SATSUMA, Fla. — Investigators are searching a Florida river for a 5-year-old girl who disappeared from her father's mobile home more than a year ago.
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office is searching the St. Johns River for Haleigh Cummings, who disappeared in Satsuma, about 60 miles south of Jacksonville, in February 2009.
“I know somebody took her. I know for a fact she didn’t wander off — she’s afraid of the dark,” Cummings told NBC’s “Today” on Thursday.
Haleigh’s mother, 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 as tears ran down her cheeks, her eyes red from crying.
Door propped open
Haleigh was last seen Monday night in her father’s mobile home in a heavily wooded area north of Satsuma, a community along the St. Johns River about 70 miles north of Orlando. The blue doublewide mobile home with a screened-in front porch was blocked off with police tape Thursday.
Video
Father pleads for return of 5-year-old
Feb. 12: Officials continue the desperate search for 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings, who vanished from her home in Florida.
Today show
Nearby, a team of about 30 police officers and sheriff’s deputies walked shoulder-to-shoulder through the thick underbrush and palmettos near the family home. Each carried a machete to clear away the brush. At times, they would stop and use a shovel to check when they found fresh dirt.
Haleigh was reported missing when her father returned home from work early Tuesday. His girlfriend said she had woken up and discovered the child was missing.
Misty Croslin, Haleigh's father's live-in girlfriend, called 911 and told investigators that the child was missing when she awoke and a back door propped open with the brick.
Authorities have tracked down thousands of leads and searched the rural area on foot, with dogs and via helicopter. They have also previously searched other parts of the St. Johns River with boats.
Croslin and Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings, were arrested in January in a drug sting.
"Investigators search river for missing Fla. girl"
- The Associated Press: Investigators search river for missing Fla. girl (lihat di Google Wikipinggir)
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