SATSUMA, Fla. -- As investigators began their sixth week of trying to solve the disappearance of Haleigh Cummings, the focus of the case shifted in light of some serious allegations.
The missing girl's 4-year-old brother, Junior, is the subject of an escalated custody fight that includes some claims about the children's father, Ronald Cummings. Their mother, Crystal Sheffield, is alleging abuse.
On Tuesday afternoon, Sheffield's attorney, Kim Picazio, said she met with the Department of Children and Families and urged them to investigate allegations of abuse at the Cummings' home.
She said officials would investigate some claims of possible physical abuse of Junior.
"I don’t believe that anyone knew exactly what was going on in that household until the spotlight was shown upon it. Why now? Well, we're still not going to let Junior just sit there in an unsafe environment just because Haleigh is missing," Picazio said. "Is she supposed to allow her other child, who has not been taken under the nose of a 17-year-old child, to be abducted or to be abused in that household? Is she supposed to sit by and watch when she know what's going in that household? She would be remiss. They would be calling her reckless. They would have the right to take action against her. So no, we are not going to wait. We're not going to allow Junior to sit in an unsafe household."
The attorney said her meeting with DCF was about serious claims of physical abuse and neglect involving Haleigh and Junior.
"When a parent beats a child until the child is bloodied, that is a crime in this county and where I'm from and in New York City. Just because this is a small town, and just because this is Putnam County, there are still laws here that need to be adhered to. It's legally and morally wrong, and he needs to be brought to justice," Picazio said.
Haleigh's great-grandmother, Annette Sykes, told Channel 4 any claims of abuse are lies.
"It's ridiculous. Ronald spanked his children just like children's services says you can spank them -- on the rear end. I'm from old school, I believe in correcting a child if they don’t mind. That's the way Ronald is, and that's the way he was raised," Sykes said. "It enrages me. It really does. I've been around the children all of their lives, and they're happy and loved. Anybody that sees them -- you can't fool everybody."
She said on her grandson's behalf that the DCF investigation is welcomed because she said he has nothing to hide.
DCF said it was reviewing the allegations.
The sheriff's office said it was aware of the allegations of abuse, but it did not yet have the paperwork needed to begin an investigation.
The missing girl's 4-year-old brother, Junior, is the subject of an escalated custody fight that includes some claims about the children's father, Ronald Cummings. Their mother, Crystal Sheffield, is alleging abuse.
On Tuesday afternoon, Sheffield's attorney, Kim Picazio, said she met with the Department of Children and Families and urged them to investigate allegations of abuse at the Cummings' home.
She said officials would investigate some claims of possible physical abuse of Junior.
"I don’t believe that anyone knew exactly what was going on in that household until the spotlight was shown upon it. Why now? Well, we're still not going to let Junior just sit there in an unsafe environment just because Haleigh is missing," Picazio said. "Is she supposed to allow her other child, who has not been taken under the nose of a 17-year-old child, to be abducted or to be abused in that household? Is she supposed to sit by and watch when she know what's going in that household? She would be remiss. They would be calling her reckless. They would have the right to take action against her. So no, we are not going to wait. We're not going to allow Junior to sit in an unsafe household."
The attorney said her meeting with DCF was about serious claims of physical abuse and neglect involving Haleigh and Junior.
"When a parent beats a child until the child is bloodied, that is a crime in this county and where I'm from and in New York City. Just because this is a small town, and just because this is Putnam County, there are still laws here that need to be adhered to. It's legally and morally wrong, and he needs to be brought to justice," Picazio said.
Haleigh's great-grandmother, Annette Sykes, told Channel 4 any claims of abuse are lies.
"It's ridiculous. Ronald spanked his children just like children's services says you can spank them -- on the rear end. I'm from old school, I believe in correcting a child if they don’t mind. That's the way Ronald is, and that's the way he was raised," Sykes said. "It enrages me. It really does. I've been around the children all of their lives, and they're happy and loved. Anybody that sees them -- you can't fool everybody."
She said on her grandson's behalf that the DCF investigation is welcomed because she said he has nothing to hide.
DCF said it was reviewing the allegations.
The sheriff's office said it was aware of the allegations of abuse, but it did not yet have the paperwork needed to begin an investigation.
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