The Department of Children and Families (DCF) issued their final report Thursday on the death investigation of Caylee Marie Anthony, concluding that Casey Anthony failed to protect her daughter, ultimately contributing to the child’s death.
According to the report, the toddler’s mother, failed to protect the two-year-old and the actions or lack of actions by Casey Anthony, “ultimately resulted or contributed in the death of the child.”
The DCF report also “verified” findings that Anthony’s failure to act during the 31 days when Caylee was missing “ultimately resulted in her inability to protect the child from harm.” The delay in reporting the child missing also interfered with a law enforcement investigation and their best efforts to safely recover the child, the report concludes.
While the agency concluded that Caylee died as a result of abuse or neglect, the report is unable to verify that the toddler died as a result of asphyxiation.
About three months after Caylee went missing, her skeletal remains were found on December 11, 2008, in a wooded area near the Anthony family home.
Anthony was released from jail on July 17, 2011, after being acquitted of murdering her daughter, but has since kept a low profile. There are unconfirmed reports that she has been spotted in Ohio.
Earlier this month, a judge had ordered that Anthony return to Orlando to serve probation for unrelated check fraud charges for which she was convicted in January 2010. Anthony’s attorneys appealed asking the court to set aside that order.
Chief Judge Belvin Perry is yet to rule on whether or not Anthony is to return to serve probation in Florida.
