Cadaver dogs aiding missing girl search

PALATKA, Fla., Feb. 26 (UPI) -- Cadaver dogs were used Thursday by investigators in Putnam County, Fla., to search for missing 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings, police say.

Capt. Dick Schauland of the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said the search dogs were used to investigate areas near the young girl's home in Satsuma, Fla., the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel reported.

Schauland said the cadaver dogs were specially trained to search for human remains and were on loan from Canine South, a non-law enforcement group.

The sheriff's official added Thursday's search efforts were not prompted by tips, but were part of routine search efforts in missing child cases.

Cummings went missing while staying at a mobile home owned by her father, Ronald Cummings Jr.

Misty Croslin, the 17-year-old girlfriend of Cummings' father, told police Cummings disappeared from the same mobile home bedroom she was staying in on the night of Feb. 9, the Sentinel said.