Agreed...it's a waste, a huge waste.
Which is why for these particular people right here, it could be viewed as obstruction of justice. Just think of the time wasted, the energy wasted, and the money wasted having to sift through the multiple, conflicting, diverting statements. When all they had (and the decision in the past now as far as I'm concerned) to do was TELL THE TRUTH.
There may be more that we haven't considered deep within this decision (fairly quickly in the timeline) of the Anthony's to completely bail on the truth that would help find Caylee. CA made those phone calls (she has admitted this) to 1. scare KC into doing what CA wanted (producing Caylee for her to see), and 2. when 1. failed to have the assistance of LE to force KC to do what she wanted (produce Caylee for her to see). For anyone truly paying attention to the timeline, the calls and the intent show that CA did NOT (and this beyond a shadow of a doubt in my mind) know that Caylee was truly "missing" (i.e. not able to be produced). She thought she could bully the situation to get her way. She didn't even consider that her adult daughter, obviously no longer living with her, had the right to NOT come by with or without Caylee. KC had no legal requirement to produce Caylee to CA for visitations. CA's ONLY period of sincere statements and cooperation were in that first 24 hours the LE got involved. Because she thought it would end with her getting her way. The moment KC was arrested is when truth was abandoned at Casa de Anthony's...CA didn't get her way, and she took her ball and went home. New rules, new game, one she's going to win at all cost (including anything to do with Caylee). CA has not been on LE's side since the moment they had the audacity to follow their hinky-meters...how dare them.