Nearly three years since Caylee Anthony disappeared, opening statements for her mother Casey Anthony's murder trial began Tuesday morning. The first witness took the stand that afternoon. Her defense attorney wasted no time telling the jury what happened. "She drowned in the family swimming pool," said Jose Baez in his opening statement.
After the prosecution laid out its case, Baez called the death of Caylee Anthony an accident. Baez said the two-year-old girl accidentally drowned in the family's backyard swimming pool on June 16, 2008.
He did not say exactly how her body was disposed of, but implicated Casey's father George and a meter reader found the tot's remains in a bag in a wooded area down the street from the family's home in December of that year. Baez called Roy Kronk an immoral man who had possession of the child's remains until it was time to hide them in the woods and discover them and claim a reward.
In his statement, Baez also claimed George sexually abused Casey, causing her to keep secrets. He said that may have been why Casey made up the story about the nanny who kidnapped Caylee in June 2008.
George Anthony was the first witness for the state.
Casey shook her head when the prosecutor asked George if he had ever sexually molested her. He said no.
“Have you ever committed any sexually inappropriate act with, or in the presence of your daughter Casey Anthony?” prosecutor Jeff Ashton asked.
“No sir,” George said.
Casey also shook her head when the prosecutor asked George if he duct taped Caylee’s mouth.
At the end of his testimony, he said he did not know what happened to Caylee until the day she was reported missing.
As the day began, Casey Anthony looked straight ahead as Chief Judge Belvin Perry read the charges against her to the jury.
"This is a criminal case,” Judge Perry said. “The defendant [Casey Anthony] is charged with the crimes of first degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child, and four counts of providing false information to a law enforcement officer.”
When prosecutor Linda Drane-Burdick gave the state’s opening statement, Casey wiped away tears, having to grab some tissues.
Drane-Burdick’s statements described Casey’s life with Caylee, and gave a detailed account when Caylee disappeared and the lies Casey told her parents and law enforcement.
“Casey Anthony, Caylee’s mother, appeared to all outward observers to be what her parents thought she was – a loving mother working hard to provide support for her daughter,” Drane-Burdick said. “But as the evidence in this case and the investigation into the background of Casey Anthony will show, that was an illusion.”
The first day in court wrapped up around 5 p.m.
The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks.
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