Cookie and Muffin Plan A Road Trip- Continuing.....The Justice For Caylee Anthony Saga

During this chapter of Continuing .....The Justice For Caylee Anthony Saga..... Rather than focusing on the circumstances surrounding the 2008 disappearance (or kidnapping, if you believe Princess Casey's fairy tale) and death of  two year old Caylee Marie, or the efforts of law enforcement to solve Caylee's murder. We have an unusual opportunity to get to know a little more about how Caylee's mother (and accused killer) 24 year old Casey Anthony thinks.

Casey was arrested and charged with child abuse and  lying to law enforcement about the circumstances of Caylee's disappearance within 24 hours of Caylee being reported missing on the evening of July 15, 2008. ( 31 days after Caylee was "reportedly" last seen ) The day after that, Casey hired attorney Jose Baez and instead of  helping with the search for her missing daughter ( beyond the wild goose chase she had taken law enforcement through the day before ), she
decided to invoke her right to remain silent. Casey Anthony was in and out of Orange County Jail (OCJ )  several times for felony economic charges until a grand jury handed down a seven count indictment against her (including one count of !st degree murder) on October 14, 2008. Anthony has since been in protective custody at the OCJ on a "no bond" hold, awaiting her capital murder trial. The trial is scheduled to start on May 9, 2011.,

We've heard a lot about the Anthony family through TV ( news interviews and jailhouse visits ) as well as other forms of media released under the "Florida Sunshine Laws" ( such as depositions and interviews  by LE of Casey Anthony's family and friends and neighbors). A recent form of media that's been released as part of the discovery process are a group of letters Casey allegedly wrote to fellow OCJ inmate Robyn Adams and a  supplemental report from the Orange County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) about verbal discussions that Casey allegedly had with Robin Adams and Maya Derkovic while the three were incarcerated at the OCJ and an investigation into the alleged assistance with their communications by a corrections officer at the OCJ.(The pages in the report that deal with the investigation and interviews with Derkovic and Adams  are pages 1-8 and 160-268, respectively. The supplemental report includes interviews with other areas of investigation that I won't cover in this entry.)

You can read more of the background information of these "two friends" and the investigation that was conducted after Maya Derkovic approached law enforcement about her and Robyn Adam's communications with Casey Anthony in my last post on this case.

I have read all of the jailhouse letters, which to be quite honest is a somewhat tedious process.  These letters are at times funny, sometimes very sad, often confusing because they are all over the place, mostly they are unbelievable, but that's because of "who" wrote them more than what they say. In fairness, it will be up to the jury to decide what weight they give the letters and any of the statements alleged by Derkovic and Adams, should the state or the defense introduce them at trial. Here are a couple of random samples from the collection of letters:

One of Casey's Letters to Robyn

One of Robyn's Letters to Tracy

In this post, I want to talk about some of the things in the letters that made an impression on me; however, I'll do so as I address each of the 4 statements made in the defense response to Anthony's letters (numbered in the order I'll address them below).
Here we go......

At the indigency hearing on March 18, 2010,  Ninth Circuit Judge Stan Strickland unsealed the letters (sealed at state's request until the investigation was done) and allowed Casey Anthony's defense 15 days to decide whether they would seek to have the letters remain sealed. On April 5, 2010, the Anthony defense announced in the following statement in the press they wouldn't fight the release of the letters.

Liz Brown, of the DePaul Center for Justice in Capital Cases, released the following statement as the Defense Response to Anthony's letters:

"(1)The letters released today reflect the natural desire for companionship when isolated for 23 hours a day,  and (3) clearly demonstrate Casey's unconditional love for her daughter, Caylee. Despite these intentions, (2) it is obvious in the letters authored by Robyn Adams that her sole purpose and only goal in corresponding with Casey Anthony was to create 'leverage to get out of prison early.'  Furthermore,(4) despite numerous inaccurate media reports, the letters written by Casey Anthony do not contain a single reference to chloroform or any admissions of guilt. Casey Anthony maintains her innocence and looks forward to her day in court."

Outline of Katfish.....Ponders' Response to the Statements included in the Defense Response to the Jailhouse Letters, Followed by Discussion of the Content in the Letters 

(1)  CRAZY CONVICTED GIRLS GONE WILD

"The letters released today reflect the natural desire for companionship when isolated for 

 23 hours a day."

 I agree with Liz Brown that these letters reflect a natural desire for companionship that comes from being isolated for 23 hours a day. Though some of Ms. Anthony's isolation is self imposed, she would be allowed some visits and to make phone calls but has decided to refuse those privileges.  Any outside contact beyond her "Dream Team" and the prison Chaplain is refused, reportedly because these are the only visits that are exempt from the Sunshine Law. Although the defense doesn't acknowledge it, Robyn Adams was also in protective custody and most likely in need of companionship too when she and Casey began communicating. Although Casey destroyed Robyn's letters to her (* flusharooni* was the plan) you can figure out Robyn's side of some of their conversations by reading Casey's replies. I won't be delving too deeply into Robyn's side of the conversation because this entry will be long enough as it is.

The content of the letters that reflect a need for companionship manifest in several ways, from talk of the  mundane aspects of their day to attempts at raising each other's spirit, getting to know each other and confiding to each other, as well as offering comfort and advice to one another. There are probably others but I'll stick with these...LOL!

When Casey and Robyn share the mundane aspects of their life it is often inter-sprinkled with attempts to cheer each other up. For instance, their fondness for muffins and cookies translated to nicknames for each other. Casey is "Muffin" and Robyn is "Cookie".

Just for the record, a few of the things Casey is sick of  is hot dogs and bologna and Ramen noodles, she craves a Snoopy Snow Cone maker, Smoothies and Chocolate- Swiss Cow Milk. and  some of the things she wishes she had in jail are basketball shorts, a comfy sports bra tank top, a pink hair removal pad she saw on a commercial (Adding, she may try and get her boys to order it for her, shock! Would that "Smooth Away" be considered contraband, like the letters from her parents or the blue pen Cookie gave her? I think so.)
 
When writing, Casey spends a great deal of her time focusing on the discomforts of jail, what she plans to do when she gets out. She talks about her past (as it pertains to how it effected her) and her aspirations for the future. Most of Robyn's focus seemed to be her legal situation, the affect on her kids and family and her own discomforts with being incarcerated, but she did play along a bit when they made plans for their future. Casey is very supportive of "Everything Cookie" in all of her letters.( She seemed to take immediately to the role of supportive little sister.) Did I mention they talk about God a lot and how good he thinks they are?

It seems both Cookie and Muffin enjoyed passing time fantasizing themselves on a 'Thelma and Louise' type RV trip, that, or an RV Ministry they'll call the 'Sisterhood of the Traveling RV'. They even have some bumper sticker ideas for their RV, ' Legal Partners in Crime' and ' Crazy Convicted Girls gone Wild' . Casey writes Robyn that RV pricing will be fun. The RV will be custom designed, all colorful and creative, adding she wonders what will happen when they put two Photographers / artists together in one RV? *sneeze* Oh, and did I mention they talk about God a lot and how good he thinks they are?
( I think I'll add a dose of reality here....what you get when 2 ex - cons go pricing an RV upon release from the slammer, will probably  look more like this  one below than what Casey has cooked up in her head.)

When Casey talked about their plans for the RV ministry, coming to a city near you she wrote, " We'll bank on the book, travel lots, set-up shop in a fine city in ye ole' US of A, maybe settle a sports bar and definitely a crafty, artsy fartsy place. Sold! Talk about stickers and crafts, I've been making stuff 4 EVER! " ( I hate to say this but it popped in my head....We are quite familiar with your artsy fartsy "sticker" work Casey.....does that explain the heart sticker on the duct tape? grrrrr) Will that be a Sports Bar for the Lord? Oh yeah, I almost forgot, the book that will bank the trip is a "cook book they'll write via different dishes savored while driving the nation". *sneeze* Did I mention they both talk about God a lot and how good he thinks they are? Moving along......


Things Casey says she wants when she is released are," I can't wait to get my teeth whitened and to use my regular toothbrush,toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner....I swear, I won't become obsessively girly! I still have no desire to wear heels unless the occasion calls for it. But Converse, boots and REAL flip flops....ah~ and hats, regular ball caps, sunglasses, and underwear that fits." Then she adds, " Is that vain? Should I not look forward to these things? No matter how little or how much money I have someday, all I want is to live comfortably, not worrying about bills, food or even a few clothes. Everything in moderation and modesty. I want to donate money to charities- leukemia research, breast cancer, cervical cancer (the former for yourself-in your honor) and the latter because of my family and my own physical health." *Sneeze*

This seems like a good spot to segue into Casey's health fears (bordering on hypochondria IMO). Casey writes, " I've been thinking about getting tested for breast cancer and having them check the cell count on the pre-cervical cancer ( crossed fingers that it's still inactive ) but I have a feeling that will constitute a trip to the hospital. No thanks. Not right now. It sucks not having any health insurance- mine expired at the end of the year." Hmmm....would that be insurance from her job at Universal? Right!

In several areas of the letters Casey talks about having seizures in her sleep. She says it started the first time she was bonded out of jail but has continued since she came back in. In her words to Robyn, " I bit my tongue two nights in a row in my sleep....and unfortunately that means something very unpleasant happened, again: seizures. That's the best and easiest way for me to know. Add waking up soaking wet from sweat and somewhat disoriented- definitely a seizure. I don't walk or talk in my sleep, and even if I did, more than likely I wouldn't almost bite my tongue off. I guess all of my headaches make sense too-they aren't all associated with my allergies. I need to tell Jose and see what I need to do about this. I don't care how stressed out someone gets , headaches and seizures don't sound very normal to me." I wonder what advice Dr. Baez gave her on that?

Casey also comments through-out her letters about skin rashes, but  she seems to pretty much accept they aren't serious. I can reassure her on that, it looked like good ole acne to me when they showed her back in the tattoo picture. There is one more symptom Casey mentions through-out her letters.....an intermittent sneeze. Don't worry though, these aren't health related sneezes, they are signals from God affirming or denying thoughts or words. (Yep, confirm that with another *sneeze*) It seems obvious Casey is very immature and narcissistic, but like it or not, I think this girl is troubled beyond that.
As I mentioned above, Casey also shared some of her past  and aspirations for her future with Robyn. I'll start with the past because that is where the "meat" is. Keep in mind, Casey is a pathological liar when reading about her past. (There is even some things in her past that she admits she isn't certain happened.)

Anthony stated in the letters that she's an emotional wreck and said she was sexually abused."I woke up night after night with my sports bra lifted over my chest or if I had a regular bra, it would be unhooked," Anthony wrote. Anthony claimed her brother would walk into her room at night and feel her breasts."This went on for over three years before I finally stood up to Lee and told him if he ever came in my room again, I'd kill him," Anthony wrote.

Anthony said she informed her mother about the incidents, but that Cindy Anthony turned on her."When I told my mom about it two years ago, she made excuses, saying that he was sleepwalking. Not only did she say I was lying, but when I explained everything, her reaction was literally like a knife in my chest: 'So that's why you're a whore?"  Casey claimed she sought help from a doctor on her own when she was 18. Anthony said she has since forgiven her brother."That's why we're more friends than brother and sister, but even with openly forgiving him, part of that pain will always live in me."Anthony wrote.

Anthony also claimed she thought her father, George Anthony, did the same things to her when she was much younger. She wrote," Over the past few months, I've been having really vivid dreams, and it's obvious that they are dreams of things that have already happened. I think my dad used to do the same thing to me. I can see him in my room, exactly the way it was when I was in elementary school and everything gets fuzzy. But I wake up feeling both sore and sick to my stomach, the way I used to feel growing up. Maybe that's part of the reason I have so much anxiety with my parents."

Brad Conway, the attorney for the Anthony family, said, "The Anthony family denies that there was any improper sexual behavior in their family, nor was there ever a time when Casey told them of inappropriate conduct by her brother or father."

Another area of the past Anthony shared was getting pregnant with "Cays". (You can try and read for yourself in the sample letter above page # 13649 "You and me, Two Peas in a pod.") She seems to confirm Caylee's father is a guy she slept with at the end of November 2004, named Erik from Kentucky although she doesn't 100% rule out Jessie, they slept together in January 2005.. (She expressed some doubt to the accuracy of the paternity test Jesse had done because it took a long time to get the results. She said Jose Baez tried to confirm the results, but Jessie refused to give him DNA.) 
~ A great blogger named Snoopysleuth left a comment below to let us know that Eric James Baker moved to Kentucky and got killed in a motor vehicle accident there in the spring of 2007. I moved it up here for those who may skip the comments. Thanks for the details Snoopy!~

 Anthony also wrote about the search for her daughter, Caylee Anthony. She wrote," You want to know something, I know that Caylee's nanny, the "real" Zenaida, the girl that'd been my friend for 4 years, I know in my heart that she's not responsible but I don't blame her for not showing her face. Would you want to be sitting here with me for something you didn't do?" Casey then added," Considering the circumstances, you technically are and it sucks....And I know this goes without saying,, but outside of my self and my legal team, not a soul knows this..........Casey said she asked Zenaida Gonzalez to watch Caylee so she could prepare to move away with her daughter."Unfortunately, my plans got beyond tangled when Zany wouldn't tell me where she and Caylee were. I had asked her to take Cays for a few days, so I could put the rest of our stuff together, money I had saved, new clothes, new everything," Anthony wrote. "That's why I waited to report her missing, because she was and wasn't. I would give anything to go back to that day and to have not let Caylee out of my sight"
(Is it just me or does her last sentence seem out of place with the circumstances she describes???)


Hmmm......Anthony reported on her first application for indigency on July 16, 2008,  that she had $1200 in savings. I never have heard if that was verified, but if so, where did she earn or steal that? (I mentioned in an earlier entry, Casey also wrote in $1400 bi- weekly for earnings and then thought other-wise and crossed it out $1400 bi-weekly earnings. I thought that was kind of funny, you lie long enough you start to believe the lie?) Why did she need to steal from Amy if she had money in savings? We saw Casey buy clothes at Target with Amy's checkbook, but she definitely didn't buy anything for Caylee.


Casey's letters also told Robyn she suffered a miscarriage in 2007, something she said," only a handful of friends knew about." For some reason she felt the need to add,"I made the mistake of telling Lee, and the week of my 21st birthday, he told my Mom. Lovely! I may have a big mouth, but I can keep a secret" Obviously, most people aren't that loyal. Oh well. We live and learn, stumble and fall, and we dust ourselves off and keep moving forward." Casey acknowledges in her normal way (as in how Robyn's struggles effects her) that Robyn must have shared some of her own struggles in a previous note, she wrote, " It's a comfort to know other people have BS too."

I don't know about you but, to be honest all these Casey fables are kind of wearing on me so I'll share one more and then move on. I thought this one was a perfect analogy of how Casey thinks.....this is what she wrote, " Baby talk.....I always wanted to adopt a baby or child from another country - is it selfish to want one from Ireland? Accent and all? If I do someday, I'll adopt local - US wise."

UMMMM, Yeah right....that's going to happen.
  
(2) FRIENDSHIP WITH A SILVER LINING or A GET OUT OF JAIL EARLY CARD? 

 "It is obvious in the letters authored by Robyn Adams that her sole purpose and only goal in corresponding with Casey Anthony was to create 'leverage to get out of prison early."

I think it's important to point out  that while Adam's letters to her friend, Tracy,  do question the possibility of benefiting from keeping the letters, the fact remains, she is not the one who approached law enforcement (LE) and the transcript of her interviews show that she reluctantly agreed to turn the letters over and take part in the investigation..

Robyn entered into a plea deal (10 years in a Federal prison  for drug conspiracy charges and weapons charges) at the end of September 2008, but wasn't formally sentenced until January 2009 and then stayed at OCJ for another six months or so. Maya accepted a plea deal (30 years in state prison for murder). Katfish...ponders hasn't found evidence that Derkovic or Adams benefited in any way by coming forward, if they have and they testify you can be sure it will come out in court. There have also been media reports that Adams tried to sell the letters before she was approached by LE, I don't know if that's true, but even if it was, the letters are now public record so no one will have need to pay for them.

                   (3) MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY DO YOU LOVE ME?

 " The letters clearly demonstrate Casey's unconditional love for her daughter, Caylee."

 I've went over these letters and even though she does talk about Caylee, somewhat, I can't seem to find where these letters clearly demonstrate Casey's unconditional love for her daughter, Caylee. Anthony said she loved her daughter and believed she was a good mother in search of some freedom."I don't know one single mom who doesn't try to get their freedom regardless of how old they are. That's one of the biggest things that truly cuts me when I hear them talk about me as a mother. I was a great mom. And I love my daughter with everything that I have. I would give my life to have her back even for five minutes," Anthony wrote.

 Anthony wrote that she continues to talk to Caylee every day. (in her letters, she refers to Caylee as Cays)
"When I tell Cays how much I love her, I've always ended it with 'forever and always.' I still do to this day. I talk to her throughout the day, as I do daddy , and it brings a sense of peace to my heart," Anthony wrote. "Thinking about it brings tears to my eyes and a smile to my face. I'm an emotional wreck." Have I mentioned lately Casey and Robyn both talk about God aka "daddy" a lot and how good he thinks they are?

I would normally not be skeptical about the comfort anyone receives from God, but I just have to say.... All of the religious banter, citing of scriptures, and talk of their love for God just comes off as disingenuous to me. Before jail, Robyn grew pot and sold it on a large scale, she stole prescriptions from her employer and she and her husband were both sentenced as addicts. Casey was a liar, a thief and a big ole party girl before Caylee went missing. Where was the concern for their children and their God when they were free to live as they chose? I could be wrong but it seems more like a convenience more than a belief.
                                  
(4)  SOMETIMES YOU WONDER, WHO CAN YOU  TRUST?

"Furthermore, despite numerous inaccurate media reports, the letters written by Casey Anthony do not contain a single reference to chloroform or any admissions of guilt. Casey Anthony maintains her innocence and looks forward to her day in court."

 I agree with the defense on this statement. It was wrongly reported that these letters contains references to using chloroform to sedate Caylee. Even though we don't know the cause of  Caylee's death or exactly how the state alleges Caylee died, we have heard about traces of chloroform found in the trunk of Casey's car and computer searches for chloroform. Inaccurate reports that said Casey wrote she had used chloroform to sedate Caylee could be interpreted as an admission of guilt. The OCSO Supplemental Report does include statements from Derkovic and Adam's alleging Casey made these statements and others that "could be deemed incriminating" to them. I say "could be deemed incriminating" because there is a HUGE difference between statements in Casey's own hand writing and those alleged to have been made verbally to a  fellow inmate. Just saying. There is plenty of evidence out there without inaccurate reports.

Although Maya Derkovic and Casey had talked a bit through the ventilation system, Maya was only in the Lima dorm for a short time before transferring to a state prison. For this reason, I'm not going to spend time going  into claims that Derkovic made about things that Casey Anthony told her. I have seen nothing that shows they talked beyond the "vent". I just don't think Casey would make any significant admissions into a vent that anyone could hear, especially to someone she didn't feel she knew well.

Robyn and Casey's rooms (cells) were never close enough to have vent talk, but it didn't take them long to work out ways to communicate by letter and signal to each other at their windows and eventually convince Sylvia Hernandez to break jail rules and allow them to talk through the 'bean hole' in Casey's door regularly and a occasionally Robyn was allowed to enter Casey's cell. Anthony and Adams were the only stationary (being held in protective custody long term) inmates in dorm L. The harassment both Anthony and Adams received from the other prisoners seems to be a catalyst to their friendship as well as their mutual disgust with the vent talkers. (It seems vent talk is  mostly "sex talk", " fighting" and "howling at the moon").

According to the investigator's report included in the OCSO Supplemental report, Adams and Anthony had conversations in reference to the discovery of Caylee Anthony's body. Adams recalled seeing a story on the news in which it was being reported that divers had located a "bag of bones" in the river at Blanchard Park. That night, Adams went to Anthony to talk to her about it. Anthony told Adams that it was not her daughter. Adams recalled Anthony giggling about the story as if Anthony knew it wasn't her daughter.

When Anthony was told that authorities had found human remains in the woods by her mother's house, she became nervous and scared. This was the first time Adams saw fear in Anthony. Anthony told Adams they found "remains" and were taking it to have "DNA done". Anthony also told Adams that the remains were found in a black garbage bag with a baby blanket. This conversation took place shortly after Anthony was notified of the discovery by the prison Chaplain. Due to Anthony's differing reaction when hearing of the Blanchard Park discovery and the discovery of the bag by Anthony's mother's house, Adams felt as if the discovery in the woods was in fact Caylee and that Casey knew that as well. According to Adams, Anthony did not show any remorse.

 Investigators said in their report, Adams told them that Anthony would give Caylee "stuff" to make her sleep.Anthony and Adams discussed chloroform, and Anthony told Adams she would give the toddler "antihistamines or something" to make her sleep. Caylee would have a hard time taking naps, because she was afraid of "missing out on something". Adams said that Casey used the phrase "knock her out" in reference to medicating Caylee to help her sleep. "Casey Anthony liked to have her days free."

 Like I said above, it remains to be seen whether the state or the defense choose to use any of the information from the letters or the "alleged" statements by Casey Anthony to Robyn Adams and Maya Derkovic. I heard today that the prosecution has sent the letters to the FBI to be analyzed along with a letter Casey had written to the Orange County Sheriff shortly after she was indicted. The jury will decide what weight they will place on this evidence as they determine the guilt or innocence of Casey Anthony for the murder of Caylee Anthony.
*sneeze* (that's mine)

For your convenience, a partial  index for:
 "Casey's Jailhouse Letters"
Casey's letters- pages 1-11,15-16.19-24,29-31,35-46, 47-54, 59-61,63-67, 69,
                                     96-98,103-106,111-113,118-119, 132, 140-145,148-150,
                                          153-160, 163, 167-170, 174-175, 178-180, 182-186, 188-198

Robyn's letters to Tracy - pages 18, 25, 56-57, 92-95,114-115,165-166, 205-206, 211

 The pages through 211 that are not listed are envelopes and cutout, jokes, cards beyond that it's duplications as far as I can see.

 OSCO Supplemental Report
    The pages in the report that deal with the investigation of the letters and 

interviews with Derkovic and Adams  are pages 1-8 and 160-268, respectively. There are also interviews with Linda Tinnelli, Krystal Holloway,
Cecilia Benhaida and Rozzi Franco in this report

wesh

Sphere: Related Content

Will There Be Justice For Emma Barker? UPDATED 4/30

UPDATE below Original Story-
                                                                                   

Emma Leigh Barker
September 2, 2007-March 18, 2009

 Emma Barker was just 18 months old when her mother, Stacey Barker, 25, led police to her little body on March 19, 2009 . Emma’s mother had dumped her body along side the Golden State Freeway in Sylmar, CA. 12 hours earlier.

When Emma was first reported missing Stacey Barker claimed she had been attacked and knocked unconscious, when she came to Emma was gone, evidently taken by her attacker(s). Later Barker admitted she had made up the story of the attack and kidnapping, she said Emma had died accidentally and she feared being blamed so she dumped her daughter’s body.

On April 27,2009, Barker was arrested and the charges filed against the young mother include murder, assault on a child causing death and child abuse. The complaint alleges that Barker willfully caused and permitted the child to be injured and harmed and that injury resulted in death. Barker pled not guilty to all counts on August 12, 2009. She has been held at the Century Regional Detention Facility on a one million dollar bond since her arrest.

For more details on this case click here.

There was supposed to be a hearing on Monday, April 12 in the Stacey Barker Murder Case. We had hoped to learn at this hearing if there would be a plea deal or if this case would be going to trial. There was not an actual hearing according to our friends Tori, Ange and TD who attended the “hearing“ and shared what happened in court with katfish….ponders, so that I could share with you. (Thank you friends!)

Public Defender Roberto F. Dager told the court that at 10 am, Stacey Barker was still en-route to the Michael Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse in Lancaster, CA. from the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood. It's a 90 mile drive from the jail to the courthouse, one way. Dager told the court that when Barker arrived he wanted to see her for 5 minutes so she could sign some papers. Superior Court Judge Hayden Zackey set the next court date for Thursday, April 29, 2010.

PD Dager was overheard telling a few of Stacey Barker’s family, who had also came to the courthouse for the hearing, there was no use for them to stay because Stacey wouldn’t be seeing the judge today and after signing papers she would be on the bus right back to LA.

Our friends think it is pretty likely that Stacey Barker is accepting a plea deal and noted that Deputy District Attorney S. Kelly Cromer wasn’t present in the courtroom when this "hearing" took place. Had she and the Public Defender already discussed what needed to be discussed before the “hearing“? Hopefully we will find out more on April 29.…stay tuned.

Update- 4/30/2010
There was another short hearing held  4/29 in Lancaster, Ca in the Stacey Barker murder case.Just a few short notes from our friends who attend the hearings and share with us:

The defendant's bus was late again coming from the Central Regional Detention Center. While waiting for the defendant to appear, DDA Kelly Cromer and PD Roberto Dager had a "little side conference" in the jury box. Our friend said Dager said "something" to Cromer, to which Cromer was heard to laugh and say," The only deal I'll go for is 15 to Life." With that the discussion was over until the Barker was brought up to the courtroom. (keep in mind this was just part of a conversation that was over heard, so should be evaluated on that basis, not as fact pertaining to this case, just something you might have heard as well if sitting in the courtroom)

Something that was put on the record is Judge Hayden Zackey's desire to get a court date set in this case. PD Dager told the court he needs more time to interview more witnesses and there was still a question of some discovery. Judge  Zackey said," I would like to start TRIAL within the 60 days, this is getting OLD." Zackey added, "I understand the nature and gravity of the crime, but I would like to proceed with trial soon." (Tori's thinks the "this is getting old " statement was in reference to the defendant being brought to court, 90 miles one way, and nothing being accomplished.Given the financial crisis in CA that seems a reasonable assumption.) Another hearing date was set for June 7 and court was recessed.

Our friends noted that Stacey Barker was in GREAT spirits today. When she entered the courtroom she said hi to her boyfriend in a flirtatious manner, during the hearing she was bouncy and laughing with her attorney, and when she was led out of the courtroom by the bailiff (despite an admonition earlier in the case not to have make any contact with the gallery) she turned in a "coy" way and said "BYE" to her family...kind of like she was somewhere other than a court of law.....bidding farewell to her fans. ( LOL, whatever)

Check back, our friends will attend and give us an update of what happens in court on June 7. Hopefully there will be a trial date set so there can be some Justice for Emma.

In this writer's opinion, getting to the  Truth = Justice. Sphere: Related Content

Stacey Barker Heads Back To Court

This entry is an update on the Stacey Marie Barker murder case out of Lancaster, CA.. Stacey Barker is a 24 year old woman from Lancaster accused of suffocating her 18 month old daughter, Emma Leigh Barker, to death on March 18, 2009.

Stacey Barker initially told police Emma was abducted from her car in the parking lot of a Lancaster, CA park as they prepared to leave. She claimed she was knocked out by the kidnapper and woke up six hours later, several miles away at the Palmdale Park-n-Ride. Detectives said Barker had injuries consistent with a struggle, including bruises on her head and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Authorities say Barker later admitted making up the abduction story and inflicting the wounds on herself. She said the little girl died accidentally, but the fear of being blamed caused her to panic and leave the girl's body near the freeway. Barker led police to Emma’s body 12 hours later, dumped in a grassy lot near the Golden State Freeway in Sylmar, CA.

On April 27 Barker was arrested and the charges filed against the young mother include murder, assault on a child causing death and child abuse. The complaint alleges that Barker willfully caused and permitted the child to be injured and harmed and that injury resulted in death.

After a two-day preliminary hearing, Judge Carlos A. Chung ruled on July 27 that he found probable cause to hold Stacey Barker over for trial in the murder of Emma. On August 10, Barker formally pled Not Guilty to all counts. She is being housed in the Century Regional Detention Facility in the city of Lynwood on $1 million bail.

For complete details from earlier coverage and links to media coverage click here.

A pre-trial hearing was held on September 9 at the Antelope Valley Courthouse with Judge Hayden Zackey presiding. Deputy District Attorney (DDA) S. Kelly Cromer represented the people and Stacey Barker was represented by Public Defender (PD), Roberto F. Dager. The details in this report on the hearing will come from postings by Tori and friends, Anurse and TheGoodTwin (TGT). They were kind enough to attend the hearing and share some details with us. While there wasn’t a lot accomplished in SB’s hearing it was a remarkable day in court for the girls.

This courtroom has 3 sections, in the middle there are 5 rows of about 10 seats behind the Attorneys and Defendants table and then 4 rows of 5 seats in each row on the sides. The bailiff will not let ANYONE sit in the front row of the middle section, those seats have to remain empty at all times. For some reason this is the rule in all the courtrooms at this courthouse, most likely because from the middle front row you are in touching distance of the attorneys and defendants.

Today the only people in court “for” Stacey Barker aka ”Smother Mother” seem to be her grandparents and boyfriend Brendan (BB). They are seated in the middle section in the second row, we were on the right side of the courtroom behind them, there is just a 2 foot aisle between the rows of seats so all they had to do was look to the right and they could see us. For some reason the grandparents seemed to look at us a lot, you could even say they were staring. We don’t know if they know who we are but it doesn’t matter, it was not us who did something wrong. Brendan kept fidgeting in his seat and playing with his hands, like he was checking to see if they were smelly. Which reminds me….

The judge had several cases ahead of SB, one of the people was a guy who sat right in front of us. He smelled so bad , we were about to lose it….nurse kept putting scented lotion on her hands and fanning to cover the smell. Maybe Brendan thought it was him that smelled when in fact it was this guy (nicknamed pig pen)...or his fingers smelled better than the aroma pig pen was putting off and he was trying to rid his nose of the odor…who knows… at any rate, if you should ever find yourself in this predicament, Tori learned from Sara on CSI that if you smile, it suppresses the gag reflex.

When SB was brought into the courtroom she had her hair pulled back in the front and the yellow jailhouse garb. She had makeup on and didn’t look as though she was in any type of distress today . SB barely acknowledged her grandparents. She gave a half smirk/smile to her boyfriend and flung that I don’t give a flying rats @ss attitude at TGT when she saw her. (They do know each other)

When it was SB’s turn the PD asked the judge to speak with him ex parte, He said something about some appointments. ( ex parte refers to motions, hearings or orders granted on the request of and for the benefit of one party only.) The courtroom was then cleared, the PD said it was ok for SB’s family to stay, but they left the courtroom too.

As we were leaving the courtroom there was a woman that sounded mad at the bailiff as she loudly complained, ”They said this was open to the public and now they kick us out.”

The girls nicknamed this lady “Braids“ or “Mystery Lady 2“. (If you have followed Tori’s prior courtroom reports, there is a Mystery Lady1 who didn’t attend today) Tori said Braids looked to be in her late 70‘s or early 80‘s. Of course her hair was gray, and she had about 50 small braids pinned up (like pinwheels) around her head, but it was very messy and looks like she doesn‘t take them down very often. Not surprising she was dressed like an old lady with a mid knee skirt, long socks, an “old lady“ shirt with a sweater. Tori wrote down the conversation she had with Braids in the hallway outside of the courtroom, so here that is…..

Because she was taking notes, I flat out asked her who she was reporting for? She told me that she had ulterior motives for sitting in on the trials. Then she asked was that Stacey Barker sitting there? She did not know SB and asked who was her family? She said something about her neighborhood.... and her son's middle name was Hayden, same as the Judges name...she was talking gibberish so I have no idea why she is there....even after talking with her! I know you are all scratching your heads reading this part….well, that is how we all felt after speaking with her...I wrote it just the way she said it. She was so loud in the courtroom but in the hall I struggled to hear her … maybe I wasn't paying attention because I was looking at her braids the whole time....LOL

(The girls commented about another defendant that they nicknamed Devil Dude. The following is what one of the girls wrote about this guy. I included the information about him, Pig Pen, and Braids so you would get a feel for the vibe at the courthouse, it is definitely not a pleasant place)

Devil dude was a very creepy guy covered in tattoos ( I love tattoos) but they were all over his bald head, on his face all over his hands and arms, he had a very evil look to him, his eyes were seriously creepy...He was brought in to the courtroom after we were all asked to clear the room...He was all shackled up, he had the handcuffs, the chain around his waist, and the bracelets around his ankles...There were I think like 3 or 4 guards in the room....I don’t know what he did, but as we were allowed back in the courtroom, he looked at everyone in the eyes, like he was getting a image of us in his head...He was just creepy, we all had shivers when he looked at us...

When we went back on the record in the courtroom Judge Zackey told the PD, Roberto Dager, that he needed to make all the reports available to the DDA, Kelly Cromer, before the next court date which is October 6.

The Judge then asked SB if the October date was ok with her and her reply blew me away…she said, “yeah, I’m not going anywhere”. Her tone sounded very sarcastic. She may have just been trying to be funny, but if so it didn’t work because the Judge told her, “I know that, but I have to ask you anyway because it has to do with the time and your right to a speedy trial.” He sounded sarcastic too. My impression of him is he is a cool judge. He has a certain manner, like it takes a lot to make him mad, not a jerk like some judges.. He is someone who I think would be a nice guy outside of court too.

So the date was set for her to come back and set a trial date for sometime within 60 days of the October 6 hearing. Court was recessed.

Sphere: Related Content

Stacey Barker Preliminary Hearing- Conclusion- Guest Entry By Tori

UPDATE:
August 10 there was another hearing at the Antelope Valley Courthouse for this case. Thanks to ANurse for taking the time to attend and report to us about the hearing. Because the hearing only lasted 10 minutes we will just present the coverage as an update here.

The judge and the attorneys were the same as at the preliminary hearing. There were 3 members of the accredited press at this hearing. When Stacey Barker was brought in she was very pale and appeared thinner than at her last appearance. She was wearing the yellow jailhouse attire and had put her hair up in a loose bun. She didn't make eye contact with anyone in the gallery.

During the hearing Stacey Barker again entered a Not-Guilty plea to the Murder charge and the counts of child abuse and assault on a child causing death.

The defense asked the court for more to time to file a response which the judge granted. (The state appears to have filed a motion either at or after the preliminary). The next hearing date is September 9.


Original entry:


On July 21 the Preliminary hearing was held At the Antelope Valley Courthouse with Judge Carlos A. Chung presiding. Here is a link to the coverage of the first day of this preliminary hearing.This report is from the continuation of that hearing held today, July 27. Deputy District Attorney(DDA) S. Kelly Cromer represented the people and the defendant is represented by Deputy Public Defender(PD), Roberto F. Dager.

Thanks Tori for devoting your time to attend this hearing and sharing your report with us, you have done a great job!

The Prelim was short, started at 9:30, Stacey Barker again came in looking gaunt,messy also emotionless.

The first person on the stand was Detective Nava, as usual a great witness. She was so good, she made me get choked up, that has been easy to do listening to this case.

The PD started out questioning Nava about how long SB was interviewed, she estimated about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. He then said didn't she stick to the same story the whole time, that it was a accident and not her fault.

Nava said the story changed a few times but yes she maintained that it was a accident. I would never hurt my daughter on purpose.

PD: Is it true that you thought she was lying?

Nava: Yes we knew she was lying.

PD: Did you throw out different scenario's of what might have happened?

Nava: Yes, I asked her if she might have drowned, shaken the baby, if she might have hit her too hard or something like that.

PD: And what was her answer?
Nava: Her answer was NO.

PD: Did you keep asking her to tell you what happened, the truth, that you were not buying her story of the events?

Nava: Yes.

PD: What did she say, did she stick to her original story?

Nava: No, she kept changing it.

PD: Didn't you tell her YOU wanted her to say she smothered EMMA?

Nava: NO, she said she didn't know what I wanted her to say and I told her I wanted the truth on how the baby died, because we already knew the truth. One story was she had the baggie in her mouth and when SB turned and looked Emma's head was to the side and she was dead, so she threw the blanket over her face and continued to drive. I wanted to know the truth. Having kids of my own I would have pulled to the side of the road and called for help... did something, so I knew this was a lie.

I said the coroner would know if Emma died from a baggie, if it was stuffed in her throat far enough to cause death, that the baggie would have left scratches in her throat and the coroner would know if she died from the baggie. That is when she changed the story to Emma had the baggie in her mouth and she was playing the game of peek a boo throwing the blanket in her face over the seat and it got caught on the seat and she smothered. After more questioning on that, she told the truth of holding her hand over Emma's mouth and nose with the blanket on her face during the peek a boo game.

PD: Isn't it true you told her the only way you were going to let her go home is to say she suffocated Emma?

Nava: No, we were not going to arrest her at that time anyway.

PD: Is that because you did not have enough evidence to hold her?
Nava: Started to say no but the DDA objected and Nava did not finish the answer.

PD: Did you tell SB that they found blanket fibers in Emma's lungs?
Nava: NO

PD: Isn't that standard practice to force someone into a confession?
Nava: NO

PD: Did you interview the whole family and they told you she was a good mother, that she ran for Emma every time she fell, that she rushed her to the Dr. when she had a reaction to peanuts?

Nava: Yes, everyone in her family said she was a good mother.

At this time the PD asked SB'S mom to step out of the room as he might want to call her as a witness to how SB treated Emma.

PD: Did you review the cell phone calls?

Nava: Yes, they pinged the path one would take to Long Beach, the last ping was...I believe Lawndale. So we know she never made it to Long Beach, she turned around and started back. That is when she put Emma out into the bushes, went to the park and ride where she hit herself in the ribs and banged her head on the steering wheel twice, took off her clothes and made up the RAPE and Abduction story. She kept telling us she didn't want people to blame her and she was a good mother, it was a accident. She was in a panic that is why she left Emma.

That never happened (Barker testifying) because Judge Chang said he did not want her to testify that it was only the Preliminary hearing.

The PD asked for a dismissal of all charges, the Judge denied it.
Judge Chang also denied a bail reduction, or a release, at that time he ruled that Stacey Barker will be held over and tried for charges of Murder, and one count each of Assault on a Child Causing Death and Child Abuse .

All in all, everything stated above is what I remember, some wording or order it was said in might be off a bit, sorry. If anyone else from the boards was there and remember more then I did please add to it for me...thanks.

Not sure what the next date is for but it will be on 8/10/09.

There was another member of one of the boards there and put me on blast, she said my name so loud everyone in the Barker family looked at me, so they know who I am now, not that I care. I was not hiding or anything, it is a open hearing and public record. I just was embarrassed, the Barkers thinking OH that is the nosey bitch that has been doing all the typing...talking. LOL but it's all good.

I arrived at the court at 8am. I asked my daughter what room another person I know was in that is on trial. Anthony, Emma's father said,"Yes, it is in this room." I said, "Oh then Doroam is in here for sure this time?" He said, "Oh sorry, I thought I saw you in here last week and were asking about Stacey Barker (SB)." I told him I was in here, and in the other trial on breaks, but this one was more interesting.

I said I felt bad for him and how tore up he was last week. He told me he was Emma's father and that the guy with him was his brother Patrick. I told him how sorry I was for him and Emma and that he made me cry last week. He said," I am trying to be strong but sometimes it is just toooo much for me that is why I kept walking out".

I told him she was so beautiful and had the prettiest smile, the pictures were so cute. He said he bought her the pink tu tu in the pictures and I think he said he had the picture taken. He started to cry and walked to the water fountain. He also told me what Jason said about her playing games and using Emma against him and forbidding him and his family from seeing her, that in fact he did feel guilty for not trying harder to see Emma, that he loved her with all his heart.

His brother Patrick said that none of his brothers or sisters saw the baby until her 1st Birthday when they came down with Anthony, he said they have not seen her more then twice in her life.

Anthony shared a memory with me and we both almost started to cry and we hugged each other. I felt so bad for him, he does not seem like a bad guy. He looks like a clean cut guy, not tatted down, not dirty, did not look like a druggie, just a down to earth guy .

He had no problem with me being there or mad that I had nothing to do with this but was there being nosey and he was still comfortable enough to talk to me about Emma. He said he stays away from the blogs because he could not take it, he was a mess and to go on the blogs would make it just that much harder for him. He also did not like SB'S lack of emotion that hurt him and made him mad.

The Barkers do not seem to have a problem with Amthony as Mr.Barker asked him and his brother to come sit with the family. So why did they allow SB to hold Emma away from him?

I just want to close with KUDO'S to Detective Nava she is Awesome. this must be hard on her too, from the time she took the stand her voice was cracking like she could break down and cry at any moment. She is amazing, she tore into the PD like a lion when he said she was feeding SB the story and making her tell a lie as to what happened. She must have scared him because he shut the hell up on that bs defense...LOL you go girl!

If I remember more I will let ya know, and sorry to say I cannot attend the 8/10 because of Vacation plans..........Dammit. I know that my friend...you know who you are, will do a fine job of being our ears....;-) ttyl.....tori

Sphere: Related Content

Stacey Barker Pleads Not Guilty to Charge of Murdering Her Daughter Emma And Not Guilty To Allegations Of Special Circumstances

Click here to light a candle for EMMA!

Stacey Barker in court
Stacey Barker pleaded Not Guilty today to murder in the death of her 18-month-old daughter, Emma, whom she initially claimed was taken from her in a violent kidnapping. Along with murder, Stacey Marie Barker is accused of one count each of assault on a child causing death and child abuse. Through her lawyer Barker also pled Not Guilty to the allegations of Special Circumstances.


Deputies allege the 24-year-old woman initially lied to investigators about the circumstances of her toddler's death. She told sheriff's deputies that someone knocked her out as she was putting her daughter into a car seat in Lancaster on the evening of March 19, and that she awoke hours later at a park-and-ride lot in Palmdale.


Barker allegedly inflicted wounds to her head, partially undressed and faked semi-consciousness in an attempt to mislead deputies.Under questioning, she later told deputies that her daughter, Emma Leigh, died in an unspecified accident and said she panicked and dumped the body, according to the sheriff's department.

Investigators recovered the toddler's body in a yard in the 13000 block of El Dorado Avenue in Sylmar, CA. Coroner's officials have not yet issued a final report on how the girl died but sheriff's detectives suspect she was suffocated, a Sheriff's Department spokesman said Monday. "Detectives believe that based on interviews and the condition of the victim that she likely suffocated," Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said.


The maximum penalty Barker faces is 25 years to life in prison, Deputy District Attorney Kelly Cromer said. Sheriff's officials never disclosed what sort of accident Barker said killed her daughter. She is due back at the Antelope Valley Courthouse in Lancaster, CA on June 15, when a date is scheduled to be set for a preliminary hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to require her to stand trial.

Barker is being housed in the Century Regional Detention Facility in the city of Lynwood on
$1 million bail.

source

Sphere: Related Content

Stacey Barker First Claimed Daughter Kidnapped, Then Led Police to Body Claiming an Accident , Now Charged With Murder-UPDATE 2!

Stacey Barker mugshot
UPDATE 2:
This is the latest being reported:

"At this point, as best as we can determine, the infant died through suffocation at the hands of the mother," Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Pat Nelson said. "After her third or fourth version of events, we knew she wasn't telling the truth."

Detectives arrested Barker last Thursday because of "indications she might flee or disappear," Nelson said.

Please remember to light a candle for Emma. Link below

UPDATE:
The arraignment for Stacey Barker was postponed. Barker will be arraigned on May 11 at the Lancaster courthouse.
The charges filed against the young mother include murder, assault on a child causing death and child abuse.
The complaint alleges that Barker willfully caused and permitted the child to be injured and harmed and that injury resulted in death.

Click here to light a candle for EMMA!







Katfishponders first reported here about this sweet little girl named Emma Leigh Barker about a month ago when she went missing. This video is from that time.


Emma's mother, Stacey Barker,24, was arrested today, Thursday, April 23 on suspicion of her daughter's murder.


Barker initially told deputies her daughter, 18-month-old Emma, was abducted from her car in the parking lot of a Lancaster, CA park on March 18th. She claimed she was knocked out by the kidnapper and woke up six hours later, several miles away at the Palmdale Park-n-Ride.
Detectives said Barker had injuries consistent with a struggle, including bruises on her head and was taken to the hospital for treatment.


Barker later admitted making up the abduction story. She said the little girl died accidentally, causing her to panic and leave the girl's body near the freeway.


The child's body was found 12 hours later, dumped in a grassy lot near the Golden State Freeway in Sylmar, CA. Authorities said it appeared the girl's 25-pound body had been dumped sometime over the last 24 hours and showed no visible signs of trauma.


The results of an autopsy on child have not been disclosed, although the coroner could not determine the cause of death from the initial autopsy.


Barker was arrested at a home in Lancaster where she and Emma lived with her parents and brother. She is being held on $1 Million bail and is expected to be arraigned Monday, April 27.


resource:
KTLA
KABC
postchronicle
PE.com Sphere: Related Content

2 Kidnappings, 2 States, 2 Very Different Outcomes Part 1

It's no wonder it's so frustrating when children go missing to try and figure out what has really happened....things are often not what they seem. The 2 cases reported in part 1 and part 2 (located right below this entry) illustrate the conundrum faced by those assigned the task of solving these cases.

EMMA LEIGH BARKER


Eighteen month old Emma Leigh Barker was first reported missing by a man who called police around 11 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19. He said his sister, Stacey Barker, woke up partially clothed at the Park-n-Ride in Palmdale, California and discovered her toddler was missing, sheriff's officials said. He also said the 23-year-old mother had been injured.



When deputies arrived at the scene, Barker told them that she and her daughter had been at Lancaster City Park when she was attacked and blacked out, said Lt. Vince Carter of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Palmdale station. Barker told deputies she remembered putting her daughter in the carseat before she was attacked, but the next thing she is aware of is waking up six hours later at the Park-n-Ride with injuries, and her daughter missing. The distance between the park in Lancaster and the Palmdale site is about nine miles. Detectives said Barker had injuries consistent with a struggle, including bruises on her head and was taken to the hospital for treatment.



Initially, the investigation into this case was treated as a disappearance by the sheriff's department, and Barker's initial interviews with detectives Thursday morning were handled by the Sheriff's Department's Major Crimes Bureau. The story that Barker allegedly told detectives about being struck in the back of the head and getting knocked unconscious was different from the version of events she gave to deputies from the Palmdale station who initially responded to her location.



During the early hours of the investigation, deputies, assisted by bloodhounds, went from car to car at the park-and-ride lot in hopes of finding the toddler or information. About 9 a.m. Thursday, several pieces of clothing were found behind a bush in a dirt area behind a fence, and were later identified as the woman's, authorities said.



Through the course of questioning, the mother's story continued to change until Stacey Barker admitted that her daughter died as a result of an accident and that she panicked and dumped her daughter's body out of fear she would be blamed, authorities said. She also admitted that she took off most of her own clothes and injured herself just before she was discovered by police in a Park and Ride lot. Officials said that at 11 a.m. Thursday morning, Barker directed investigators to where she left her daughter's body, in some tall weeds in the vicinity of Roxford Street and El Dorado Avenue, off Interstate 5.





Once the girl's body was found, the case was transferred to the Homicide Bureau, which has now taken over all aspects of the investigation. Officials said the mother was not being detained, but the case would be presented to the district attorney's office. Sheriff's Lt. Pat Nelson said Barker was not a suspect, but added: "That may change as circumstances develop."



Sheriff's officials have not yet said what sort of accident Stacey Barker said killed her daughter.
Coroner officials said an autopsy was conducted on Friday, but the cause of death has not yet been determined. "It is still being investigated," said Assistant Coroner Chief Ed Winter.



On Tuesday, March 24, hundreds of friends and family and a scattered crowd of local residents gathered at the Joshua Memorial Park & Mortuary to say their final goodbyes to 18-month-old Emma. Sitting in the middle of Susan and Gary Barker at the memorial park, 23-year-old Stacey Barker was holding her parents' hands with her eyes filled with tears.





Bedded in a white plush coffin, people paid their last tribute to the little girl in the chapel. Many family members also wore a yellow-beaded ribbon with a red ladybug on their clothes in a show of affection and respect. Family and friends will forever remember Emma Leigh Barker as "a princess and a little girl who always had a smile on her face."



Link to part 2


sources:


ktla


mydesert.com


Antelope Valley Press Sphere: Related Content

2 Kidnappings, 2 States, 2 Very Different Outcomes Part 2

SANDRA CRUZ-FRANCISCO
Meanwhile that same Tuesday, March 24, that Emma Leigh Barker was being laid to rest a much different story was being played out in Plant City, Florida.

An Amber alert was issued Tuesday morning for a two-month-old Florida girl. Authorities say Sandra Cruz-Francisco, a Hispanic girl with black hair and brown eyes, was last seen in Plant City on Monday around 3 p.m..

Plant City Police Department Captain Darrell Wilson said that Sandra's mother contacted authorities after a woman at the Plant City Health Department falsely identified herself as Janet, an agent working for a federal immigration agency. The woman allegedly told family members to give her the baby. If they did not cooperate, the woman threatened deportation, Sandra was never returned to the family and police were contacted at about 9 p.m. Monday, Wilson said.

At 1:48 p.m. Tuesday, an anonymous call was placed to 911 stating someone was standing at the corner of 60th Avenue West and 34th Street West in Bradenton who had information on the missing baby, according to the sheriff's office. When deputies arrived, Amalia Pereira Tabata, 43, was holding Sandra in her arms and told them the baby was the missing girl. Witnesses at the strip mall said Tabata was immediately placed in the back of a patrol car and paramedics were paged to check out the baby.


Tabata was led out a back door of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office Crimes Against Children division in handcuffs Tuesday evening. Tabata, who is married to Pittsburgh Pirates' farm system outfielder Jose Tabata, said she was innocent when asked by a reporter in Spanish.


Pittsburgh Pirates' president Frank Coonelly issued a statement stating an "immediate family member" of 20-year-old Jose Tabata was questioned in connection to Sandra's abduction.
"This is an extremely serious matter and we have given the matter our full attention," he said. "While we have received very little information at this point in the investigation, we have received no indication that Jose is believed to have had any involvement in the matter."


Tabata, who has several listed aliases, has a previous arson conviction in Hillsborough County for which she was incarcerated for almost three years, according to the Department of Corrections Web site. She also has been previously arrested for fraud and theft, Wilson said.


Tabata faces charges of false imprisonment and interfering with child custody. She remains in the Manatee County jail and will be transported to the Hillsborough County jail in the next couple days.


There appears to have been no prior relationship between Tabata and the Cruz-Francisco family, Wilson said. It's unclear why the baby was taken.
"We don't know. Investigators have yet to learn why she took the child," said Wilson as Tabata was being interviewed.

"What we want is to let everybody know how well the Amber Alert works. Putting that information out got the public calling in with some good information, which led to the recovery of Sandra," said Captain Darrell Wilson of the Plant City Police Department. The child was taken away from her mother around 3:00pm Monday and in less than 24 hours police were announcing the child was found safe.

katfish here again. It was nice to report a happy ending for a change. Nothing has been reported as to the immigration status of Sandra's family after this event. No doubt Tabata didn't count on the family reporting Sandra's abduction (for fear of deportation). Good to see they love their baby more than their own welfare.

As for the comparison of Emma and Sandra's cases other than the fact they began with reports of an abducted child and were resolved quickly, they had nothing in common. LE really has their hands full when it comes to solving these cases, there are so many variables, think Caylee Anthony, Haleigh Cummings and Jessica Lunsford just to name a few. Kudos to LE for the job they do for us.
sources:
AARP
wftv Sphere: Related Content

The Grim Reality Of Caylee Anthony's Life And Death

There was once a sweet little two year old girl named Caylee Marie Anthony living in Orlando, FL. with her 22 year old single mother, Casey, and her grandparents, George and Cindy Anthony. Like many other children born to an unwed mother, with no father in her life, her entrance into this world wasn’t under ideal circumstances, but from all reports she seemed to thrive and her family doted on her. At some point things went horribly wrong and before Caylee could turn three she went missing.

I’ll provide a summary, but unless you never turn on the television or read magazines at the grocery store check-out you know the basics of Caylee’s story. ATTENTION: If you don’t know the story and you live in Florida, STOP READING this blog and contact attorney Jose Baez, they need you for jury duty.

The world came to know of little Caylee on July 16, 2008 when Caylee’s grandmother started a media blitz telling the world that Caylee had been stolen from her loving mother by the babysitter….and had already been gone for more than a month by the time it was reported to police. At first the Anthony’s reported Caylee had been gone since June 9, until the police found a video of Caylee on their home computer that showed Caylee singing “You’ll never know dear, how much I love you…“ to her great-grandfather during a Fathers Day visit…“please don’t take my sunshine away…“ It was then decided the last day Caylee was seen was June 16.
As odd as this sounded, we were supposed to understand that Casey had been looking for Caylee on her own and the police were jumping to conclusions about Casey instead of looking for Caylee like any other missing child.

When the police released information that Casey had lied about everything she had told them, had led them on wild goose chases looking for Caylee and the sitter, and her car that she had abandoned, smelled of human decomposition, as well as the fact no one had ever seen this sitter, Cindy and George would have us believe the police were wrong to think that Casey could ever do anything to harm Caylee. If Casey was out of jail she would help them find Caylee. Attorney Jose Baez takes Casey’s case and he joins the media blitz.

I and many others thought these people were in denial. It soon became apparent that Cindy was an overbearing person as well and the thought crossed my mind that this was a power struggle between mother and daughter. Cindy was very much the “queen of her castle” and it became apparent that Casey had long been the “princess“ in Anthonyland. Had Casey hidden Caylee somewhere to teach her parents who was boss? It seemed plausible. After a little time in jail she would crack. Wrong!

Within the first week police were digging in the Anthony’s backyard but found nothing. Then the cadaver dogs were brought in and “hit” on several places in the Anthony backyard and the trunk of Casey’s car. The Anthony’s insisted the dogs were wrong and the smell in the car was rotten pizza although it has now been confirmed there was no food in the trunk. You can see a list of the inventory of the trunk here on page 23 and 24. About this time the Anthonys started plastering themselves, their cars and house with Find Caylee paraphernalia as well as insisting that people should be looking for Caylee, not pointing a finger at Casey.

After a few weeks Bounty hunter Leonard Padilla of California announces he has convinced his bail bondsman nephew to put up Casey’s $500,000 bond. Casey was released from jail on house arrest on August 20. Padilla predicts that after Casey washes her hair and does her nails she will tell where Caylee is. Casey is bailed out and the circus is on!

By now the public is engaged in this story in a way never seen before and rather than supporting the babysitter took Caylee story, strangers started protesting at the Anthony home trying to pressure Casey into telling the truth about what had happened to Caylee. Queen Cindy’s and George’s reaction to this was to personally build a “moat” around the castle made of yellow tape and no trespassing signs to keep the media and protestors at bay. Leonard Padilla brought his motor home and parked it right in front of Anthonyland…center ring.

After a week or so, law enforcement started receiving preliminary test results back from the car. Because of Florida’s Sunshine Laws the media was able to get access to the test results and we learned the evidence showed there was a decompositional event in the car, including hair that belonged to either Casey or Caylee that showed signs of decomposition. Reports also showed evidence of residues of chloroform in the trunk of Casey's car.

When Casey was arrested on economics charges (stealing from her friend Amy) on August 29, Leonard Padilla decided because of the test results and Casey’s unwillingness to assist in finding Caylee, to revoke her bond. Casey was bonded out again by other resources on Sept. 5, rearrested on Sept.15 on more economics charges and released again on house arrest the next day until October 14 when the Grand Jury returned with an indictment on Casey Anthony for the 1st degree murder of Caylee Marie Anthony. She has been held without bond since then.

Through out the next several weeks the Anthony’s released an increasing number of tips from all over the country of Caylee sightings…some even provided half assed photos of “Caylee”. What I wanted to know is if these sightings were to be believed, why hadn’t one of these “concerned citizens” actually approached the child and said, “Are you Caylee” or “Where is your Mother?” It was all bull.During this same time, documents were released that showed internet searches conducted on the computer seized from the home of Casey Anthony's parents included "how to make chloroform" and "neck breaking", the documents also showed timesheets of George and Cindy showing they were at work when these computer searches were made in March of 2008.

Then 179 days after Caylee sang her little song to her papa, a child’s skeletal remains were found dumped in the woods less than 3/10ths of a mile from Anthonyland. That moat that the Anthony’s had created around their home was then replaced by crime scene tape and squad cars, declaring Anthonyland a crime scene.

On December 19th , the FBI notified the Orange County Sheriff’s Office that the remains of the child were positively identified as that of Caylee Marie Anthony. Another search warrant was issued and executed for the Anthony home. Law enforcement wouldn’t release any information about the crime scene where Caylee’s remains were found or what they looked for during their searches of Anthonyland but Sheriff Beary did say they definitely found items that would tie the remains to the Anthony home.

On January 20th another 311 discovery documents were turned over to Casey Anthony's defense. According to Florida law they then become public record, therefore upon request from the media, on Wed. the 22nd the prosecutors released the records to the media. From the documents released has come some very disturbing information about things that were found with Caylee's remains.


According to the search warrant affidavit, Caylee's skeletal remains had been placed in a cloth laundry hamper bag, prior to being placed inside the black plastic garbage bag. The documents further reveal that a backpack with the word 'adorable' on it, a Winnie the Pooh blanket, a plastic toy horse, a size 3T shirt, a kid's pair of striped white shorts and small cloth-type iron on letters were also found inside the bag.


Perhaps most unsettling are paragraphs within a search-warrant affidavit, which detail the discovery of the remains and also the discovery of a "heart shaped" sticker that had been placed on duct tape that was found wrapped around the child's skull over the mouth area. wtf?


The search warrants released also gave a list of items that were looked for at the Anthony home shortly after the child's remains were found that included arts and crafts material, stickers, scrap booking material, all shoes belonging to Casey Anthony, the original clothing George Anthony last saw Caylee Anthony wearing on June 16th (pink colored top, blue jean skirt or skort, white shoes, small child's backpack with monkey design and white rimmed sunglasses), any doll clothing that would fit the doll recovered from Casey's vehicle on July 15th, small plastic toy horses similar to one found at the crime scene, and a black or brown backpack/shoulder bag similar to the one George Anthony saw Casey Anthony with on June 16th. The affiant also requests the authority to observe and note any prescriptions that may be on the property.

There have been many characters who have come and gone from this story and bizarre reports that have been disclosed....too many to touch on here without negating the fact that this story was and is about Caylee Marie Anthony and finding justice for this little girl.


George and Cindy have rarely been seen in public since Caylee’s body was found but Cindy has sent e-mails proclaiming her faith in her daughter’s innocence. The Anthony’s lawyers have also made it known that they will seek immunity for their clients, George, Cindy and Lee. They said that despite previous conflicting statements to law enforcement any future statements they make will be consistent. Law enforcement has not implyed that they will seek any charges against the Anthonys.

As I have been working on this entry, news has been breaking that George Anthony is undergoing psychiatric evaluation after he was reported missing late Thursday night from his Orange County home but was located a few hours later at a motel in Daytona Beach. He had text-messaged family members that he wanted to end his life," Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood said. Local 6 News reported that a suicide note was also found in George Anthony's car. The note is in the possession of the Orange County Sheriff's Office. "I'm being told by sources close to the investigation that the note included wording like "I want to go be with Caylee," Local 6 News reporter Jessica D'Onofrio said.

My message to George would be that Caylee needs him to be here, to stand for her and make sure that justice is done in her case. While all indicators are that Casey is responsible for Caylee's death, the only way Caylee will truely receive justice is when the person responsible is convicted in a court of law. I have and will continue to include him and his family in my prayers as this story unfolds.

Sphere: Related Content