Parent's Worst Nightmare: Your Kid's a Murderer

Parent's Worst Nightmare: Your Kid's a Murderer

Thursday, October 16, 2008

filed under: Casey Anthony

If your child was charged with murder could you testify against her?

On Tuesday, a grand jury returned a seven count indictment against Casey Anthony, including first degree murder charges in the disappearance of her daughter, Caylee.

And now there is another victim in the tragedy. George Anthony, grandfather of Caylee, who did today what his lawyer Mark Nejame said is the "unthinkable" -- he was forced to testify against his own daughter. "This is going to be very hard for me to do," said an emotional Anthony yesterday outside the courthouse, "I love my daughter, I love my wife, I love my son." The grand jury subpoenaed Anthony after returning the indictment against his daughter.

Can any parent imagine the pain of possibly being instrumental in sending their own child off to life in prison or possibly execution? Or the humiliation of having a child capable of murder? Murder has got to be the ultimate parental failure. Most parents of convicted murderers will steadfastly defend their children's innocence for the rest of their lives. Still others will dismiss the child as "bad seed" and disown them, thus exonerating themselves from any responsibility.

"Every parent thinks their child is a reflection of them," says momlogic's licensed marriage and family therapist Shannon Fox, "and the fact is, parents are the number one influence in a child's life, so if their child murders they definitely have something to do with it." "There are almost always signs of a deeply troubled youth or child," says Fox, "and most parents simply ignore the signs."

Kurt Whitaker, author of "Murder by Family," certainly ignored the clues. In 2003 Whitaker's son Bart was convicted of murder for arranging to kill his mother and brother in what was named in the press as the Sugarland Conspiracy. Promoting his book on "Oprah" last week, Whitaker admitted that even when local police warned him his son was overheard plotting to have his family killed, he ignored it. "I was concerned about it," say Whitaker in his book, "but just couldn't believe that it could be true."

Does George Anthony believe the unimaginable is true? He says he doesn't, but is he taking steps to convict his own daughter?

27 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

He is doing the right thing. Caylee was his granddaughter. He has a responsibility to her, the victem.

- Jennifer

Posted 10/16/08 03:26 PM

Honestly my impression of George Anthony is he has a bully wife and spoiled brat children who were brought up with little respect for their father. I can imagine that he spends a lot of time to himself!!! Caylee may have been the only good thing in that house for him. I truly think he only wants Caylee home but is too nieve to figure out that Casey killed her, Cindy and Lee know what she did and are trying to help her cover it up. He should have kicked Casey’s a** to the curb when she was out on bail. Maybe if she had no where to go she would have felt more desperate to tell the truth. Cindy Anthony is a real ball breaking B***h who runs the roost. Casey is a pathalogical liar and who knows what mess Lee is living. George should take this opportunity to ditch the whole lot of ‘em. When this is over I am praying that Cindy and Lee are brought up on charges for helping Casey and George gets to bring his Granddaughter home for a proper burial and some closure. I will pray for George and Caylee! God Bless you Caylee and RIP

- Proud Mom of five!

Posted 10/16/08 03:43 PM

Yes, we all know just how tragic this whole thing is. HEARTBREAKING! Even so, I sure get tired of reading blogs from perfect parents, who never make mistakes. They raise perfect children who make perfect decisions. There is so much judging and stone throwing. Lord help them if THEY ever end up in such turmoil.

- 007

Posted 10/16/08 03:59 PM

007,I’m not saying that people don’t make mistakes. My kids will be the first to tell you I do everyday. The thing is this woman (Casey) killed their granddaughter and even though she is their daughter I would think they would want her to be held accountable. They should have not stepped in like they did. If they had stayed back and continued loving Casey but not protecting her we would know where Caylee is because Casey would have no other choice but talk. How could they look at Casey living in their home everyday while she was out on bail knowing tat she killed their Granddaughter and she isn’t willing to bring her home to them? I’m just saying!

- Proud Mom of five!

Posted 10/16/08 04:18 PM

Mom of 5… I wasn’t directing what I wrote to you, just ‘in general’. Truly!

- 007

Posted 10/16/08 04:26 PM

I think George Anthony should not be seen as a dad testifying against his own child but as a person who is just doing the right thing. This girl (Casey Anthony) is in her 20’s already, she knows right from wrong. The dad has to do what he feels is right in his heart.Theres a litle baby involved that needs more protection than Casey Anthony. Casey Anthony is a grown up already I think George is doing right by thinking of his defensless little grandchild then thinking of casey.

- Pam

Posted 10/16/08 05:04 PM

George Anthony has done absolutely nothing heroic. You are crazy! He did not appear at GJ by his own will. He was subpoenad. And he lied behind the closed doors. Mr. Anthony has never exibited any shred of integrity, and he will disgrace himself to the bitter end.

- Edward S

Posted 10/16/08 07:20 PM

This is such a sad story. I think the article is very well written and right on in that most parents ignore or dismiss the signs of a troubled child. Casey did alot of things that she got away with and it only got worse and worse, leading to this. I truly hope that Caylee is alive but am aware chances are slim with everything that they’ve found. I would still like to hold on to the hope though, since they don’t have a body. May God be with this family and most importantly with Caylee.

- Marie

Posted 10/17/08 05:38 AM

To Edward S. First of all, no one can testify to the GJ on their “free will”. They HAVE to be subpoened. And what makes you believe he lied behind closed doors. The testimonies are sealed from the public. Were you there??. George is the only one in that dysfunctional family that has ANY integrity. He most certainly is not a disgrace. Shame on you for your foolish statements!

- Maribeth

Posted 10/17/08 06:38 AM

George Anthony is the only in this whole bunch who acts like they have good sense. Cindy is domineering and wants to run everything, even the investigation. She’s a bit narcisstic herself - gets attention. Can you imagine running Texas EquuSearch off? She also talks like she can’t string two sentences together - very shallow. Not too difficult to see where Casey gets it from.

- from Virginia

Posted 10/17/08 11:16 AM

Casey is just like her mother, a rotten bratt. I believe she killed her baby because she wasn’t able to go out since her mom wouldn’t babysit and she couldn’t get a babysitter. So she decided to get rid of her so she can be free to party. Now George on the other hand believes it was her and is finally going to admit the way he feels. Of course every parent doesn’t want to believe they’re child has done something wrong, but if there is proof then you just better believe it. Casey is just a self-centered B*@ch! Thinks of her looks, guys, partying, and sex life. I hope she ends up spilling out the truth and find little Caylee’s body. With many hopes of her being alive, it’s just sad to know that deep down inside she really isn’t!

- Lourdes

Posted 10/17/08 12:20 PM

This is such a sad sad thing to have happened but I shall not sit in judgement of anyone on this matter. I shall only say this in response to what I have seen and heard many times regarding this. When people say’May God be with this family and most importantly with Caylee.’ I do believe with all my heart and soul from what I have learned about religion and God that whether Caylee be alive or dead, God will always be with her and she will be with Him also. If I be so lucky as to ascend after death I will for sure want to see her!

- Bob

Posted 10/17/08 12:28 PM

Yes, it would be hard to testify against your child, however we are talking about a posible horible murder to a GRANDCHILD and all grand parents I feel will agree there is nothing so precious. We never know how our children will turn out, all we can do is raise them to the best of our ability and you can raise 2 or even more children in the same houdehold exactually the same and they will turn out differently. In this case I do feel the entire family has major issues. What makes me so mad at this entire family is the many outburst that have been captured on camera by family members. And as far as Casey, if you remember the Susan Smith story, you could look at her from the beginning and tell she knew more than she was telling, just like the look Casey has had. And I believe the first time Cindy saw Casey in person, pictured in a People magazine article that at that point she knew what Casey had done and the same article showed,that I believe knew then also even though he looked like he did not want to believe it. From then on all Cindy has done is changed her story again and again and tried to cover up for Casey. I also remember the Lacy Peterson case, every single day at least one family member was on the air begging people to help them find Lacy and little Conner. Not once has Casey, Cindy, Lee or George looked into a camera and done this, asked people to please help find Caylee, as a matter of fact Cindy will not even look directly into the camera unless it is something in anger. I feel this is a very dysfunctional, abusive, and lying family. And yes, who in their right mind would turn EquuSearch away? I like others only wish Casey would for once in her life tell the truth and lead officials to the body of little Caylee so she can have a propler funeral, I pray I am wrong, but I feel in my heart Caylee is now with God, but it troubles me so much wondering what suffering this child had to go through by her own mother before she got there. I am so ready for justice to be done in this case, I think the entire Nation has

- Mary Ann

Posted 10/17/08 03:08 PM

It was just a matter of time before Casey was charged with murder. She has no regard for her daughter and is right where she should be! The only reason she is crying is because the reality of it all has finally hit her and she knows she can not hide behind her lies anymore. I feel sorry for her family. There are victims all around, but the real victim here is Caylee. She needs to be found and she needs to be layed to rest. I hope Casey pays dearly for her involvement in the disapearance of Caylee. If she killed Caylee then I hope she gets life in prison to think about what she did every day for the rest of her life!!

- Dorothy

Posted 10/18/08 07:08 AM

Every parent knows that horrible feeling when you turn around in a mall or park and can’t see your child instantly. The panic makes your heart stop until you see your child. No innocent person can go on like nothing happened for 31 days. The elaborate lies she tells only shows she has been thinking them up for awhile. It’s time for the rest of the Anthony family to face the fact that Casey is nothing but a self-centred, self-serving pathatic spoiled lieing murderer that needs serious help. I wonder how they feel when they hear another one of her proven lies. I understand they don’t want to give up hope in findng Caylee alive, they never will until she is found. How Casey can put them through this is beyond me. She deserves no sympathy and it’s time her family told her that she’s on her own now until she starts telling the truth.

- Wendy

Posted 10/18/08 07:00 PM

I think Casey ENJOYS putting her family through this turmoil and especially her mother. She wants her mother to pay for loving Caylee more than her and she has convinced herself that she did nothing wrong and if she did, it is ok because her mom betrayed her in loving the grandchild more and in getting a second chance to get it right with her. It seems to me that Cindy thinks that if she now goes from the accusing mom to the supportive one, that this will cause Casey to reveal where Caylee is and even if she doesn’t, Cindy has convinced herself that Casey did not harm Caylee. Very interesting how they lie to themselves and talk themselves into believing these lies! If Cindy and George had any decency, they would not protect Casey, but show her she was right when she thought they would abandon her and this might be what would make her break and confess, but now that she sees that she can manipulate them, still, and get them to accept her, even as a murderer, she is reveling in her victory and she will not tell what she did to Caylee. Someday the truth will come out, hopefully, sooner than later. Cindy and George are enablers and too blind to see, but I give George his props for seemingly having more insight than the other family members. Perhaps, it is the ‘cop’ in him?

- K

Posted 10/21/08 10:54 AM

This is nothing short of tragic. You can surely believe that if Cindy were to look deep inside herself she can see that allowing Casey to be an endulged and spoiled child was not her best choice!

- jen

Posted 10/23/08 03:55 PM

Oh, by the way, you can be both spoiled and indulged, and neglected and abused at the same time. It might not be easy for you to see if you haven’t lived it. Crazy-making, troubled parents who are in desperate need of help themselves can’t pull the wool over the eyes of their kid as to how they really feel. Kids are too sharp. They know. They also know if their indulgent Grandma has no respect for Mom…Caylee was a bright little girl. I bet she was just beginning to catch on. Is that the reason Casey called her the little snot head? Bottom line: if having a baby has sent you back to the pain of your own upbringing, get professional help! Fast! And stay away from poisonous relatives pushing your buttons who do nothing to encourage and enhance a good relationship between you and your child. Don’t let them use your kid as a pawn in their cruel, self-serving game. People like that are robbers. They have taken from you all your life. Don’t let them rob you again.

- Gloria

Posted 10/24/08 02:10 PM

That baby NEEDS an advocate from within her family. George is all that she has, it seems. The others are all taken in by, and looking the other way at, Princess Casey’s lies. God Bless Caylee, wherever she is.

- Dee

Posted 11/13/08 01:18 PM

I don’t know what scares me more. The prospect that Casey is a cold-blooded killer or the huge amount of evidence that a vast segment of society is no better. So many people seem to be in a frenzy of delight to throw the switch on anyone else they can. They consider themselves to be justified? I am sorry, but I see no distinction between you and your victim. All people seem to need is an excuse or reason. It’s truly terrifying how delighted people seem to be to demonize one another. Completely blind to their wild conjecture/assumptions/accusations that they are slinging around based upon information that doesn’t really point to what they seem to want to believe. I am always shocked at how sick people are. In a sane world everyone who wanted to see Casey gutted like a fish would share the same fate. People want to believe we are better then our ancestors 1000’s of years ago, but all I see is an enormous amount of evidence that really we are not. Trying to prove how much they care or pretend to care by proving that really they don’t care. Excusing their behavior with conditions and exceptions. All I see is an tide of so called caring human beings who without the government and laws that we have would quickly turn to murdering anyone who happened to slight them. So many people seem to have 0 concept of what love and loyalty really are that I find it frightening. In all honestly, I think all the people who want nothing more then to throw stones at Casey’s parents are guilty of far worse crimes then they. People should be ashamed of themselves. It’s like this Nancy Grace I have been seeing on TV lately. I truly pity anyone who knows this person. She is every bit as much a monster as everyone she attacks. She repeatedly manages to show her lack of compassion and inability to make accurate statements by slinging wild accusations at anyone who disagrees with her view of the world. She has all the mannerisms of a poorly fed attack dog that has killed it’s master. “Lord of the Flies” anyone? I have spent a great deal of time looking over the evidence and honestly, I have to wonder if authorities haven’t done more to investigate her past boyfriends. Especially this Tony. Several things

- Skorian

Posted 11/13/08 04:56 PM