Casey Anthony

Passions

American news figure and homicide suspect who was charged with the apparent murder of her daughter Caylee Anthony. On 15 July 2008, Caylee was reported missing in a 911 call made by her grandmother Cindy, who said she had not seen Caylee for 31 days and that Casey's car smelled like a dead body had been inside it. Casey lied to detectives, telling them Caylee had been kidnapped by a nanny on 9 June and that she had been trying to find her, too frightened to alert the authorities. She was charged with first-degree murder in October 2008 and pleaded not guilty. On 11 December 2008, Caylee's skeletal remains were found with a blanket inside a trash bag in a wooded area near the family home. The medical examiner mentioned duct tape as one reason she ruled the death a homicide, but officially listed it as "death by undetermined means." The trial lasted six weeks, from May to July 2011. The prosecution sought the death penalty and alleged Casey wished to free herself from parental responsibilities and murdered her daughter by administering chloroform and applying duct tape. The defense team, led by Jose Baez, countered that the child had drowned accidentally in the family's swimming pool on 16 June 2008, and that George Anthony, Caylee's grandfather, disposed of the body. The defense contended that Casey lied about this and other issues because of a dysfunctional upbringing, which they said included sexual abuse by her father. Casey did not testify. On 5 July 2011, the jury found Casey not guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of a child, but guilty of four misdemeanor counts of providing false information to a law enforcement officer. With credit for time served, she was released on 17 July 2011. A Florida appeals court overturned two of the misdemeanor convictions on 25 January 2013. Link to the Death of Caylee Anthony