Caylee Anthony Memorial

Author: Jewls Krueger

Two year old Caylee Marie Anthony disappeared in the summer of 2008 in Orlando, Florida. Her skeletal remains were found in a wooded area on Suburban Drive on December 11, 2008. Her mother, Casey Anthony, was tried for her murder in one of the most nationally watched trials in American history and was acquitted in July 2011.

Caylee Reported Missing

On July 15, 2008, two year old Caylee Anthony was reported missing by her maternal grandmother, Cindy Anthony. Caylee was being raised by single mother Casey Anthony in Casey's parents' house in Orlando Florida. At the time of the report, Caylee's grandparents hadn't seen Caylee in over 30 days and Casey claimed that Caylee had been kidnapped by a made-up nanny named "Zanny".

Caylee's Body Discovered

On December 11, 2008, the skull of Caylee Anthony was found in a fabric bag with duct tape over or around the mouth area. Over the next few days other bones were found around the skull's location. The area that the body was found in was nearby the Anthony home in an overgrown, wooded area. A week after the body was found, the medical examiner determined the method of death to be murder, and the exact cause of death to be unknown.

Casey Anthony Trial

Casey Anthony's Mugshot - Public Domain

Casey Anthony was first been indicted by a Florida grand jury in October 2008 on charges of first degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child, and four counts of providing false information to law enforcement. The trial began at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando on May 24, 2011, presided over by Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. Lead prosecutors Linda Drane Burdick and Jeff Ashton argued Casey had used chloroform to knock Caylee out and then suffocated her with duct tape, pointing to evidence of chloroform residue and hair from a decomposing body in the trunk of Casey's car. Lead defense attorney Jose Baez countered with the accidental drowning theory and, for the first time publicly, alleged that Casey's father George Anthony had sexually abused her, which he said explained her erratic behavior after Caylee's death.

On July 5, 2011, after less than 11 hours of deliberation, the jury found Casey not guilty of first degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter, but guilty on all four misdemeanor counts of providing false information to law enforcement. Judge Perry sentenced her to four years and a $4,000 fine, but with time already served and credit for good behavior, she was released from the Orange County Jail 12 days later.

Where is Casey Anthony Today

Following her acquittal, Casey Anthony was released from the Orange County Jail on July 17, 2011, after being credited for the 1,043 days she had spent in custody prior to and during her trial. In the years that followed, she remained mostly out of the public eye. She moved to South Florida, where she began working as a research assistant for Patrick McKenna, the lead private investigator on her defense team, and lived at his West Palm Beach home for several years.

In November 2015, Anthony launched a small photography business, Case Photography LLC, in Florida. She dissolved it less than three years later. In December 2020, she filed paperwork with the state of Florida to launch a private investigation firm called Case Research & Consulting Services LLC, registered to McKenna's West Palm Beach address. Because of her four misdemeanor convictions for providing false information to police, she is not able to hold a Florida private investigator's license herself.

Anthony gave her first on-camera interview in the 2022 Peacock docuseries "Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies," in which she maintained her innocence and blamed her father George Anthony for Caylee's death. George Anthony has repeatedly denied those allegations and has never been charged. In 2024, multiple outlets reported that Anthony had moved from Florida to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to live with her then-boyfriend Tyson Ray Rhodes. On March 1, 2025, she joined TikTok and launched a paid Substack newsletter, presenting herself as a "legal advocate" and researcher. She has continued to post publicly and has been seen in various states since. Her exact current residence is not publicly known. Her parents George and Cindy Anthony continue to live in the Orlando area.

Caylee Anthony's Memorial

The initial memorial for Caylee Anthony - Creative Commons: Bstodd00

A memorial was set up for Caylee in the location that her body was found in the months following the discovery of the body. Over the years, people have brought flowers, stuffed animals, balloons, and signs to the site in an effort to memorialize young Caylee. Now, almost 20 years since the discovery of the body, the amount of teddy bears has dwindled and the site is harder to find. A permanent memorial on the site was said to be in the works but has yet to be built.

To see the location, head east on Suburban Dr,. until you pass Hopespring Dr. On your right, you’ll see a home with a long backyard fence. About 50 feet after the fence ends, you’ll see a small break in the overgrowth. In that small clearing is the location where Caylee’s skeletal remains were found. The location is located on private property. As a reminder, be respectful and never enter private property. Stay on public roads and don’t block traffic.