Recently, I've been watching CBS News' 48 Hours Mystery videos nonstop. Two real life cases caught my attention: The Whole Truth and Only Casey Knows. The former has its share of drama and even heroism while the latter didn't give 2-year old Caley Marie Anthony a chance to live her life.
Despite the verdict being granted on July 5, 2011, the case remains a mystery for the large percentage of people who were captivated by the facts and events related to the murder of Caylee Anthony. Not too many people outside the US are aware of this controversial case and I'm grateful that I've had the chance to come across and follow each time the case develops.
I guess it wasn't because of no one else but Caylee that this case claimed too much hype from her hometown in Orlando and almost the entire US. The sympathy of the majority goes to the lovely and innocent child who was helplessly and brutally murdered by someone whom anyone doesn't want to point fingers at. Surprisingly, such sympathy doesn't seem to emanate from her mother who was the last person to see her alive.
On July 15, 2008, Caley was reported missing for 31 days by her grandmother, Cindy Anthony, through a 911 call. Six (6) months later, a utility worker named Roy Kronk stumbled upon skeletal remains of a small child in a wooded lot less than a half-mile from the Anthonys' home. The remains, found in a black trash bag, were later identified as Caylee's. The small skull was seen with a duct tape and the mouth covered by a heart sticker.
On July 15, 2008, Caley was reported missing for 31 days by her grandmother, Cindy Anthony, through a 911 call. Six (6) months later, a utility worker named Roy Kronk stumbled upon skeletal remains of a small child in a wooded lot less than a half-mile from the Anthonys' home. The remains, found in a black trash bag, were later identified as Caylee's. The small skull was seen with a duct tape and the mouth covered by a heart sticker.
What disturbs me a lot is the behavior of Casey Marie Anthony, Caylee's 25-year old mother. She's the one responsible for telling Cindy that her daughter's actually missing. But the big question for me is why would a mother not tell anyone that her child's already missing for 31 days? If my daughter's staying with me and suddenly I couldn't find her in an hour or even in a few minutes, my initial reaction as a mother would undoubtedly be frantic and freaked out.
What's even worse? Casey went out drinking and partying with friends. She even took self shots while holding a peace sign and smiling like nothing terrible had happened to her child. All of these things she did only after a month from telling her folks that she hasn't been with or seen her daughter around. Weird, huh?! We haven't come to the worst part yet. What if Casey knew all along what really happened to her daughter and yet what she only did was manipulate and lie to everyone on Caylee's whereabout? Guess what? That's exactly what she did.
The sad part and disappointing fact is that Casey Anthony has a huge chance of escaping death penalty and life imprisonment. Her DNA did not match any of the evidences presented during the trial, neither the duct tape nor the sticker. Word from everywhere says that the evidences were poorly presented by the defenseUnder the United States' current laws, even if you belong to the jury and believe that Anthony's guilty of murder, manslaughter and child abuse, you still can't do anything to her but convict her of only lying to the police. It didn't even matter if she stalled a police investigation or that she partied hard while her daughter was dead or missing.
That makes Casey Anthony a free woman in 6 days. She'll be released from prison on July 17, 2011. Casey was found not guilty of first degree murder, aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter. She was only found guilty of providing false information to a law enforcement officer and was sentenced to 4 years in prison. She already stayed for 1,043 days (almost 3 years) in police detention and will be freed sooner than expected because of good behavior and the credit she received from the time she spent behind bars.
This seemingly biased verdict has shocked millions who intently followed this horrific murder case. Those who can never agree with the verdict are left with nothing but to just simply hope that such irresponsibility by a parent will never happen again, thus Caylee's Law. May this proposed bill be approved as soon as possible.
I'd rather end this with these hanging questions that will continue to puzzle me probably as long as I live. How could anyone just walk away just like that? Does that mean that no one's going to be convicted or held accountable at all? How about the innocent 2-year old victim who was thrown out like a piece of trash and whose mother doesn't totally seem to care and simply has kept her mouth shut and leaves everyone in shock just so to save herself from getting back into jail?
I'd rather end this with these hanging questions that will continue to puzzle me probably as long as I live. How could anyone just walk away just like that? Does that mean that no one's going to be convicted or held accountable at all? How about the innocent 2-year old victim who was thrown out like a piece of trash and whose mother doesn't totally seem to care and simply has kept her mouth shut and leaves everyone in shock just so to save herself from getting back into jail?
August 9 is Caley's birthday. She's turning 6.
