Father denies hitting missing girl

SATSUMA, Fla., Feb. 23 (UPI) -- The father of 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings has denied he ever hit the girl, who vanished earlier this month from his mobile home in Satsuma, Fla.

Ronald Cummings has denied allegations he ever abused the girl, sold drugs or beat the girl's mother, Crystal Sheffield, when she was pregnant with Haleigh, Fox News reported Monday.

"It is absolutely a lie," Cummings said Saturday outside the camper he has lived in since police declared his mobile home a possible crime scene, The (Jacksonville) Florida Times-Union reported Monday.

A massive search for the girl has turned up no solid clues since her disappearance Feb. 10, police said. Misty Croslin, Cummings' 17-year-old girlfriend, told police she put Haleigh to bed and found she was gone in the morning.

Sheffield has accused Cummings of selling drugs, abusing her when she was pregnant and of hitting Haleigh. Sheffield, in an interview with Fox News, also alleged Cummings knows more about the girl's disappearance than he has told police.