Over the weekend, we slid past the fourth anniversary of the death of Caylee Marie Anthony. It remains difficult for me to think about her and incomprehensible to me that she did not receive the justice she so richly deserved.
When my book, Mommy’s Little Girl, was published in November 2009, I would have laughed at anyone who told me that Casey Anthony would be acquitted in her upcoming trial. I’d read the interviews conducted by law enforcement. I’d seen the forensic reports. I read the autopsy report. And beyond all that, I’d learned that the only consistency in Casey’s life was her habit of lying about everything and everyone–including herself.
The circus atmosphere fostered in this case since the very beginning, continues to frolic across the air waves. Reports about Casey reading The Hunger Games, a trilogy centered around fight-to-the-death games involving children; her claim that Caylee was conceived through an act of date rape; and her denials of any involvement in the death of her daughter made to Piers Morgan.
A Lifetime movie was announced starring Rob Lowe as prosecutor Jeff Ashton and Canadian actress Holly Deveaux as Casey Anthony. Then after much fanfare, Deveaux dropped out with no reason given. Maybe she had second thoughts about her career being launched by a portrayal of the “most hated woman in America.” Even though, the movie is being based on Ashton’s book, I do not think I can bring myself to watch it because of the outcome of the trial. I am too haunted by the adorable face of little Caylee Marie.
The defamation suit filed against Casey by Zenaida Gonzalez continues to move forward as does the civil suit filed against her by Texas Equusearch. Both cases are fueled by Casey’s penchant for fabrication and lies.
Casey will continue to be in the news for quite sometime. But one person continues to get lost in the sensationalism–Caylee Marie Anthony, the little girl who would have turned seven years old this summer, if she’d been allowed to live.
Rest in peace, little girl–many of us have buried a piece of our hearts with yours.