Pantagraph.com Weather forecast, local radar and more
NewsTuesday, September 2, 2008 8:42 AM CDT
Police: Body was in car driven by Fla. girl's mom
Advertisement

ORLANDO, Fla. --Lab tests confirmed a decomposing body had been in the trunk of a car driven by a missing girl’s mother, and investigators believe the 3-year-old is dead, the sheriff’s office said Monday.

Investigators have called Casey Anthony, 22, a “person of interest” in Caylee Anthony’s disappearance. She faces charges of child neglect, obstruction and making false statements in the case.

“(FBI) laboratory evidence, along with additional evidence that has not been made public, leads investigators to the belief there is a strong probability that Caylee is deceased,” the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said. “If any evidence to the contrary is provided, it will be vigorously pursued.”

The statement said the forensics tests confirmed there had been a decomposing body in the car. Detectives disclosed at a July hearing the trunk contained hair samples appearing to belong to Caylee, a strong odor and suspicious stain that glowed under black light.

A spokeswoman for Anthony’s attorney, Jose Baez, did not immediately return a telephone message Monday. He has repeatedly said his client doesn’t know what happened to Caylee.

Caylee was reported missing in mid-July, about a month after she was last seen. Casey Anthony told investigators she dropped the girl off with a baby sitter and went to work. Sheriff’s detectives have said those details, and just about everything else Anthony has told them, was a lie.

Anthony was released on $500,000 bail Aug. 21, but returned to custody Friday following new theft charges unrelated to Caylee. Prosecutors have offered Anthony limited immunity in exchange for cooperation, but that was set to expire Tuesday.

Video
Most commented stories
Browse online archives
Recent issues:
Reader comments on this story - 8 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

JimmyChooGirl wrote on Sep 2, 2008 3:55 PM:

" No offense to some of you that think this girl might still be alive but there is evidence that a decomposing body was in the mom's trunk. So...unless you think another dead body was in the trunk it's pretty certain that the little girl is dead, and was at one time in the trunk.

I too hope she is still alive but the facts are there. So sad. :( "

CrazyCooter68 wrote on Sep 2, 2008 12:25 AM:

" If there is evidence of decomposition and hair samples with DNA matching the little girl then one should assume the worst but hope for the best. The mother is obviously mentally disturbed and the grandmother has some issues as well and knows more than she is telling too. Just a sad state of affairs. Prayers for little Caylee. "

just a thought 2 wrote on Sep 1, 2008 8:20 PM:

" cops can say anything to try to get someone to say SOMETHING, i pray for the little girl to be alive somewhere. "

Zeva wrote on Sep 1, 2008 7:49 PM:

" As usual, tried and convicted in the media. When they come up with her body I'll then believe it, until then I'm going to hope she is still alive somewhere. It's clear her mom has issues, but that doesn't mean this precious little one is dead. "

michelle24 wrote on Sep 1, 2008 7:46 PM:

" Just sick, my heart is breaking...:( May the p.o.s. mom never see freedom again. "

Annienap wrote on Sep 1, 2008 7:28 PM:

" Nooooo! I want SO MUCH for this little girl to be alive and well somewhere. I was hoping with all my heart that maybe her nutty mom had given her to someone to take care of her. I feel so heartbroken for this precious little girl and her grandparents who have held out so much hope for so long and I feel - well, I can't say what I really feel for this so-called mom. Should this turn out to be 100% true - DEATH TO THE SO-CALLED MOM! "

pseudo-intellectual wrote on Sep 1, 2008 7:24 PM:

" In a perfect world defense attorneys would be liable for prosecution when they obstruct justice by lying for their clients or even making claims that cannot be verified. I am so tired of hearing thesse guys insist their client is innocent of a crime even though they are usually hired after the fact. "

tatbtime wrote on Sep 1, 2008 7:23 PM:

" Does this mother not want anyone to know where her daughter is, or what happened to her? Sounds fishy to me. "

Add your own comments

Please read the rules before posting comments.

You must be logged in to leave comments.
If you don't have a member ID, please register.

*Member ID:
*Password:
Remember login?
(requires cookies)
  Forgot Your Password?