'Caylee's Law' Weighed By States Following Casey Anthony Trial Verdict


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Lawmakers outraged over Casey Anthony's acquittal have responded by proposing so-called Caylee's laws that would allow prosecutors to bring felony charges against parents who do not quickly report missing children.

The new measures were triggered, at least in part, by an online petition that had more than 700,000 signatures Friday. Some questioned whether a new law would do any good because the circumstances of the Anthony case were so rare, but lawmakers in at least a dozen or so states have already floated proposals reacting to the verdict.

"Casey Anthony broke new ground in brazenness," said Florida state Rep. Scott Plakon, who is sponsoring the proposal in his state. "It's very sad that we even need a law like this, but Casey Anthony just proved that we do as unfortunate as that is."

In June 2008, Anthony's 2-year-old daughter Caylee was last seen at the Orlando home she shared with her mom and her maternal grandparents. For the next month, Casey Anthony, then 22, left her parents' house and spent most of her time with friends, shopping and partying, telling her family and others that Caylee was with an imaginary nanny.

Anthony's mother called detectives when Anthony could not produce her child. Anthony told investigators she hadn't called them because the nanny had kidnapped the child and she had been conducting her own search, two of the numerous lies she told investigators.

Anthony was acquitted of murder in Caylee's death, but convicted of four misdemeanor counts of lying to investigators. She was sentenced to the maximum of four years, but after serving nearly three years in jail awaiting trial, coupled with good behavior credits, she is set to go free next Sunday.

Florida's proposal would make it a felony for a parent or other caregiver to not report a child under the age of 12 missing after 48 hours. It also makes it a felony to not report a child's death or "location of a child's corpse" to police within two hours of the death.

Had Florida's measure been in place and Anthony been convicted, she could have faced another 15 years behind bars.

Other states are considering similar measures and the online petition at Change.org, started by an Oklahoma woman, calls for a federal law.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/08/caylees-law-casey-anthony-trial_n_89361


Not meaning to drage out this topic I am so glad for this law. But who knew not reporting a missing child
would not be considered child endagerment or abuse.

Thanks Mary,

Sounds like a good idea. I just can't picture any good mother, not reporting her child missing for 31 days...something terribly wrong with this picture.

I hope that this new law will be helpful in bringing justice for other cases in the future.

Little Caylee didn't die invain, her death, will bring in a law, that may actually save another child's life.

Blessings in Christ,

Valerie

But then the Caseys of this world whom are psychopathic sociopathic liars will not come forward...b/c they'd rather toss their kids (like Caylee) into swamps like trash, and let their little bodies rot.

Think about that! This is a very sick demented world we're living in.

Here's what Jesus has to say about the Caseys of this world...


Matthew 18:6,7 KJV

6. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believes in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

7. Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

are there petitions that can still be signed. the link that you posted did not open

thank you for all this info.

Heidi,

When I just tried the link this came up...

Page Not Found
Continue to The Huffington Post »

Click on this and find the box that says search.

Type in Caylee's law, it should bring up the story.

I guess the Huffington report is only good for a day then it moves on to new topics and you have to use the
search box to locate the story.
_______________________________________________

http://www.change.org/petitions/create-caylees-law

http://www.change.org/petitions/create-caylees-law

Caylee's petition to sign.

Thank you so much for sending this Mary. I don't know if I can sign cause I live in Canada. It looks like it's only for the US.
I really wanted to .