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Bounty Hunter Says Casey Asked Friends To Help Hide Caylee

Posted: 10:20 am EDT August 21, 2008Updated: 10:32 am EDT August 25, 2008

Family and friends of missing toddler Caylee Anthony held a candlelight vigil, Sunday. Casey Anthony will meet with corrections officials Monday, to discuss the terms and conditions of her home confinement.


VIDEO REPORT: Casey Anthony Scheduled To Meet With Officials
CASEY LEAVES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE: See Images | Watch Raw Video
CASEY RELEASED: Slideshow | Raw Video #1 | Raw Video #2
BOUNTY HUNTER TALKS: Padilla Confident They'll Find Caylee
ARCHIVE: Read Previous Reports Related To Anthony Case
MESSAGE BOARD: Talk About Anthony Case, Search For Caylee

The Anthony family was expected to leave their East Orange County home Sunday, to go to church. Instead church leaders came to her home. Their pastor said little about his visit.

"Did she ask for forgiveness for what‘s happened?" asked Channel 9 reporter Sean Lavin. "You know I can’t go there. We had a wonderful time in the lord," said their pastor.

The question still remains," Where is Caylee?" The bounty hunter who helped bail Casey out of jail has his own theory.

Leonard Padilla believes Casey wanted to move out of her parents’ house but they were too worried about Caylee’s wellbeing, so she persuaded her friends to help hide her daughter.

"They got Caylee out of town with the help of a friend or a relative. That’s why the whole time she was in jail, she didn’t seem concerned about the baby." said bounty hunter Leonard Padilla.

The 22-year-old was being monitored through an electronic bracelet strapped to her ankle and connected to the home phone line. According to a family spokesman, Casey was talking freely with her parents and helping them with new leads into the whereabouts of her missing child.


BOUNTY HUNTER THINKS CASEY WILL TALK

California bounty hunter Leonard Padilla, who bonded Casey out of jail, parked a motor home in front of the family's house Thursday afternoon. He and two of his team members plan to talk to her in a couple of days about what happened to Caylee. Casey's attorney said he's told her not to talk to them.

"I believe she made a mistake, handed her daughter off and she is alive," said Padilla, who predicted his team would find Caylee within a week.

A $225,000 reward for Caylee's return has been posted anonymously.

Casey gets released
Images | Video #1 | #2

Casey was released from jail on $500,000 bail Thursday and returned to her parents' home, where authorities will monitor her with an electronic ankle device. She said nothing as she left the Orange County jail Thursday. She faces charges of child neglect, making false statements and obstructing an investigation into the disappearance of 3-year-old Caylee, who has been missing since June.

Police say Casey Anthony lied to them and didn't report Caylee missing for more than a month. Caylee's grandmother reported her disappearance in July.


CASEY IGNORES QUESTIONS AFTER RELEASE

Anthony's attorney, Jose Baez, escorted her out of the jail under a black umbrella amid a throng of reporters Thursday.

"Did you kill Caylee?" WFTV reporter Kathi Belich asked as she was led out, but Casey said nothing (watch video).

"Get away! Get away!" Baez yelled at reporters crowding the path to their waiting, black SUV. He got into a scuffle with a journalist, pushing him out of the way.

Casey then got inside the vehicle, followed by Baez and Padilla, and quickly left the scene.

Baez said Anthony whispered into his ear on her way out, "I'm innocent. I'm going to walk out of this place with my head held high."

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