PICS OF DAY:

PICS OF DAY:
Models Take Over Times Square

°

Homepage / Orlando News
Text Size

Items Of Interest Ruled Out In Missing Girl Case; Search Ongoing

Weather Becomes Factor In Search For 5-Year-Old

POSTED: Saturday, February 14, 2009
UPDATED: 10:32 pm EST February 14, 2009

Overcast skies and occasional rain did not stop more than 200 volunteers and officials with more than 17 local, state and federal agencies in the fifth day of the search for 5-year-old Haleigh Ann Marie Cummings.

Haleigh was last seen when she was put to bed at 10 p.m. Monday in her father's home just north of Satsuma. Five hours later, the girl was reported missing by her father and his girlfriend.

With an Amber Alert issued, a growing numbers of investigators have arrived in southern Putnam County in what became a massive search for a kindergartner who authorities came to believe was abducted.

Late Friday, after an expanded search by a team of trained search-and-rescue volunteers turned up several "items of interest," the mood was upbeat, WJXT-TV reported.

As Saturday's search came to an end, Putnam County Undersheriff Rick Ryan said the crime lab had ruled those items out as evidence and nothing new of significance had turned up.

Ryan said the lack of progress does not have them discouraged.

"We're as optimistic right now as we were on day one. Of course we're frustrated ... but we haven't lost our motivation or our drive," Ryan said. "We're not going to stop looking for her."

Volunteers with Texas Equusearch accompanied by law enforement officers continued to look for anything out of the ordinary, such as fresh tire tracks, beaten-down brush, burn marks, clothing or anything that's out of place in the environment.

Saturday's search also included the use of high-tech equipment, including some SONAR devices and thermal-imaging cameras.

Original Police Report: Officers Found Child's Footprint

The original police report states deputies found what "appeared to be a small child's footprint" in the dirt on a path behind the house on the night Haleigh disappeared.

The discovery was made when officers first arrived and called in K-9 officers to Cummings' home in the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday.

According to the report, "The track led directly out the back door and down a wooded path. As we traveled down the wooded path, we located what appeared to be a small child's footprint in the dirt."

The report goes on to say, "It should be noted that (Haleigh's father) said Haleigh's shoes were still inside the residence."

The dogs and officers followed the track to a pond and then circled back near the Cummings' home and then out of the neighborhood to a location very near Haleigh's school bus stop.

In the days since, everything within a five-mile radius of Haleigh's home has been searched and searched again. Interviews have been conducted with all neighbors, all of the sexual offenders registered in the area and all of Haleigh's family members and their friends.

Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy said his investigators have pursued more than 350 leads and plan to re-interview family members and others who had contact with Haleigh.

"At this time, the world is a suspect," Hardy said. "We really haven't excluded anybody."

Dominick Pape, special agent in charge of the Jacksonville office of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, said forensic evidence collected during the investigation such as DNA and fingerprints would be a priority.

About 20 agents work around the clock at a command center parked near the doublewide mobile home where the girl went missing.
Text Size
The views expressed are not those of clickorlando.com, WKMG or its affiliated companies. This is a community moderated forum. (Please note the 'Like' and 'Report' tabs.) By posting your comments you agree to accept our Terms of Use.

Comments

blog comments powered by Disqus

Sponsored Links

Links We Like
Sponsored Content
Find out what a sputtering economy and an increasingly difficult to crack job market means to you. More

Before you splurge on that pricey remodeling project, beware. It may not pay you back when it's time to sell. More

If you're looking to save on your next new vehicle, a low sticker price is just one aspect. Consider all the costs and make the right decision. More

Acupuncture, massage, or other complementary therapies could manage your type-2 diabetes. Find out whether they can help you. More

Most Popular