(© FlaglerLive)
From 900 to 1,000 people die in Flagler County every year, almost all of them as the natural result of age, illness or other complications. Police or sheriff’s deputies are often called in. They conduct a brief investigation, usually ensure that a death certificate is signed, and move on, themselves signing off on a report with the usual words: “nothing suspicious.”
That was not the case with the death of 44-year-old Faith Cummings at her home either the morning of Jan. 11 or the night before. Her husband Michael, 46, reported the death to authorities at 8 a.m. Thursday. Not long afterward, detectives, a Florida Department of Law Enforcement crime scene investigation unit and Sheriff Rick Staly himself were all at the scene, and Staly was calling the death suspicious.
He would later characterize the sheriff’s involvement as a mere “death investigation,” but the house remained a crime scene, with a deputy guarding it, through Friday. And Michael Cummings’s arrest on Thursday, on an obstruction of justice charge unrelated to the death, shed light as to why the sheriff showed concern about the nature of Faith’s death.
When Cummings met Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy Christopher Crego just before 8 a.m. Thursday at 6 Point Pleasant Drive, Cummings’s pants appeared bloody. Once the two men walked into the house, Crego said in his arrest report he “observed a large amount of used syringes laying on the ground.”
Faith was in a bedroom, lying on a bed, not responsive, not breathing. “Faith appeared to have a bruised right eye and blood on her face,” the report states. Flagler County Fire Rescue unit 92 arrived and paramedics got to work. Crego asked Michael to step out of the room. “Michael became very upset and stated that he was not going anywhere,” the report states. “Michael then proceeded to walk into his master bedroom and began to say, ‘I tried to give her compressions and breaths for hours.'”
Michael Cummings’s reactions to deputies and detectives at the scene was perhaps understandably less than coherent. “While speaking with Michael, I explained to him this was now an investigation and asked him several times what happened,” Crego reported. “Michael began to tell me what happened, then began to cry and stated, ‘I did not do anything wrong and no one better not come near me with handcuffs.’ While speaking with Michael he made several statements that he was not going to leave his house.” The investigation was turned over to detective Jorge Fuentes.
After about three hours of speaking with Michael he was told he had to go to the sheriff’s Investigative Services Division. “I did nothing wrong, I am not going anywhere, I refuse to go anywhere,” he was reported as saying. Fuentes, who is known for his non-confrontational, patient and deliberate approach, “continued to speak with Michael and explain to him the importance of him relocating to the Investigative Services Division to provide a witness statement in regards to this investigation,” the report states. “Michael continued to be uncooperative with investigative measures. Multiple additional attempts were made to speak with and explain investigative efforts to Michael which he did not comply with.”
Deputies handcuffed him as he stood in his living room and placed him under arrest for obstruction of justice–a charge the News Journal’s Matt Bruce reported Cummings faced once before in Volusia County, though that charge was dropped.
Cummings was booked at the Flagler County jail at 8:18 p.m., suggesting that he’d been interrogated at the investigative division for many hours before that. He posted bail on $500 bond and left the jail just before midnight, but not to go back to his house, which was off limits at the time. The obstruction charge is a misdemeanor and, if history is any guide with such charges in such circumstances, is more likely than not to be dropped.
The medical examiner in St. Augustine was scheduled to conduct an autopsy Friday in the death of Faith Cummings. “As of the end of the day yesterday they were not completed,”: a sheriff’s spokesperson said of those proceedings.
Richard says
Waiting to hear the “real story” from the ME and law enforcement. It should be an interesting one.
woodchuck says
“a large amount of syringes on the ground”maybe they were diabetics.
Anonymous says
If the charges are likely to be dropped why did they arrest the man and put all this through the system for nothing? So if there is a next time to show he was now arrested twice for obstruction of justice? This is just wrong. If the man had complied and had already been answering questions he cooperated and shouldn’t have been treated this way. The man had a right not to answer any questions without an attorney present too so why was he pressed and treated this way? Some cops can be over zealous and some cops plant evidence and set people up just to be a hero. I don’t blame the man for not wanting to see what was going on in his own home. He didn’t stop anyone from investigating…if the investigation reveals that he did kill his wife then arrest him and charge him. This whole investigation seems a bit far out and the Sheriff admits he doesn’t even have qualified staff and called in FDLE so why was Flagler County deputies yanking the mans cord? They should have backed off, observed and secured the scene–and that is all!
KJones says
While i agree with the fact they “could” be diabetics, it’s definitely a possibility, i will add that most..not all..diabetics are very responsible about not just leaving their used or even new stringed, laying around. Most keep them in a safe place and dispose of them properly.
Mark says
excelent update!
Concerned res says
You can’t do CPR in a bed. She should’ve been on a hard surface. He must be superman if he had the energy to do CPR for hours. He should’ve just called 911.
Three Decades says
Thanks for the info Flaglerlive!
palmcoaster says
Thank you Flagler Live for the update. Suspicious to say the least and our Sheriff is correct with his presence and procedures to clarify this lady’s unfortunate death at a young age. Rip Mrs Cummings and may God sooth the family.
RedNSmith says
“Michael then proceeded to walk into his master bedroom and began to say, ‘I tried to give her compressions and breaths for hours.’”
I have seen in my 30 years of prehospital care, healthy 20 something firefighters break sweat and need relief after 15 minutes of good effective CPR.
Yourstruly says
Hahahahaha “diabetics!!”
Pat Patterson says
Diabetics don’t just throw their syringes on the floor. Drug abusers do that kind of crap.
jane says
maybe they were both drug addict. diabetics toss their stuff in syringe containers
Jolene dehart says
Woodchuck, few diabetics throw their syringes on the ground
palmcoaster says
These trying to save her for hours….before calling emergency…C’mon!
Really says
Sounds like opioids to me but Im not a ME so…
Jenn says
Before accusing anybody of being a drug addict why don’t you wait or all the facts to come out. This is somebody’s mother sister daughter and wife and nobody is showing any compassion towards this poor family it’s very sad. As for doing CPR I’m somebody it should be done on a hard surface and I’ve done it several times and there is no way you can go hours after 10 minutes you are pouring sweat I’m not saying he is guilty all I’m saying is have some compassion for the family who is in morning right now.