IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Casey Anthony refuses jail visit from her mother

Casey Anthony, the Florida woman acquitted this week of killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee in 2008, has rejected a visit from her mother scheduled for Friday evening, a jail official told Reuters.
/ Source: Reuters

Casey Anthony, the Florida woman acquitted this week of killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee in 2008, has rejected a visit from her mother scheduled for Friday evening, a jail official told Reuters.

Cindy Anthony, a familiar fixture throughout Casey's trial, scheduled a visit at the jail with Casey for 7 p.m. on Friday.

"This morning under policy, Casey was told of the visit and she has declined the visit so it will not occur," said jail spokesman Allen Moore.

Moore said Cindy would be notified of her daughter's decision.

Mark Lippman, the lawyer for Casey's parents, told Reuters during the trial that Casey had cut off communication with Cindy and George Anthony.

Casey Anthony is scheduled to be released from jail on July 17, just over three years after she first told anyone that Caylee had been missing for a month.

Casey, 25, was convicted of lying to detectives and sentenced on Thursday to the maximum four years in jail for sending investigators on a wild goose chase after claiming a nanny had kidnapped her daughter.

But due to credit for the time she served awaiting trial and good behavior while in jail, Casey will be let out in little more than a week.

Her imminent release raises questions about where she will live.

During the trial, defense lawyers accused George Anthony of sexually abusing Casey and helping to cover up Caylee's death. But no evidence of sexual abuse was presented, and George denied the allegations under oath.

After the verdict, George and Cindy Anthony described Casey's defense strategy as "baseless" but said the jury made a fair decision.

Moore said the jail has no need to know where Casey will live, and she was not sentenced to probation so she will not have to provide an address to the probation office.

Casey will be only the second inmate in the past 15 years to not walk out the front door of the jail lobby after being released from custody, Moore said. The jail has planned a secret exit for her protection.

The only other inmate who got such special handling was Noelle Bush, daughter of then-Governor Jeb Bush and niece of then-President George W. Bush. Moore said the Secret Service was concerned Noelle, who was arrested on drug-related charges, could be targeted by terrorists.

"Lisa Nowak, she walked out the front entrance," Moore said, referring to the former NASA astronaut who drove from Houston to Orlando to attack a romantic rival.

"And we've had local politicians, police chiefs and all sorts of people, and they're all required to walk out the front entrance," Moore said.