
SATSUMA, FL -- Investigators spent an hour at the home where Haleigh Cummings was last seen around 4 p.m. Thursday. Her mother and father were watching as vehicles and search crews came back to the house.
It's not clear exactly what the crews were doing inside, but the search for evidence and DNA has been ramped up today.
Earlier Thursday, cadaver dogs were brought in to scour the woods and fields around the girl's home for any signs of the missing girl.
All morning, the dogs looked through and under a number of people's homes in Haleigh's neighborhood.
"They've been in my home," said neighbor James Batchelor. "They've torn it apart. All the buildings out there they've been in them twice."
The dogs are trained to specifically seek out human remains and are part of Canine South, a non-law-enforcement group specializing in canine searches.
Also, investigators want a DNA sample from Crystal Sheffield, the mother of Haleigh Cummings, the five-year-old who has been missing for over two weeks.
Thursday afternoon, detectives came looking for Sheffield, who had apparently gone to the doctor.
The detectives are trying to track her down after going to the wrong office. Investigators would not comment on what type of DNA sample they need, or why.
"Today's search is not in response to leads received from the family or the public, but as a routine procedure that has proven itself in other missing child cases," said Captain Dick Schauland with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. "This search is being conducted to insure that no possibility is overlooked in the search for Haleigh."
Ron Wirth, a former FBI agent who's been doing general analysis on the investigation as a representative of First Coast Crime Stoppers, says the move to get the DNA from Haleigh's mother may be about evidence.
"They may be seeking the biological mother's DNA to establish a basis for test comparisons on items that they have found, or will find, to positively identify or eliminate those items as evidence in this matter," said Wirth.
Wirth says the new search with cadaver dogs is also not unusual at this stage in the investigation.
"If a body began to deteriorate you might get some gasses that the dogs could hit on," said Wirth.
Thursday's ground search is the first major organized effort in some time.
Investigators have been chasing false leads across the First Coast and in Tennessee since shifting the search for Haleigh to more of an investigative approach in the case last week.
The family spoke briefly to the media Thursday afternoon. Teresa Neves, Haleigh's grandmother, expressed concern over the dwindling crowds of media. She also said Ronald Cummings and his 17-year-old girlfriend, Misty Croslin, are still together as a couple.
The reward for information leading to Haleigh is up to $26,500. Call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS if you have any information. You will remain anonymous and could recieve a cash reward if your information leads to an arrest.
©2009 First Coast News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed.
Created: 2/26/2009 9:22:37 AM 



