From: jcs
This article outlines the significant events related to the disappearance and death of Caylee Anthony, and the subsequent trial of her mother, Casey Anthony.
Background
Caylee Marie Anthony was born on August 9, 2005 [00:52:20]. Her death is considered the most heartbreaking part of the story [00:00:12]. The primary focus of the case later shifted to the psychological constitution of her mother, Casey Marie Anthony [00:00:26].
Caylee sadly passed away at some point between 1 pm and 8 pm on June 16, 2008 [00:00:06]. However, discussions often centered on Casey’s response to her daughter’s death rather than the circumstances of the death itself [00:00:55]. Two clinical psychologists evaluated Casey during her time in custody and found no abnormalities in her psychological state [00:01:14], meaning there were no signs of mental illness [00:01:23].
Disappearance and Initial Investigation
- June 7, 2008: Caylee was last seen by her grandparents [00:02:41]. Casey claimed to have dropped Caylee off at a babysitter’s apartment on June 9, 2008 [00:09:02].
- June 16, 2008: This day is believed to be when Caylee was murdered [00:50:48].
- Casey Anthony conducted internet searches for “How to make chloroform” at 1:15 pm and “neck breaking” at 1:44 pm [00:50:50].
- At 7:54 pm, Casey and her boyfriend, Tony, were seen at a Blockbuster video store, with Caylee nowhere in sight [00:51:00]. Many presumed Caylee was already deceased and in Casey’s car trunk [00:51:09].
- Following Weeks: Casey went out partying most nights [00:51:16].
- Three days after supposed abduction: Casey participated in a “hot body” contest [00:51:18].
- Twelve days after supposed abduction: Casey got a tattoo on her back that read “Bella Vita,” an Italian phrase meaning “beautiful life” [00:51:25]. Around this time, she also wrote in her diary, expressing happiness and trust in her own judgment [00:51:32].
- July 15, 2008: Cindy Anthony, Caylee’s grandmother, called 911 [00:01:45]. She reported that Caylee had been missing for a month and that Casey had finally admitted the baby was “in the store” [00:02:06]. Cindy also reported that Casey’s car smelled like a “dead body” [00:02:29]. This call was made after George Anthony found the family car at an impound lot, emitting a strong odor he recognized as human decomposition [00:04:00]. Casey’s parents tracked her down at her boyfriend’s house, where she claimed Caylee had been kidnapped by a babysitter named “Zaneda Fernandez Gonzalez” 31 days prior [00:04:25].
- July 16, 2008: Casey Anthony was interviewed by Detective Melissa [00:06:09]. During this interview, Casey provided numerous fabrications, including details about a fictitious babysitter (“Zaneda Fernandez Gonzalez”) and a non-existent co-worker (“Juliette Lewis”) [00:10:03]. She also claimed to work as an event coordinator at Universal Studios, where she had not been employed for over two years [00:10:21]. Casey later admitted she purposely misled detectives by taking them to fake addresses and a non-existent office at Universal Studios [00:15:05]. She was arrested after admitting she didn’t work there [00:15:26].
- Nine days after arrest: Casey received her first visit from her parents [00:24:02].
- August 21, 2008: Jose Baez, Casey’s attorney, secured her release on bail, and she was fitted with an electronic monitoring device [00:15:14]. She had spent just over one month in custody [00:15:17].
Discovery of Remains and Murder Charges
- December 11, 2008: Caylee’s skeletal remains were discovered in a swamp less than a mile from the Anthony household [00:50:11]. She was found wrapped in a Winnie-the-Pooh blanket inside a canvas laundry bag, with duct tape around the nose and mouth area of the skull [00:50:22]. Her death was ruled a homicide [00:50:30].
- Two months after bail release: Police arrested Casey on the charge of first-degree murder [00:33:21]. She remained in county jail for two and a half years awaiting trial [00:29:29].
The Trial
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May 24, 2011: The trial commenced [00:51:47].
- The prosecution argued that Casey suffocated Caylee with duct tape, placed her in a trunk, and later disposed of her body in a swamp [00:51:50]. They focused on the motive, asserting that Caylee’s death allowed Casey to live a “good life” for 31 days [00:55:16].
- The defense, led by Jose Baez, asserted that Caylee Anthony drowned accidentally in the family’s swimming pool on June 16, 2008 [00:56:38]. They claimed Casey had been sexually abused by her father, George Anthony, since she was eight years old, and that this led her to lie and hide her pain [00:57:37]. The defense’s strategy was to create doubt and evoke empathy from the jury [01:01:21].
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July 3, 2011: Closing arguments were presented [00:58:43].
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July 5, 2011: The jury rendered its verdict. Casey Anthony was found not guilty of first-degree murder [01:05:52], aggravated child abuse [01:06:07], and aggravated manslaughter of a child [01:06:23].
Casey’s attorney, Jose Baez, stated after the verdict that Casey did not murder Caylee, and that the justice system had not dishonored Caylee’s memory by a false conviction [01:07:36].