PUTNAM CO., Fla. -- Nearly one year after her disappearance, two of the last people to see Haleigh Cummings are behind bars this morning on unrelated charges. Investigators arrested her father, former step-mother and three others late Wednesday night on drug trafficking charges.
Action News has learned Ronald Cummings is being held in the Flagler County Jail, while Misty Croslin, Hank Croslin, Hope Sykes and Donna Broch are being held in St. Johns County. Hank Croslin is Misty’s brother. Hope Sykes is Ronald Cummings’ cousin.
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office tells Action News the five were arrested following a month-long undercover operation. Investigators say on seven separate occasions, they purchased the prescription drugs Oxycodone and Hydrocodone from the Croslins, Cummings, Sykes and Broch.
They are all charged with trafficking in controlled prescription medications. The drugs have an estimated street value of $3,900.00.
Right now, Misty Croslin faces six counts of trafficking in prescription medications and is being held on $950,000 bond. Ronald is being held on 3 counts of trafficking in prescription medications and his bond is $500,000.
Investigators say if convicted of the charges, Ronald Cummings, Misty Cummings and Donna Broch could receive a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years in prison. Hank Croslin, Hope Sykes could receive minimum sentences from 3-15 years in prison, if convicted.
Action News’ Matt Saffer has been speaking to the Cummings family throughout the morning. Ronald Cummings' mother tells him that at some point today, she expects an emergency custody hearing about his young son. She says she hopes Ronnie Jr. will remain in his great-grandmother’s house, which is the same home he’s lived in with his father since Haleigh’s disappearance.
An Amber Alert was issued for little Haleigh on February 10th, 2009. Haleigh's father says the blonde girl was missing when he returned home from work that morning around 3 a.m. The house where Haleigh lived had no signs of forced entry but a back door was open. Ronald Cummings says his girlfriend was awake and frantic that Haleigh was missing from her bed. Investigators have treated the disappearance as an abduction because house-to-house searches of the neighborhood found no evidence that she wandered away.
Family and friends have worked to keep this little's girl name and picture in the public eye. A series of candle light vigils and other organized events have made news across the region. The families of some of Florida's other missing children came to Putnam County offering them a kind of support no one else can. Trenton Duckett, Jessica Lunsford and Mark Lunsford all showed support for the family. Lunsford's daugher Jessica, just like Haleigh, disappeared from her bed in the middle of the night. For Mark, there was no happy ending. A registered sex offender, who was staying across the street from their home, kidnapped Jessica and buried her alive.
Caylee Anthony's grandfather, George Anthony, met with Haleigh's mom and dad in the days after she went missing to offer his comfort. George Anthony said, "They need to be supportive of each other. They need to know they can count on us and my wife and son and we will understand."
During the last few months, people related to Haleigh have had several runs in with the law. Haleigh's father was arrested on assault charges, Haleigh's then step mom, Misty Croslin, was involved in a road rage incident, and Misty's family, including and father, mother and brother, have all been arrested on various charges.
