Haleigh Cummings or is it Hayleigh Cummings and speculation

I sure wish they'd find this little girl and people would back off with their speculation on what happened.

I also wish they'd report the correct spelling for the poor lost little girl. I still can't figure out if it's "Haleigh" or "Hayleigh". Maybe I'm just dim.

It seems disrespectful to be typing the wrong spelling.

When Denise was first reported missing all the news reports kept calling her "Amber". It drove us crazy! We kept telling them, she's not Amber she's DENISE! But they continued to report Amber as if to sensationalize the story even further. In any case it was like sticking needles in us. People to this day still say Amber! As recently as this past week someone said "oh, I'm so sorry about Amber. I've been following her story." All because in those first few days that's how the story was aired.

I think people who have never gone through anything like this before don't understand how much just one little statement can hurt. One little word can feel like a dagger in the heart. That's how distressed we were and most of the time still are. And that's how distressed this family is.

I realize people say stupid things because they don't know what to say. And I realize that families like ours are super sensitive. We don't know what to say either.

What ever the case, sure! Maybe someone inside the family circle harmed this little girl. And sure! Maybe one of them was neglectful. But just as sure a stranger may have crept in and taken her the way that evil monster Couey crept into Jessica Lunsford's home and snatched her! Everyone was so sure that because the family lived in a trailer, someone in the family was responsible. The only facts in Haleigh's story right now are that we don't have any. We don't know what happened. And it's the entire family who is in pain. The entire family. So the speculation hurts them all. And aren't they hurting enough?????????

I remember people speculating about my son Nathan. I remember people speculating about Denise. I remember the not so whispered "Well, she must've known him!" and the "why would she have let him in!"

Well he had a gun people! Obviously since he shot her in the head, it's clear he had a gun! And she had two babies she needed to protect.

Anyhow, I wish I knew how to spell Haleigh's name correctly. And I wish people wouldn't speculate. It's hurtful.

And, yeah, I too think the girl friend "Misty" is a little young but who am I to judge? And who am I to put these people on trial? Let's find the precious baby. Let's lay out the facts and then put on trial whoever is responsible.

I do understand the need and the compulsion to find answers. We all want answers. We all want to find her and by speculating people are simply puzzling over everything and trying to figure out what happened.

All I'm saying is we can't judge anyone until we know the facts. And right now there are no facts.

I know how angry I sound. These stories just put me back into that place. We're blessed in so many ways, my family is. We have the babies safe and sound. The perpetrator is behind bars. It seems to be an open and shut case for us. We do have the trial coming up. Ugh! And we do have the 9-1-1 issues we're contending with. Ugh! But we have the support of so many people.

So, I'll take my anger back and ask very gently, please, please, please, try not to judge this family until we know what's going on. For the sake of this heartbroken family who can't find their little girl let's try not to be hard on them. Trust me, they are in a kinda of pain that can't begin to be imagined.

Just my opinion as always.


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/13/earlyshow/main4799710.shtml

Haleigh Cummings and speculation

I will not speculate about the Cummings family. Or for that matter the Herrera family who lost two children who died in a trunk.

I feel intense pain and heartache for these families.

All I can do is share some of our experiences of when Denise went missing.

When Denise went missing Nathan became the first suspect. That afternoon, I was asked countless times whether Denise would have left willingly and if Nathan would hurt her. I can't tell you how unbearable it is to experience other people thinking your son could do anything so horrific. But speculation was rampant. And in a missing adult case the spouse is always this first suspect. Poor Nathan. We couldn't get on with worry about Denise and praying. We were being questioned. We don't blame the police for this. We blame the society we're living in. And we were more than willing to answer any questions we could if it meant helping to find Denise.

People speculated and still speculate that Denise knew the evil monster Michael King and that they were having an affair. It's ridiculous, hurtful and unkind. As if Denise would associate with such a person. It's ludicrous.

The police are proof positive that Denise had no clue who Michael King was and that she never set her eyes on the man before he kidnapped her, raped her and eventually murdered her.

Fortunately for us Denise left the best evidence to take suspicion away from Nathan. Not 3 hours after she was kidnapped she was able to make a 9-1-1 call. She kept the call taker on the line for 7 minutes. During that time she stated she was kidnapped and that her babies were home alone. Thank you, Denise, for that.

I can't imagine if Nathan had been a suspect for several days. I believe the pain would've been unbearable.

When Jessica Lunsford went missing there was intense suspicion focused on Mark Lunsford. We later found out that Mark Lunsford had nothing to do with Jessica's demise. It was the evil monster John Couey.

Before Denise went missing, I will admit that I would probably have joined in on the speculation. Now? Never again. I know first hand how hurtful it is for people to assume things when the not even the police know what to think.

In any case I hope this little girl is found soon for everyone's sake.

I just can't believe this is happening again. It's so so horrible.

Anyway, I beg for people to not speculate on this family until the facts come out. I don't know this family. But I do know some of their unbearable pain.

Please. If they or anyone of them are involved, let the police speculate and figure it out. Do not put these people on trial until a trial is deemed necessary. Let them get on with their prayers and heartache and leave them alone. That is unless you know something. In that case, go to the police with it right away.

It's the only compassionate thing to do.