still on Haleigh's nose and face. Cummings attorneys wrote that the photos "show the natural progression and continuation of her response to the injury."

Then there are two pictures dated November 14th, five days later. Haleigh's injuries appeared better. Cummings' attorneys wrote, "all the swelling had subsided, with no visible lacerations or bruises."

Cummings' attorneys say he is unaware of the injury to Ronald Jr. shown in the photos released by Picazio.

Ronald Cummings' lawyers say, "The biological mother's assertion the injuries depicted exist due to abuse by Ronald Cummings is false and unsubstantiated, made recklessly without any effort to obtain all relevant information. The result has been the slander and libel of Ronald Cummings."

Cummings' lawyers also are fighting back against Crystal Sheffield's credibility, saying she had falsely accused Cummings of violence previously, but it was thrown out by the judge due to lack of credibility.

Concluding their argument, Cummings lawyers say, "Most importantly, the focus has been taken off the search for Haleigh by this tawdry and inexcusable publicity stunt."

Sheffield's attorney, Picazio, responded to the press release and photos released by Cummings' attorneys.

Picazio told First Coast News that Ronald Cummings may be able to "explain away" one incident or injury, but he will not be able to explain away all the other injuries and eyewitness accounts she has learned about.

Picazio reiterated that she has provided the Florida Department of Children and Families all of the information given to her by Sheffield and people in the community.

DCF confirms it is investigation the allegations of abuse.
Haleigh disappeared from her home February 9th in Satsuma.