Casey Anthony trial: 'Caylee's law' drafted after online campaign went viral
Four states are drafting legislation in the wake of the Casey Anthony trial which will force parents to report missing children in the first 24 hours.
Lawmakers in Florida, New York, Oklahoma and West Virginia have announced they will propose versions of the legislation, which comes in the wake of nationwide fury following the acquittal of young mother Anthony on charges that she murdered her two-year-old daughter Caylee.
The prosecution case in the Anthony trial was largely hampered by the fact that Caylee's body was found so late. The child was reported missing a full month after her family last saw her.
Dead: Casey Anthony's two-year-old daughter Caylee was reported missing a month late in July 2008
Dead: Casey Anthony's two-year-old daughter Caylee was reported missing a month late in July 2008
Following the Anthony verdict this week an online petition for Caylee's Law went viral on site Change.org, which has in two days managed to collect more than 300,000 signatures.
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Michelle Crowder, from Durant, Oklahoma. launched the petition calling for a federal law which would make it a felony for parents to fail to inform police of a missing child within 24 hours of disappearance or within an hour of a child's death.
Oklahoma Representative Paul Wesselhoft said the petition has forced action in his state.
'Yesterday, I got a lot of emails from my constituents who are very outraged by the trial and the verdict,' he told ABC News. 'We're all outraged that Caylee did not receive justice. There's no question about that.'
Four year sentence: Casey Anthony, left, smiles and winks to her attorney, Dorothy Clay Sims, before her sentencing hearing
Four year sentence: Casey Anthony, left, smiles and winks to her attorney, Dorothy Clay Sims, before her sentencing hearing
All smiles: Casey Anthony looked relaxed as she learnt that she will be released, but there are concerns for her safety
All smiles: Casey Anthony looked relaxed as she learnt that she will be released, but there are concerns for her safety
Punishment: Judge Belvin Perry gave Anthony the maximum sentences he could give for the charges she faced
Punishment: Judge Belvin Perry gave Anthony the maximum sentences he could give for the charges she faced
The Republican lawmaker now wants to propose a version of Caylee's Law in Oklahoma at the start of the 2012 legislative session.
'It probably won't be a deterrent to crime, but at least it's something the prosecutors can charge someone with who's violated the law,' he said. 'If this law was in Florida, Casey would have some more jail time to stand.'
In Florida, a law being drafted by Representative Bill Hager would also make it an offence not to report a missing child at an early stage.
Fury: The not guilty verdict on Tuesday and Casey Anthony's soft sentencing has angered members of the public across America
Fury: The not guilty verdict on Tuesday and Casey Anthony's soft sentencing has angered members of the public across America
Why does Casey get to have a life? Lori Richards, of Daytona Beach, Florida, joins a group of protesters outside the Orange County Courthouse for the sentencing
Why does Casey get to have a life? Lori Richards, of Daytona Beach, Florida, joins a group of protesters outside the Orange County Courthouse for the sentencing
'One of the clouds that hung over this trial is that the mother for 31 days did not report her missing daughter and under Florida law, there's no provision that she violated,' he said. 'She did not break the law by failing to report that child. This bill addresses exactly that issue.'
In a spectacular turn of events for a woman who was facing the death penalty, Anthony was found not guilty of first degree murder, aggravated murder and aggravated child abuse in court in Orange County, Florida, on Tuesday.
She was found guilty of four lesser charges of lying to police but will walk free from from jail next Wednesday because of time already served and good behaviour.
Protest: Hundreds and thousands have signed up to the online petition
Protest: Hundreds and thousands have signed up to the online petition
Crucially, DNA evidence collected from Caylee's remains was inconclusive because her body had decomposed after lying in woodland for weeks.
The child was missing for a month before Anthony's mother, Cindy, finally reported her disappearance to police.
The online petition for Caylee's Law went viral with exceptional speed after the verdict.
Within hours on Tuesday, more than 15,000 people had signed and as it stands the figure is more than 300,000.
'I am hoping that this will be made into a federal law so that no other child's life, disappearance, and or death is treated in the manner that poor Caylee's was treated,' Crowder said. 'No child deserves that.'
Lawmakers in Florida, New York, Oklahoma and West Virginia have announced they will propose versions of the legislation, which comes in the wake of nationwide fury following the acquittal of young mother Anthony on charges that she murdered her two-year-old daughter Caylee.
The prosecution case in the Anthony trial was largely hampered by the fact that Caylee's body was found so late. The child was reported missing a full month after her family last saw her.
Dead: Casey Anthony's two-year-old daughter Caylee was reported missing a month late in July 2008
Dead: Casey Anthony's two-year-old daughter Caylee was reported missing a month late in July 2008
Following the Anthony verdict this week an online petition for Caylee's Law went viral on site Change.org, which has in two days managed to collect more than 300,000 signatures.
Casey's ready to let her hair down again: Judge jails her for FOUR years... but she will be free in just SIX DAYS
'I want to have more children... and I'd like to adopt': Secret prison letters reveal Casey Anthony's shocking plans as she prepares to walk free
Jurors cried and felt 'sick to their stomachs' as they cleared Casey Anthony reveals jury member
Michelle Crowder, from Durant, Oklahoma. launched the petition calling for a federal law which would make it a felony for parents to fail to inform police of a missing child within 24 hours of disappearance or within an hour of a child's death.
Oklahoma Representative Paul Wesselhoft said the petition has forced action in his state.
'Yesterday, I got a lot of emails from my constituents who are very outraged by the trial and the verdict,' he told ABC News. 'We're all outraged that Caylee did not receive justice. There's no question about that.'
Four year sentence: Casey Anthony, left, smiles and winks to her attorney, Dorothy Clay Sims, before her sentencing hearing
Four year sentence: Casey Anthony, left, smiles and winks to her attorney, Dorothy Clay Sims, before her sentencing hearing
All smiles: Casey Anthony looked relaxed as she learnt that she will be released, but there are concerns for her safety
All smiles: Casey Anthony looked relaxed as she learnt that she will be released, but there are concerns for her safety
Punishment: Judge Belvin Perry gave Anthony the maximum sentences he could give for the charges she faced
Punishment: Judge Belvin Perry gave Anthony the maximum sentences he could give for the charges she faced
The Republican lawmaker now wants to propose a version of Caylee's Law in Oklahoma at the start of the 2012 legislative session.
'It probably won't be a deterrent to crime, but at least it's something the prosecutors can charge someone with who's violated the law,' he said. 'If this law was in Florida, Casey would have some more jail time to stand.'
In Florida, a law being drafted by Representative Bill Hager would also make it an offence not to report a missing child at an early stage.
Fury: The not guilty verdict on Tuesday and Casey Anthony's soft sentencing has angered members of the public across America
Fury: The not guilty verdict on Tuesday and Casey Anthony's soft sentencing has angered members of the public across America
Why does Casey get to have a life? Lori Richards, of Daytona Beach, Florida, joins a group of protesters outside the Orange County Courthouse for the sentencing
Why does Casey get to have a life? Lori Richards, of Daytona Beach, Florida, joins a group of protesters outside the Orange County Courthouse for the sentencing
'One of the clouds that hung over this trial is that the mother for 31 days did not report her missing daughter and under Florida law, there's no provision that she violated,' he said. 'She did not break the law by failing to report that child. This bill addresses exactly that issue.'
In a spectacular turn of events for a woman who was facing the death penalty, Anthony was found not guilty of first degree murder, aggravated murder and aggravated child abuse in court in Orange County, Florida, on Tuesday.
She was found guilty of four lesser charges of lying to police but will walk free from from jail next Wednesday because of time already served and good behaviour.
Protest: Hundreds and thousands have signed up to the online petition
Protest: Hundreds and thousands have signed up to the online petition
Crucially, DNA evidence collected from Caylee's remains was inconclusive because her body had decomposed after lying in woodland for weeks.
The child was missing for a month before Anthony's mother, Cindy, finally reported her disappearance to police.
The online petition for Caylee's Law went viral with exceptional speed after the verdict.
Within hours on Tuesday, more than 15,000 people had signed and as it stands the figure is more than 300,000.
'I am hoping that this will be made into a federal law so that no other child's life, disappearance, and or death is treated in the manner that poor Caylee's was treated,' Crowder said. 'No child deserves that.'
