Casey Anthony trial: Her father spoke of ‘accident,’ alleged mistress says
Testifying before the defense rested in the Casey Anthony trial, George Anthony’s alleged mistress says he tearfully described Caylee’s death as ‘an accident that snowballed out of control.’
Casey Anthony listens to testimony during her murder trial at the Orange County Courthouse on Thursday, June 30, in Orlando, Fla.
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By Warren Richey, Staff writer / June 30, 2011
Several weeks before police found the skeletal remains of two-year-old Caylee Anthony, the toddler’s grandfather told his alleged mistress that Caylee’s death was “an accident that snowballed out of control,” the alleged mistress testified on Thursday.
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Krystal Holloway, also known as River Cruz, reacts while testifying during Casey Anthony’s murder trial at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Florida, on June 30.
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The testimony came on the 13th and final day of the defense case in the month-long murder trial of Casey Anthony, the Florida mother accused of killing her daughter.
Shortly after that testimony the defense rested after announcing that Ms. Anthony would not take the stand.
The alleged mistress, Krystal Holloway, who volunteered to help search for Caylee, said she and George Anthony – Casey’s father and Caylee’s grandfather – had an intimate relationship in 2008.
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She said she was surprised when Mr. Anthony made the statement concerning an accident. At the time, George and his wife, Cindy, were leading a national effort and making media appearances based on an assumption that Caylee had been kidnapped and was still alive.
Ms. Holloway said George Anthony’s comment was made during a quiet conversation at her home around Thanksgiving 2008. “We were talking about his daughter and I mentioned that I didn’t think he could raise somebody that was capable of harming her child,” Ms. Holloway told the jury. “That’s when he said it was an accident that snowballed out of control.”
She said the comment shocked her. “I was caught off guard by it, and when I looked up he had tears in his eyes,” she said.
In an effort to verify the relationship, Defense Attorney Jose Baez introduced as evidence a copy of a text message apparently sent by George Anthony to Holloway. It said: “Just thinking about you. I need you in my life.”
The message was sent on Dec. 16, five days after Caylee’s remains were found in the wooded area.
In testimony on Tuesday, George Anthony repeatedly denied ever having an affair with Holloway. In addition he denied making any statement about Caylee’s death.
“Did you tell Krystal Holloway that Caylee’s death is an accident that snowballed out of control,” Defense Attorney Baez asked George Anthony on Tuesday.
“That conversation was never there. I never confided in any volunteers,” he said.
“You never told Krystal Holloway while the two of you were being romantic that this was an accident that snowballed out of control,” Mr. Baez asked.
“I never did.”