SATSUMA, Fla. – Several teams of dogs specially trained to find human remains search Thursday in the area around the Putnam County mobile home park where 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings disappeared on Feb. 10.
Nine Putnam County deputies and seven canine teams, some from a non-law-enforcement group called Canine South, were searching "to insure that no possibility is overlooked in the search for Haleigh."
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For the first time in the 17 days of searching for the missing girl, Haleigh's family hopes this search comes up empty.
"We have to keep the faith that my granddaughter is alive. So to think those dogs will find her out there ... I don't think they will," Marie Griffis said. "I have faith that God will bring my baby home. If you give up that hope and that faith, then you really have nothing."
After 10 days of nearly continuous searching for the missing girl turned up nothing of significance, the sheriff's office had said they would only do additional searches in response new leads.
Putnam County Capt. Dick Schauland said Thursday's search was not prompted by any specific information, "but as a routine procedure that has proven itself in other missing child cases."
Schauland said that Sheriff Jeff Hardy and other investigators continues to hope that Haleigh is found alive and in good health.
Also Thursday, Misty Croslin, the 17-year-old girlfriend of Haleigh's father who was the last person to see the girl, was seen driving off in a car with a Putnam County detective. Later in the day, other detectives talked with Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings, inside the double-wide mobile home that has been considered a crime scene since the girl disappeared.
Putnam County officials had said it was normal to reinterview family and acquaintances during the course of the investigation.
Almost from the beginning, investigators said they believed she was abducted.
Anyone with information about Haleigh's disappearance should call 888-277-TIPS or the FDLE's Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse at 888-FL-MISSING.
Previous Stories:
- February 25, 2009: Family Shares Haleigh Photos, Home Video
- February 24, 2009: Tip Leads Detectives To St. Johns Co. In Search For Haleigh
- February 24, 2009: Investigator: We Are No Closer To Finding Haleigh
- February 23, 2009: 2 Weeks Into Hunt For Haleigh, Police Have Nothing To Report
- February 22, 2009: 1,600 Leads, Family Distractions In Haleigh Case
- February 20, 2009: Family Holds Vigil, Prays For Haleigh For 11th Night
- February 20, 2009: New Searches, Larger Reward In Hunt For Haleigh
- February 19, 2009: Haleigh's Mother Pleads For 5-Year-Old's Return
- February 19, 2009: Dad To Haleigh: 'We Will Find You'
- February 18, 2009: Reward Increased $16,000 In Haleigh Case
- February 17, 2009: Tip: Dad's Girlfriend Wasn't Home When Haleigh Disappeared
- February 17, 2009: Investigators In 2nd Week Of Hunt For Haleigh
- February 16, 2009: Week After Haleigh Goes Missing, Police Keep Working
- February 15, 2009: Authorities Scale Back Search For Haleigh, Not Investigation
- February 15, 2009: Putnam Chief: 'We're As Optimistic Now As We Were On Day 1'
- February 14, 2009: Search For Missing 5-Year-Old To Continue Into Weekend
- February 14, 2009: Ramped-Up Search For Haleigh Turns Up 'Items Of Interest'
- February 13, 2009: Several Groups Offer Help In Search For Haleigh
- February 12, 2009: Girlfriend Describes Waking Up, Finding Haleigh Gone
- February 12, 2009: Search For Haleigh 'Will Expand As Far As It Needs To Go'
- February 12, 2009: 48 Hours Pass With No Sign Of Missing Girl
- February 11, 2009: School Prays For Haleigh's Safe Return
- February 11, 2009: Detective: Haleigh's Disappearance Considered Abduction
- February 10, 2009: Family, Friends Pray As Search For Missing 5-Year-Old Continues
- February 10, 2009: 5-Year-Old Vanishes From Bedroom; Father Says She Was 'Stolen'