Casey Anthony Indicted for Murder, no Bail Set

By Anastacia Mott Austin

After four months of being considered an unofficial suspect in the disappearance of her toddler daughter, 22-year-old Casey Anthony has been indicted and charged with Caylee’s murder.

Anthony appeared in court Tuesday of this week for the indictment and again Wednesday to hear the charges against her, including first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter and lying to the detectives on the case.

While authorities have yet to discover little Caylee’s body, they say they have sufficient evidence to conclude that the little girl is dead.

Casey’s mother Cindy was the first to notify authorities that Casey’s car "smells like a dead body." Human cadaver dogs have confirmed that the odor was not caused by a decomposing pizza or a dead squirrel, as Casey has claimed, but by human remains.

In addition, detectives found hairs belonging to Caylee Anthony in the trunk of the car, as well as evidence of chloroform and suspicious stains.

Casey Anthony’s attorney insists that she is innocent of any foul play in the case of her daughter. Attorney Jose Baez told reporters, "I sincerely believe that when we have finally spoken [during the trial], everyone, and I mean everyone, will sit back and say, 'Now, I understand. That explains it.'"

The detectives involved in the case would welcome an explanation for Caylee’s disappearance and the admittedly erratic behavior of her mother. All sides seem to agree that Casey has repeatedly lied to authorities about the details of the case.

She did not report her toddler missing until nearly a month later, and insisted that the girl had been left with a babysitter who had kidnapped Caylee. The babysitter’s name seemed to be the only detail that contained any truth. Zenaida Gonzalez was indeed a real person, but she claimed she had never met the Anthony family, and had not been a tenant at the apartment where Anthony said she lived for months before the disappearance. She had never babysat the little girl, which was corroborated by several witnesses.

Gonzalez was cleared of any involvement in the case, but Casey Anthony stuck to her story, at least for a while. She was also found to be lying about her employment, about Caylee’s father, and countless other details, frustrating the investigative team on the case.

Casey insists that Caylee is alive, and while she was initially fearful of her granddaughter’s fate, Casey Anthony’s mother Cindy is now backing her daughter’s story.

In an echo of Casey’s attorney’s statement, Cindy Anthony told reporters at MSNBC, "The truth will be told in the end," said Anthony during an interview with Meredith Vieira "It will be heard in a courtroom. People will understand why her behaviors are such."

Why not tell the truth now? That’s the question on the minds of investigators working hard on finding Caylee Anthony. Orange County sheriff Kevin Beary said to reporters, "Speaking as a father, a day doesn't pass where I wish the evidence that we have gathered didn't add up to the painfully obvious," said Beary, confirming that while they are continuing to look for Caylee, the focus of the search is on finding a body, not a living child. "Sadly, I cannot change the facts surrounding the investigation."

But Cindy Anthony clings to the hope that Caylee will still be found alive, and insists that her daughter is innocent of any wrongdoing. "I know Caylee is alive," said Anthony to Vieira. "I know my daughter. There is nothing in this world that could make me believe that Casey did anything to Caylee. There has never been any child neglect, child abuse or anything. This young lady loves her child, more than I love Casey."

Added Anthony, "There’s a lot of people out there that have seen Caylee. We’re going to reach out to those people once we get their names and we’re going to go ahead and start tracking them down ourselves. I know in my heart that we are going to find Caylee before this trial takes place."