A 12-page report released today by the Florida Department of Children and Families says Casey Anthony is "responsible" for Caylee's death and is also responsible for threatening harm upon her and failing to protect her.
As part of an investigation that spanned nearly three years, the DCF report says that through reviewing evidence from law enforcement, the Medical Examiner's Office, and the department's own interviews with family members, they can now close their review with these "verified" findings.
"The Department of Children and Families concludes that the lack of actions by the alleged perpetrator ultimately resulted or contributed in the death of the child/vic...," the report says. "While the cause of death is not known, the Department concludes the death to be as a result of abuse or neglect based on the manner of death by the [medical examiner], and the state of the body upon recovery."
Of the department's accusation that Casey Anthony failed to protect her daughter, it says that while Caylee was missing for 31 days before her mother reported that fact, Anthony's failure to report her own child missing "ultimately resulted in her inability to protect the child from harm."
As for threatening harm, the department again says Anthony's failure to report her daughter missing as the primary reason and also notes that it had been so long that Caylee's remains had already been decomposing before she was even reported missing.
On the accusation that Anthony asphyxiated her daughter, the department says it's "not sustained." It cites the medical examiner's report, in which it says the duct tape over Caylee's mouth was "clearly" placed on her mouth before her body began to decompose, as it was keeping her lower jaw attached to her skull.
The department also says it found no indication of physical injury to Caylee, based on the medical examiner's report, although the medical examiner did rule the death a homicide by unknown cause.
In an interview with a child-protection investigator on August 25, 2008, Anthony was asked about why it took her 31 days to report her daughter missing.
"The mother responded that she did not have a 'falling out' with her parents; she was just living with her boyfriend...," the report says. "She admitted to the CPI that she made some 'bad decisions' during that time period."
There is also a large section of the tenth page that is redacted from the report, under the title of "Decision Regarding Findings and Disposition," as well as several lines redacted from the next page under "Assessment."
Read the entire report below:
Caylee Anthony Death Review 2011 -- Department of Children and Families
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