Misty Croslin, who was watching Haleigh, tells about herself

By Cindy Swirko

Staff writer

http://www.gainesville.com/
Friday, February 13, 2009

PALATKA - Misty Croslin, the 17-year-old girlfriend of Haleigh's father, has been a key figure in this story. During an interview Friday afternoon, Croslin shared some information about herself:

She is originally from Michigan. She has lived in Florida for about seven years. Croslin has lived in various parts of the state, including Daytona, where she lived with her brother.

- She has lived in Putnam County off and on for about a year. Her parents live here. She said she prefers city life.

- Croslin has been dating Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings, for about five months. She lives with him.

- Croslin does not go to school; she hasn't for a while. She signed up for GED classes but never went.

- On the night Haleigh went missing, the girl was sleeping in the master bedroom of the doublewide mobile home on Green Lane in Satsuma. There are two beds in that room. Haleigh was in the one that was right in front of the TV; Croslin and Ronald Jr., age 2, were in the second bed.

- Croslin said the children are like family to her. Cummings works the night shift, and she watches the children.

"I always stay with the kids," she said. "I had them 24/7, except for the four days out of the month when they would go to their mom's."

- Croslin addressed the issue of someone her age watching such young children in this capacity. "I've been babysitting since I was 11," she said. "I have three nieces and two nephews and one on the way, and I've watched all of them."