Jasmin Munoz
English 101 C
Professor Blease Justice for Caylee Anthony
Many were sickened, shocked, and outraged when they heard the verdict. Surely they could find something this woman was guilty of beyond a handful of misdemeanors! How about being guilty of not calling 911 when her child was missing during those 31 days? How about being guilty of parting rather than reading her daughter a bed time story? How about saying anything to get off, including accusing other people for her actions? The list goes on, and it is in our hearts, and emotions that rendered judgment and a verdict against this woman, as did our nation.
Caylee Marie Anthony was a two-year-old little girl who lived in Orlando, Florida with her mother, Casey Marie Anthony, and her grandparents, George and Cindy Anthony. On July 15, 2008, she was reported missing to 911 by Cindy, who said she had not seen Caylee for 31 days and that Casey's car smelled like a dead body had been in it. Casey had given varied explanations as to Caylee's whereabouts before finally telling her that she had not seen Caylee for weeks. Casey told detectives several falsehoods, including that the child had been kidnapped by a nanny on June 9, and that she had been trying to find her, too frightened to alert the authorities. The body of Caylee was discovered in the woods near her family’s home in December of 2008. After this thirty three day trail, millions of viewers were shocked that Casey was found not guilty of murdering her 2-year old daughter.
According to Casey Anthony's father, George Anthony, Casey left the family's home on June 16, 2008 taking her daughter Caylee with her and did not return for 31 days. Casey's mother Cindy asked repeatedly during the month to see Caylee, but Casey claimed that she was too busy with a work assignment in Tampa, Florida. At other times, she said Caylee was with a nanny, who Casey identified by the name of Zenaida "Zanny" Fernandez-Gonzalez, or at theme parks or the beach. It was eventually determined that a woman named Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez did in fact exist, but that she had never met Casey Anthony, Caylee Anthony, any member of the Anthony family, or any of Casey's friends. On July 13, 2008, while doing yard work, Cindy and George Anthony found a notice from the post office for a certified letter affixed on their front door. George Anthony picked up the certified letter from the post office on July 15, 2008, and found that his daughter's car was in a tow yard. When George picked up the car, both he and the tow yard attendant noted a strong smell coming from the trunk. Both later stated that they believed the odor to be that of a decomposing body. When the trunk was opened, it contained a bag of trash, but no human remains. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Caylee_Anthony)
Even though there was no human remains, Cindy still called the police. Cindy Anthony reported Caylee missing that day, July 15, to the Orange County Sheriff's Office. During the same telephone call, Casey Anthony confirmed to the 911 operator that Caylee had been missing for 31 days. Sounding distraught, Cindy said: "There is something wrong. I found my daughter's car today and it smells like there's been a dead body in the damn car.” When detective Yuri Melich, with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, began investigating the disappearance of Caylee, he found discrepancies in Casey signed statement. Casey told police that she was working at Universal Studios, a lie she had been telling her parents for years. Investigators brought Casey to Universal Studios on July 16, 2008; the day after Caylee was reported missing, and asked her to show them her office. Casey led police around for a while before admitting that she had been fired years before.
As a result, Casey was arrested on July 16, 2008 and was charged the following day with giving false statements to law enforcement, child neglect and obstruction of criminal investigation. The judge denied