Caylee

by Diane Fanning

Throughout the publication ofeight true crime books, I’ve heard from a lot of readers. Once in a while, I get what I consider is a slanted criticism. Some folks bash one of my books in an attempt to come to the defense of the perpetrator, telling me I am biased because I wrote that a convicted murderer is actually guilty. Other people simply do not want a book written about a particular case under any circumstances.

I collided with that reaction last week as I worked on a book about theCaylee Anthony case. I checked my inbox and found this email from Marty: “There is a rumor you have been given a contract to write a book on the Caylee Anthony story and her egg donor. Is this true?

If so, shame on you. Just another vulture profiting from this heinous crime. This poor child has not even been laid to rest and the vultures are circling. I will not purchase your books or anyone who tries to profit on the blood of sweet Caylee.”

I responded: “My objective in writing is to memorialize the victim so that all of my readers understand the great loss we as a society suffer when an innocent is killed through an act of violence. And to educate and empower my readers to limit the incidents of homicide.”

That’s when I learned why Marty was so distressed. She thought that the Anthony family would profit from my book and she suspected the family aided and abetted Casey. She was certain that I could not write about the story without the permission of the family.

That is one of the most persistent myths of true crime writing and it’s not true. When a story is news, a true crime writer, just like a newspaper or television journalist or a blogger can write about it—no permission needed.

Marty, though, did not believe me when I told her that I did not have a financial agreement with the Anthonys. Because of that, she was still angry and wrote: “Just disgusting. I intend on boycotting this particular book of yours, and any "sponsors" affiliated. I will also contact your publisher to convey my sentiments and I am gong to ask bloggers on "many" Internet sites to do the same. Get ready to be "bombarded". The public does not need you to tell us "Caylee's story".

Well, I was bombarded but not exactly as Marty imagined.

Only one other person sent a negative email. That woman wanted me to reconsider writing a book about Caylee. That’s another point where the reality of true crime writing calls the shots. I’d already signed a contract with my publisher. Once any writer signs, there is a legal obligation to produce a book. Changing your mind is not an option.

The rest of the flood of messages I received were positive—supportive not just of me but of the many other ethical people who write about crime in any medium. Stephanie’s email expressed that attitude but also praised this whole group: "I am a fan of Women in Crime Ink blog... I wanted you to know that I support your writing this book. Here's what I just recently posted:

‘This writer is a member of a fantastic group of women DEDICATED & DEVOTED to victims of crime.‘…I find it to be part of my personal integrity to financially support the work of highly devoted and ethical writers such as Diane Fanning. In other words, buying her book (or one like it that meets my standards) is my "vote" for responsible writing (and journalism) that is sensitive to the victim's sad story and attempts to explain in order to help others understand and be forewarned. I know that you would want some other family to gain insight that would prevent another precious little girl being murdered like Caylee, right? Well, only the GOOD books about this story will do so, not the shallow and sensationalized ones. And I believe D. Fanning is extremely ethical, responsible, and respectable. IMO.

‘Every time you read a news story about Caylee, someone is making money. Oh, well, news is different... No, it's not. It's just that news articles can only go so far. If you're like me, you hunt around for different sites, different articles, different authors of the articles to read about aspects of this case such as the psychology involved, about how the justice system in Florida works and is different from what I am used to, about the financial impact this case has had on the OCSO and the citizens of Orange County, about groups likeTX Equusearch, about the shadiness of Kid Finders, etc., etc. Well, a book can put this all together for us and perhaps draw some well-founded conclusions and thoughts and I am looking forward to reading such a book, by such a person as is a member of Women In Crime Ink.'”

Thank you, Stephanie! I’ve always been proud to be part of this incredible group of woman, but never more than now.

Writing true crime is challenging and, at times, heartbreaking work. We are often haunted by crime scene photographs, sickened by autopsy reports, threatened with law suits and revolted by some of the people we interview.
One of the things that keeps me going are readers like Stephanie who understand that knowledge is empowering and possesses the potential for saving lives. I write true crime books because I want to understand why these crimes happen and how I can protect myself and loved ones from becoming victims--and to share that information with my readers.

In short, I write true crime because I want to make a difference.

I can't do anything for Caylee but honor her memory with my words. But I hope that what I am writing about this little girl will one day be used by someone to protect the life of another innocent child.

Casey Anthony

ORLANDO, Fla. Casey Anthony waited at least a month before reporting that her daughter Caylee, 2, was missing. And even then, it wasn't Casey who called the Sheriff's Office to report that the toddler had been abducted. It was Casey's mother, Cynthia Anthony.


At 8:44 p.m. on July 15, 2008, Cindy Anthony called Orange County 911. After initially reporting that she wanted her 22-year-old daughter arrested for stealing her car, Cindy told the dispatcher, "I have a 3-year-old that's missing for a month." Caylee was then three weeks shy of her third birthday.


The dispatcher sounded shocked when she asked if Cindy had reported the missing baby.


"I'm trying to do that now, ma'am," Cindy said. She explained to the dispatcher that her daughter had stolen her car and some money and had disappeared four weeks ago. "She's been missing for a month," Cindy said. "I found her, but I can't find my granddaughter."

The dispatcher said she was sending a sheriff's unit to the Anthony's house on Hopespring Drive, just outside the city limits of Orlando.


An hour later, Cindy called 911 again. This time she sounded panicked. "There's something wrong," she told the dispatcher. "I found my daughter's car today. It smells like there's been a dead body in the damn car." Cindy said she had not seen her granddaughter since the middle of June.


The dispatcher asked to speak to Caylee's mother. Casey got on the line. "My daughter's been missing for 31 days," she said. "I know who has her. I've tried to contact her." Casey told the dispatcher she got a call from Caylee earlier that day, but the call only lasted a minute before someone hung up the phone. When she tried to call the number back, Casey said, it was out of service.


Casey claimed her nanny, a woman she identified as Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez, whom she said had been babysitting Caylee for nearly two years, had kidnapped the little girl.


"Why are you calling now?" the incredulous dispatcher asked. "Why didn't you call 31 days ago?"


"I've been looking for her and going through other resources to try to find her, which was stupid," Casey said.


From the beginning, something about the story didn't sound right. A young mother waiting an entire month to report that her daughter, not quite 3 years old, had been kidnapped? Soon, though, the story would take an even more sinister turn and would capture the attention of the nation.

It has been almost exactly three years since Casey Anthony was found not guilty of murdering her 2-year-old daughter Caylee, but she is still essentially a prisoner, one of her lawyers says. Anthony, now 28, lives in an unnamed location in Florida and remains afraid to go out in public because of death threats, Cheney Mason tells CNN.

She does clerical work at home for various clients, but "she hasn't been freed from her incarceration yet 'cause she can't go out," the lawyer says. "She can't go to a beauty parlor, she can't go shopping to a department store, she can't go to a restaurant, she can't even go to McDonald's. She can't do anything."
The Orlando Sentinel notes that Mason says Anthony doesn't live alone, and isn't romantically involved with anyone.

Anthony — who accused her father of sexually abusing her — "does not have any blood family anymore" and the family she has now consists of members of her defense team.
Mason says he thinks she "wants to speak out"; Anthony declined CNN's request for an interview, however.
"I know she has very strong feelings for what has happened to her. I also know she's very saddened by her loss and she will never forget her daughter Caylee, ever," Mason says.
His book, Justice in America: How Prosecutors and the Media Conspire Against the Accused, will be released this summer. Mason— the third attorney associated with the case to write a book — says it will include information never revealed before, and will go beyond the Anthony case to explore broader legal issues.