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July 22, 2008
Detective: Missing Toddler 's Mother a 'Person of Interest' in Child's Disappearance
Topics: NewsA detective testified Tuesday that the mother of a missing Orlando 2-year-old is a "person of interest" in her disappearance, after revealing that evidence of human decomposition was detected in the trunk of a car she drove.
Detective Yuri Melich with the Orange County sheriff's department in Florida said strands of hair similar to those of missing 2-year-old Caylee Marie Anthony and dirt were found in the trunk of a car used by her mother, Casey Marie Anthony.
The odor of "decomposition" was also detected in the vehicle, he testified at Casey Anthony's bond hearing.
"The smell I smelled was that of decomposition," Melich said.
When asked whether he considered the child's mother a suspect in her disappearance, Melich said he'd classify her as a "person of interest."
Melich also said a witness he interviewed remembered seeing bruises on Caylee's body and a mark under her eye without knowing that Melich had a photo showing similar marks on the toddler, who has been missing more than a month.
On cross examination, Melich admitted he didn't have any direct evidence that Casey Anthony played a part in her little girl's disappearance.
Investigators used cadaver dogs to search the child's grandparents' yard last week after a neighbor told them Casey had asked to borrow a shovel around the time her daughter Caylee was last seen.
Also at Tuesday's hearing — held to argue over whether or not to release Casey from jail — the child's grandmother said her daughter is a good mom and hasn't committed a crime but had lied to her in the past and has had trouble keeping jobs.
"Casey's lied to me in the past and when she's lied she's always told me the truth," Cindy Anthony said. "We've gotten to the bottom of the truth when I talk to her and spend time with her."
She told attorneys that her 22-year-old daughter is her "best friend outside my husband" and she had no reason to believe anything had happened to her granddaughter Caylee Marie Anthony until last week because she'd "spoken to Casey on a daily basis."
"Without a doubt, she is a great mom," Cindy Anthony testified. "You can see it in her eyes. You can see it when they're together. There's nothing but love."
She said her daughter should be released from jail "because she hasn't committed a crime" and because she needs to help find Caylee.
Earlier Tuesday, Cindy Anthony said Casey left the child in the care of someone she trusted, but that person betrayed her.
In an interview on FOX News Tuesday morning, she implied that her granddaughter might have been kidnapped.
Casey Anthony has been in prison since last week but was in court to lobby for her release.
Anthony finally reported her toddler daughter missing last Wednesday at her parents' urging. Caylee was last seen June 9, according to Anthony — who investigators say has spun a Web of lies in their interviews with her. She was arrested on charges of child endangerment, making false officials statements and obstructing a criminal investigation.
Her attorney denies that she hasn't been telling police the truth and says she's been cooperating.
"My client at no time refused to speak with law enforcement," said lawyer Jose Baez at a Monday press conference. “We are focused on trying to find Caylee. We want to find Caylee.”
Anthony was denied bail at a hearing last week.
Anthony's mother wants her released so she can help authorities in the search for the child.
Cindy Anthony said her daughter "has her reasons why she just can't blurt out the whole story."
"Casey has been trying to tell the police in her own way what she can tell them and the only unfortunate thing is, you know, they want a clear picture," Cindy Anthony told FOX News on Monday. "There's no clear picture. Casey has her reasons why she just can't blurt out the whole story, so she's been honest with them for what she can be honest with."
Earlier, Cindy Anthony said on NBC's "Today" Show Monday that her daughter knows who has the toddler and should be released from jail so she can assist with the search.
Volunteers in the Orlando, Fla., were continuing to canvass neighborhoods this week, distributing about 50,000 fliers, according to MyFOX Orlando.
A local foundation and business owner were offering a new reward of a combined $125,000 for any information about Caylee's disappearance or whereabouts, MyFOX Orlando reported. The reward will be in effect for at least the next three months.
Orange County sheriff's detectives say they have few new leads. Authorities are looking into the family's claims that Casey Anthony received a mysterious call from her daughter last Tuesday.
Posted by admin at July 22, 2008 4:40 PM
