Casey Anthony has been found not guilty of first degree murder today.
Anthony’s daughter, Caylee, disappeared in June of 2008 and her body was found in the woods near her grandparent’s home on December 11, 2008. Prosecutors claimed that Casey Anthony killed her [2-year-old] daughter by drugging Caylee with chloroform and suffocating her with duct tape over her mouth and nose.
She killed Caylee, prosecutor Jeff Ashton claimed in his closing argument, because Casey Anthony had to choose between her child and “the life she wanted.”
“We submit to you the evidence in this case shows that the choice she made was her child,” Ashton said.
According to Casey Anthony’s father, George Anthony, Casey left the family’s home on June 16, 2008, taking Caylee with her for almost a month. Casey was asked by family members repeatedly during the month to see Caylee, but Casey would claim that she was too busy with work assignments. At other times Casey would say that Caylee was with her nanny, later identified by Casey as Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez, or at theme parks or the beach. It was determined that even though Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez does exist, she had never met Casey. Caylee, any member of the Anthony family, or any of Casey’s friends.
Despite not being guilty for first degree murder, Anthony has been found guilty of lying to investigators. On Thursday (July 7) Judge Belvin Perry will sentence her regarding that matter. Anthony could receive up to a year in jail for each count of false information given.
