Caylee Marie Anthony's mother held on $500,000 bond

Investigators reveal they found the odor of decomposition in family car
Sarah Lundy Sentinel Staff Writer
July 22, 2008

Caylee Anthony's mother Casey left an Orange County courtroom crying this afternoon after a judge set her bond at $500,000. That would be $50,000 they would have to come up with to get her out, non-refundable. If she is later charged with murder, she'd be arrested on those charges and the bail revoked. Bye-bye $50,000, Casey once again in prison. And she will let them spend all they have, knowing what she's done.

It's unclear if Casey Anthony's parents -- Cindy and George Anthony -- will be able to afford that much money, said Anthony's attorney, Jose Baez. He plans to sit down with them to determine what they will do next. From the stand this afternoon, Cynthia Anthony didn't know what equity they had in the house, didn't know what other assets they might have at their disposal, but the oddest "dunno" is when asked what her husband did for a living and where he worked. She couldn't really say.

In addition to her bond, the family has to consider money for her defense and the cost of the search for 2-year-old Caylee, who Anthony told investigators she has not seen since early June, he said. If Casey Anthony is released on bond for child-neglect and other charges, Orange Circuit Court Judge Stan Strickland ordered a GPS device be attached to her ankle so authorities can track her whereabouts.

The nearly three-hour bond hearing revealed startling details in the investigation of the disappearance of Caylee.

Cadaver dogs alerted detectives of the odor of possible human decomposition in the car that Casey would drive and in the same area of the Anthony's backyard. Investigators are trying to determine the source of the smell in the car. They dug up spots in the backyard but found nothing, said Detective Yuri Melich.

Hair, dirt and stains spotted under a blacklight were discovered in the trunk. Authorities say they may have a possible homicide at this point.

Melich said Casey Anthony is not a "suspect" but a "person of interest." Casey's family - her parents and brother - testified, saying she is a good mother and should be released. The brother, Lee Anthony, said he had "no doubt" that he could get Casey Anthony to provide more information to help in the search for Caylee. Why should it have to be coaxed out of her? Will someone please bitch-slap this mother and get some answers?

Casey Anthony, 22, cried at times during the hearing. She wiped away tears when her family testified but showed little emotion when Melich and the dog handler took the stand.