Marc Klaas Wants To Know What You Think. Please Participate

[Balthazar]

I think it's significant that some of Caylee's teeth were found loose from her skull. I think the duct tape and heart sticker have something to do with this. Teeth are rooted in by bone primarily, the gums secondarily, but the roots of teeth protrude far into the upper and lower jawbones. In a 2.5 year old child, the teeth are brand new and should be firmly rooted into place. Even in ancient children's skulls, the teeth are usually found intact with the skull.

 

[minazoe]

I would like to know what Mark Klass thinks of George Anthony. Casey's case is not an abduction case. Caylee didn't dissapear at the mall, no one entered the home and took her.

Wonder why he is interested in our thoughts? I am interested in what he is thinking...what dots he is connecting. I still have this inexplicable nagging feeling that the A's are hiding something. Something very dark, very secret. It's the thing Casey alluded to in jail, the thing that everyone shifts their stories just slightly to get around.

just something.

 

[febedallas]

1. George and Cindy are grieving and we do all understand that, but it is time for them to stop making excuses for Casey.

2. Lee was truly disturbing with the CMA at the funeral.

3. I don't think Caylee's death was accidental. Duct tape is not a temporary thing.

4. Casey was tremendously jealous of Caylee, which is why I think she did not want the funeral. And also why she became so irate with her friend on that first phone call when her friend say, "If something has happened to Caylee, I'll just die'... Casey was really disgusted with that display of emotion and would't continue to talk to her.

5. I don't think that anyone thought anything at all of Jose Baez's race. If people found fault with him, it had nothing to do with that.

6. I think that Leonard Padilla and Tim Miller are both very good men who tried their hardest to help bring Caylee home.

7. I think that Nancy Grace is truly burdened by the pain of this story. I appreciated being able to watch her show and get updates on the case.

8. Casey didn't want to be a mom. She didn't want the picket fence with Jesse Grund either. She wanted a different life and Caylee was just in the way. I believie that Casey saw no other way to attain the life she so desired. It's sick. And selfish. I don't think she's insane. I think that she's had a life of getting her own way and lying constantly and it worked for her for a very long time.

 

[Inana]

1. Casey killed Caylee in a spiteful rage (just like she said to Lee on July 15) She didn't want her, but if she gave her to Cindy, Cindy would be "winning" the fight. She had a whole month to work on a story.

2. Cindy is calculating and controlling, which was genetically passed on to Casey. She didn't want to actually raise Caylee, but bitched a lot because she wanted Casey to take more responsibility for her. She is driven by guilt now--feels that if she hadn't pushed Casey so hard, Caylee would be alive now. Now she's remorseful that she didn't just shut up and take care of Caylee.

3. George isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but is hard working (usually), takes care of his family, his home, and tried to stay out of the line of fire. He means well and will be a main prosecution witness against Casey in the name of "being honest"

4. I'm kind of creeped out by Lee. He and Caseys relationship reminds me of James Voigt and Angelina Jolie Voight (remember the french kiss and during Academy Awards she thanked no one for her success, just gushed she was SO in love with her brother--ew.) His "cameo", as Casey would call it, at the memorial sounded so fake. When he said "It is so hard to be the pillar of strength" his emphasis was on the word "hard" instead of "so", like the rest of us would speak.

5. What is it with this family constantly saying "reach out" instead of "call" or "visit"? What are they, the Soprano's? THAT really bugs me.

6. In the jail house visit, even when Casey is screaming at Cindy, Cindy still calls her Sweetheart. What's wrong with her? It's like they will do anything to avoid making her mad. I'd say screw her. My kids are in their 30's and still would not talk that disrespectfully to me.

7. On July 15 when the police were called, if I had been Cindy, they would have had to arrest me for assault, because I would have beaten it out of her before the police were even called. But then my kids would not "lose" their kids and hit the party circuit.

But that's me...

 

[Inana]

Also, the whole issue of Caylee being handed to Cindy right after birth is ridiculous.

1st grandson: daughter was ok, baby was handed to me while her husband stayed with with her.

2nd grandson, daughter was having crisis after the birth so I did not leave her side until the crisis was passed. Baby was handed to my sister-in-law, who turned him over to me because son-in-law was a bit weak in the knee's after the crisis.

1st granddaughter, daughter-in-law gave birth, baby was handed to her mother while I held d-i-l's hand as she was stitched up.

Casey just looked for things to be indignant about.

Lee sticks up for Casey saying Cindy told her she was unfit. I'm here to say, if my kids were unfit I WOULD TELL THEM TOO. Who else? The wording may have been harsh, but ultimately, Cindy was right, wasn't she? We are responsible to teach our children, that means praise when good, and telling them the truth when they are effing up. That is what a mother does. Or do I have this messed up? Mine turned out so good I feel blessed.

 

[Firefly]

Dear Marc Klass,
My opinion of this case has been such a convoluted ride. There are so many people with great takes on this case and I think we each have some truth in what has happened in this sad case of the Anthony's.

My feelings are as follows....

1. Cindy was the type of Mom early on in Casey's life that would protect her daughter at all costs. Any and all teachers/neighbors who had a problem with her daughter
were probably teachers/neighbors who "had it in for Casey." She just enjoyed this her mother's type of protection and learned it was something to never cross. Although she grew up and it morphed into Mother/Daughter squabbles which was/is a classic case of an Electra Complex full blown. She then came another girl into the family which she watched everyone dote on and this secretly enraged her because she never felt spoiled like Caylee anymore and became a second class citizen in her own family. (Seriously, my own mom would ask me how my own daughter was before she would ask about me and she would hug and carry on and show love to my daughter before me. A well-adjusted me would just joke about how I was "chopped liver" now.)

2. From my understanding, Casey did NOT finish High School. If this was true, this
was probably the beginning of foundation of that Narcisstic personality of hers. Not completing a goal that was set for her very early in life, lead to other unfinished goals, unfinished tasks, credit cards, bills, jobs, promises....etc. As this all compounded on her, she took the defensive and created a world in which all was perfect. She learned she could lie about work and finances, her pregnancy, the nanny and a host of other things to appease the person that she was with at that moment. Lee grew up this way too and this is the reason why he understands Casey the most. He lived with his sister's lies and forgave her to keep her in his life because after all she was his baby sister. No matter what, he will defend her as he was taught to by his parents. It is all about self preservation with this family. This is the language of the Anthony's....circle the wagon's and protect your life.

3. The 31 days was insurance that she could enjoy her final lie as long as she could.

4. The only truth in her life was Caylee. A child is pure innocence and we revere and raise them as such....unless we are evil. Casey was not evil but this innocence that Caylee brought to Casey's world of perfected lies would only push her over the edge to the dark side. The choking incident with her Mom was the catalyst that started this whole mess. It is my feeling that Caylee was starting to talk....talk about things that made her parents start to question Casey on. Caylee's truth did not match her own mother's truth. Cindy had enough when Caylee said something that unraveled Casey's world. Caylee needed to be silenced and in her rage she silenced Caylee forever. The tape over Caylee's mouth post or pre mortem is the most chilling fact piece of psychological evidence to Casey's state of mind as this child will NEVER talk again. No matter the method in how she ended Caylee's life....the fact of the matter is that she did it.

 

[Deputy Andy]

I'm just going to quote Tricia because that pretty well sums it up for me. Except for the accidental part. I think she smothered her to death on purpose.

Agree.

I also find this case completely unique in every way, from the actual story to the media coverage of it.

It seems to me that the OCSO is great, but from the sloppy, ignorant and repetitive reporting it's hard to tell.

I got hooked on following this case because it's very similar to Twin Peaks in certain ways, although not the same story. I got hooked immediately, hearing that a mother did not report her child missing for a month. I think this one point alone is going to be impossible for the Defense to overcome, and if KC's fingerprints are on the duct tape, well, it's a closed case, isn't it?

One more thing. I think this case is extremely sad and my obsession with it has made my life sadder.

P.S. My least favorite person in the entire scenario (including news anchors and talking heads and all involved) is definitely BC. I don't like this guy one bit, and don't trust him at all.

 

[Deputy Andy]

And my favorite person (although he rarely appears) is Jose Padilla. I just like this guy.

 

[LambChop]

Watched NG last night with the full tape of the jailhouse visit on Aug. 14th. What bothers me is if you did not know that she lied previously she sounds very credible for the most part. But we pretty much already know the truth and you begin to realize she cares about no one but herself and could care less how much her family is suffering. As far as the request for an on-site visit with KC in jail. I think CA would like another chance at choking KC to get some truth from her.

 

[lorynne34]

1. Families should move out of the public eye and away from the media after it is obvious that public opinion is against them. Their appearance only causes more hostility.

2. Look out for charities that don't have your best interest at heart. You should dig deep before accepting "help". (Fill in the blanks on which charity I'm referring to)

3. Children are not parent's friends or belongings. They are people who need guidance and a firm hand. Trust your instincts, and get help when they show odd behavior. (lying, steeling, disrespect, etc...) Most importantly, accept that your child is not so special that they shouldn't reap the consequences of their actions.

These are just a few common sense things that were overlooked during the drama of the case. I understand that when you are in the heat of the moment you can't think straight. If there is one thing more that the Klaas foundation can do for victims, it's make a list of do's and dont's for the families.

 

[Mendara]

I agree with your entire post EXCEPT how Caylee died. Based on the internet searches and having some insight into Casey's lifestyle, need for independence but no job, saddled with small child, young, strife with parents, especially mother, etc. etc, I think Casey thought about killing Caylee for a long time. I think she planned her way around it for a while but never got the courage to go through with it. What was the trigger was the fight with her mother. I am sure Casey's thoughts went along the lines of, "She won't ever see her again" everytime there was an argument. But the thing is, Casey needed her mother. After the last blowup, the best way to 'get back' at her was to get rid of Caylee. It would solve all her needs - the freedom, the partying, and best of all, what better way to break her mother's heart. I really believe there is a strong psychological component to this that goes back many years. I don't think this was an accident (she would have reacted differently) or a spur or the moment thing that suddenly popped in her head. I think she did act in rage - don't get me wrong - but the seed was planted a while back. Just my opinion.

Rest in peace Caylee. I thank you every day for giving me more reason to love and appreciate my little girl.

I also agree. I think she fantasized about ways to become childless. Cindy told co-workers that she herself would not take Caylee because it was too costly. Casey had to find another way and I bet she often thought about accidents, kidnappings and such, but something pushed her to get it done and I think it was her new BF and his lifestyle - she really wanted to be part of that group and Cindy's constant nagging about wanting her to be home and a better mother - made her crazy.

I think she left Caylee alone somewhere asleep a few times and that seemed to work for a while and everyone believed her NANNY STORY and so she killed Caylee and continued the Nanny story hoping to distance herself from her parents for good.

 

[chefmom]

Mr. Klaas, it would be impossible to sum up all of my thoughts, suspicions, and feelings in a single post, but I will hit some of the highlights as well as I can. I believe that KC was into something illegal and immoral that she has called her "job" for a while now. I do not know whether Caylee was exposed to this "job" or not, but do believe it plays a part in why this child is deceased. I believe that GA, CA, and LA know a lot more than they will ever be willing to tell, because the all-american image that they portray will be shattered like fine glass, and they will protect their image and possible secrets to the bitter end. Forget justice for Caylee. They have bigger and deeper fish to fry. I do believe that CA loved Caylee very much, but she loves KC more, and will lie and protect her no matter what. If this weren't the case, she would have put KC out and filed for custody long ago. But that would not have fit the perfect famly image that is so important, so it was never done. Overlook the multiple lies, overlook the theft of thousands of dollars, sweep things under the rug and make everything "look" neat and tidy and no one will ever know. I believe that KC killed Caylee, dumped her down the road, and had the A's not found the letter about the impounded car that afternoon and gone to retrieve it, causing CA to hunt down KC, who knows how long KC would have kept up the charade of "She's with the nanny at the park. She's with the nanny at the beach." She lied to LE because she has lied so successfully to her parents all these years. They never questioned her too much and bought her ridiculous lies so why shouldn't LE? I could go on and on, but I think you know my general thought direction.

 

[ziggy]

Sometimes dysfunctional people in families just set up a bad way of dealing with things and they all ignore the big pink elephant in the room. This is how it all started. George and Cindy spoiled their child - she was never held accountable. Cindy is a bit like this, she wants her way always and is pretty controlling. I believe Casey was raised to be narcissistic, and by the way, it's becoming more common in our society. Casey did not want to have a baby and be responsible. She did it out of pressure from her Mother and, as a narcissist, she lives in a fantasy world and probably thought having a baby would bring her attention. She was torn between the jealousy of the attention and the jealousy that Cindy was maybe a better mother. She was resentful that she was "made" to keep the baby and Casey BELEIVED her parents owed her. They felt guilty and let her continue to get away with murder - you know the saying and in this case it was true. Lee was just going along with the family lie... I think he wants out but it's ingrained and I know how that goes from experience.

I believe Casey lived in her own world and she was fed up with Caylee cramping her style and Cindy using her as leverage. She just decided to eliminate an inconvenience. I think her propensity to become enraged is great and in a moment of a huge rage fit, she just killed her child. She then decided to go with the kidnapping theory and therefore, the duct tape.

People like Casey are used to getting away with everything. When they find themselves confronted by the law, things change. Evidence will get her. Her ego and fantasy belief that she was and always would be the HBIC allowed her to make serious mistakes with evidence that will be her undoing.

She will get life in prison.

Others will not be charged even though I believe her immediate family members capable of covering up or helping to - nothing will come of it.

I think that parents should be held somewhat responsible, especially when their adult children are so irresponsible. Allowing the cover up of an adult child’s actions is intolerable in my book and if it can be proven and they are not charged, justice for Caylee has not been served.

 

[CPP]

I honestly believe that:

1. KC deliberately murdered Caylee (too much research prior to the deed and too much prep necessary for disposal of Caylee's remains) no way it was accidental.
   
2. KC had run out of options, was desperate to get out from under CA and GA.
   
3. KC, like Susan Smith, found the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with who, she believed, wanted KC too. Unfortunately didn't want Caylee.
   
4. Little Caylee may have slipped KC up on 1 or 2 occasions by innocently and unknowingly blurting out or parroting facts KC did not want known.
   
5. CA knows the truth; LA is involved somehow; and the combination of CA and denial have troubled GA's conscience to the point of suicide.
   
6. If her fingerprints are on the duct tape, KC's goose is essentially cooked. I think her attorneys will plead insanity or go for a plea bargain.

 

[Cayleefan]

Hi. Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts and feelings on this case. I have been following this case close, since the beginning. I have a two and a half year old baby girl who resembles little Caylee in many ways. This case is truly unbelievable, so horrible, yet true. Caylee will always hold a special place in my heart as I feel like I knew her. I loved her from afar and sI will never forget her. I feel Casey is guilty. I'm hoping her fingerprints are on the duct tape. I feel Caylee and all children everywhere, deserve the right to grow up. It is such a privilege to be around children. They are innocent and are a blessing from above. I hope and pray that justice will be served and her mother will pay the price for taking that sweet, precious, beautiful, adorable child out of this world. Thank you for your time. raying::frown:

 

[coloradoteacher]

Hi- This is my first post here but the thought of being able to share ideas with Mark Klass, who is truly a hero and whose words always mean a lot to me was hard to resist.
I believe Caylee was killed in a fit of rage- I picture her saying something like I want to go back and be with Nanna and after the fight Casey just had with her mother, she hit or strangled the child in her anger for how much Cindy had taken over her life. Casey had very little emotion about the situation because she is a sociopath (read the sociopath next door- describes her to a tee) and proceeded to cover up the crime in her unintelligent way i.e. taking two or more days to get rid of the body.
As far as the Anthony's- I am an elementary school teacher and I have seen many parents who remind me of Cindy- she probably never let Casey be wrong and stood up for her even when she was in the wrong since Cindy has a complex about who she is as a person and as a parent. She probably wanted Casey to be her friend more than her daughter and treated her as such, not disciplining her and letting her get away with things. This treatment as a child (where casey probably was lost since children need structure) probably was a horrible combination with the socipathic tendencies Casey already had and Cindy realized what she had created way too late and therefore her interactions with her daughter in the near present were all to the point of a frenzy since she lost control a long time ago. Casey has probably done a lot to threaten her parents into coddling her one minute and throttling her the next. Enter Caylee and casey now had the perfect pawn to control Cindy with and the story ends very sadly.
I believe that Lee was ONLy talking to Casey and is frankly not very feeling towards Caylee- I get the feeling that he believes that if Caylee was never born, none of this would be happening. So sad, but I have not seen much to make me think otherwise and the prayer service where he only wore a Casey pin summed that up for me. not to mention his lack of cooperation- he just sees Casey as more valuable than Caylee- again he has some issues as well being raised in the same family.
George is a lost soul. He is afraid of his wife and his daughter and probably has such low self esteem that his self worth is immeshed in how much Cindy and Casey feel about him at any particular time, hence the fragile George we see now.
Casey will never admit she did anything wrong. She will fight to the bitter end- the universal studios lie and how far she took that is proof that she will never plead guilty.
One can only be happy in the fact that justice will be served and Caylee will be remembered by all of us who truly care for her as the beautiful child she is.

 

[debbie0604]

Hi Everyone,

Marc Klaas is very interested in your thoughts on Caylee's case. What do you think?

I would appreciate if everyone would participate. Just tell us your opinion of the case. Marc appreciates how much you all know about the case and respects what you have to say.

I'll start.

-Lee Anthony creeped me out with the C.M.A. stuff.
-Casey is guilty
-Cindy, Casey and Lee will never admit it.
-George is the only one who really will admit the truth someday.

I don't know if it was premeditated or if it was an accident.

This is an extremely dysfunctional family and I agree with LP, we will be shocked at just how dysfunctional when more comes out at trial.

I agree with everything you said, however, I would like to add that after the news of the duct tape with heart sticker I now think that little Caylee's murder was premeditated. I also think that George is struggling with the dysfunctional issues his family has been dealing with for a very long time and he is also having to grasp with the fact that his daughter is a murderer. I feel really sorry for him. I also think that it's totally unethical for JB to sell pictures of Caylee in order to receive payment for legal services.

 

[TxMother67]

Guilty as charged.


My condolences to you and your family. Thank you for making a difference. You have my upmost respect.

 

[mommyto3girls]

I am coming in late, but wanted to add my thoughts to this thread.

I believe Casey killed Caylee in the Anthony house, in her bedroom, the night after her big fight with Cindy. I think she took Caylee to her room and was furious and in a rage. She killed Caylee at that time and then stayed in her room all night and most of the next day with her thinking about what to do. I do not think George saw them leave that day. I don't necessarily think he meant to lie, but think by the time he had to think about the last time he saw Caylee 31 days had gone by and he has an inaccurate version of when he last saw her. I think Casey waited either until her dad left or was out of the room and left, putting Caylee in her trunk and trying to forget about her for the next couple of days.

Within a couple of days the smell in Casey's car made it impossible for her to ignore so she realized she would have to do something. I think she backed into her parents garage while they were gone, borrowed a shovel from a neighbor, and lay Caylee down (wrapped in the laundry & plastic bags which she had probably done the first day while in her bedroom...with her clothes & blanket). I think she attempted to bury Caylee in the yard, but found the ground to be too hard so she loaded her back into the trunk, drove down the road, and left her where she was found in December. I think she was surprised that the car still smelled so she stole the gas cans in an attempt to spill gas in the trunk and/or leave them open to mask the smell of decomp. Eventually she just dumped the car and claimed she ran out of gas because the smell just would not go away.

If I were on a jury the biggest things that would make me find her guilty would be the following:

*31 DAYS!!!! I just cannot justify in any way someone waiting 31 days to report their child missing. And not mentioning it to anyone at all is just not understandable.
*Caseys actions during the 31 days. Partying, clubbing, having a great time.
*Car smelling of a decomposing body. Her own mother & father verified this, no matter what they changed their story to later.
*No nanny, no Zanny, no Zenaida Gonzales. There is absolutely no proof that comes forward verifying that this person exists or that Caylee ever had a nanny.
*The lies told to LE by Casey in the beginning regarding her employment, the nanny, etc. all while they were trying to help find her daughter.

For me the above is enough. But, add to that the match of the duct tape, the laundry bag, the trash bags, and the many heart stickers and fancy for hearts by Casey - I don't see how it is possible for Casey to be anything but guilty. I think if the diary was dated with the correct date it would add to the overwhelming evidence, but I do not think it is necessary at all.

Thanks for the place to get this out! This case just absolutely breaks my heart and although I don't post often, I read a lot and pray for justice for Caylee.

 

[thoughtful]

My thoughts:
1. Casey showed a personality disturbance throughout her life and was difficult to parent.
2. Cindy saw Caylee as a second chance to be a mom -- and Caylee was a pleasure to parent, compared to Casey. She bonded with Caylee and, inappropriately, nurtured a mother/daughter connection. This left Casey time to party, but when she felt like being a "mom" to Caylee, the little girl did not respond to her as mom.
3. Casey had frequently chloroformed Caylee so she could go out to party.
4. Cindy and Casey had a big fight about stolen money and Cindy told her that she was an unfit parent and she would stop at nothing to get legal custody of Caylee. Casey and long felt intense hatred and contempt for Cindy.
5. Caylee had a tantrum while with Casey and rejected Casey. She wanted the comfort of her "mom" -- not Casey but Cindy. Casey lost it. She wanted to hurt her mother, wanted to prevent ever losing custody, and wanted to have her freedom from Caylee. She either killed Caylee in anger by pushing or hitting her or decided to chloroform her to death and bury her. She immediately felt better -- she would be the centre of her parents' life again, could go out and party unencumbered, and would get sympathy from everyone for Caylee's disappearance.
5. I think she is probably pretty smart, so it makes no sense that she used items that could easily be tracked to her home and to her. She may have thought that she could BS everyone -- she had her parents and friends wrapped around her finger pretty much and perhaps thought that she could "manage" the police as well.
6. Jose is keeping Cindy and George from Casey, and the grandparents do not feel that he is acting in Casey's best interest. However, Jose flatters Casey, and she is not about to let her parents override her choice of lawyer.