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Duct Tape Found Stuck To Mouth Of Child's Remains

Posted: 12:04 pm EST December 12, 2008Updated: 12:07 pm EST December 13, 2008

All evidence is starting to show the remains found in east Orange County were likely Caylee Anthony and late Friday afternoon Eyewitness News obtained the 911 call made after the discovery.

Detectives have told Caylee's mother's attorney that the body size and hair color of the remains recovered are similar to Caylee's and the discovery of the child's skull with duct tape on the mouth is telling a much more gruesome story.

The residence on Hopespring Drive was cleared Friday morning as a crime scene and George and Cindy Anthony returned there in the afternoon (watch video | see images) after spending Thursday night at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel (see map). They left the house a few hours later to spend another night out at a hotel.


911 CALL: Discovery Of Human Skull
ANTHONYS BACK HOME: Raw Video | Images
COURT HEARING: Raw Video | Defense Team Speaks
VIDEO REPORT: Source Says Duct Tape On Mouth
EVIDENCE REMOVED: Watch Raw Video | See Images
SHERIFF ON GMA: "Absolutely" Reason To Search
BAEZ SPEAKS: Casey's Attorney Makes Comment

The Anthonys had not been able to go to their house while investigators executed a search warrant and looked for more clues in the case of their missing granddaughter, Caylee. Caylee's mother, Casey, is in the Orange County jail on charges she killed her 2-year-old child.


911 CALL RELEASED OF SKULL REPORT

Friday afternoon, the Orange County Sheriff's Office released the 911 call made from the Orange County Utilities Emergency Dispatch to the Orange County 911 call center reporting the discovery of a human skull. The skull discovery was made around 9:30am Thursday by a meter reader relieving himself in the woods. He immediately called his boss, who called 911.


911 CALL: Discovery Of Human Skull

"This is Orange County Emergency Dispatch, we found a human skull," the 911 caller said.

"Oh, my gosh," the dispatcher responded.

The call lasted approximately two minutes.

"A skull we believe is human," the caller said.

"What's the location?" the dispatcher asked.

"It's right off of Suburban and Chickasaw in the Caylee Anthony area," the caller said.

"Ohhh," the dispatcher said. "Okay, if you can please try to stress to him to not draw attention to the area."

"Okay," the caller said.

"And that would be great just in case it is something. It may be nothing, but just in case," the dispatcher said.

Eyewitness News has learned the man who found the skull, an Orange County water meter reader, may be eligible for a reward.


DUCT TAPE ON MOUTH OF CHILD'S REMAINS

Investigators collected evidence at the Anthony home well into the early morning hours Friday, pulling out bags of evidence (watch raw video).


EVIDENCE REMOVED: Watch Raw Video | See Images

Investigative teams at the discovery site Friday were taking buckets of dirt from the area where the trash bag and remains were found and were sifting through it by hand, looking for more evidence. Investigators were cutting through brush and tree limbs near the scene of the remains discovery looking for fibers and hair. Blue tents were erected and a white sheet was laid out near the search area.

Apparently, the bag the remains were found in was open and in water for some time, so other evidence might have floated out. Eyewitness News also learned that the child found could have suffered terrifying last moments. Investigative sources told Eyewitness News duct tape was found still stuck to the child's mouth.

Internationally-respected forensics pathologist Michael Baden told Eyewitness News on Friday that duct tape could have been used to suffocate or silence someone and prevent them from screaming, which means the child could have suffered traumatic injury.

The remains that were found were not just bones. There was tissue left, which apparently is what the duct tape was stuck to, and hair. The hair is said to be consistent in color to Caylee's hair and the body size consistent with the size of Caylee's body, according to information the sheriff's office provided Casey's attorney, Jose Baez, on Thursday.

Dr. Michael Baden told Eyewitness News the duct tape could not only have preserved some of the evidence, because it's waterproof, but also could contain evidence such as fingerprints on the sticky side of the tape. He said he would expect there to be some hair, as well, and said the hair, tissue and bone marrow can be tested for chemicals and could hold the answer to whether chloroform or any other chemical was used to kill the child.

Eyewitness News has learned a vacuum cleaner and a pillow were among the items removed from the house. The pillow and vacuum could contain Caylee's hair and the vacuum could contain Caylee's hair and fibers and also any residue from any chemicals that might have been used. Investigators also removed pesticides and pool chemicals from the Anthonys' house, which is less than a half-mile from the discovery scene.


CASEY'S PARENTS MAY EVENTUALLY FACE CHARGES

Sources close to the case told Eyewitness News that Casey's parents, George and Cindy, may someday face criminal charges. Sources tipped Eyewitness News off that George and Cindy Anthony checked into the luxury Ritz-Carlton Hotel on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, Eyewitness News has learned the sheriff's office is looking into charging the Anthonys with obstruction of justice.

Rooms go for about $300 a night at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and sources say they Anthonys had dinner at Normans on Thursday night, where dinner could cost $100 a person. The Anthonys recently hired attorney Brad Conway to replace Mark NeJame.

Conway could not tell Eyewitness News who is paying for the room, but said the Anthonys needed peace and quiet.

"They want to be left alone. They want to grieve and go through the process without the publicity that's been focused on them so long," Conway said.

The Anthonys have spent months insisting Caylee is alive, but with the news of the remains Conway said they are prepared to accept Caylee may be dead.

"They are realistic about the possibilities and about the fact that this is likely Caylee, but continue to pray that likely it's not," Conway said.

In the meantime, sources told Eyewitness News investigators are building a case against the Anthonys. They may face obstruction of justice charges.

Conway said he's talked to the State Attorney's Office and is not aware of any pending charges and maintains the Anthonys have done nothing wrong.

"Anytime the sheriff's office cordons your house and serves a search warrant, there are a potential for charges. I don't know what the sheriff's office has in mind, but the Anthonys have cooperated fully and will continue to cooperate," Conway said.


BAEZ'S MOTION PARTIALLY DENIED FRIDAY

Casey Anthony's attorney tried and failed Friday to get access to the remains. He asked for an emergency hearing (read motion) right after Eyewitness News broke the news Thursday.


COURT HEARING: Raw Video | Defense Team Speaks

"We believe there is certainly enough of an indication right now [that the remains could be Caylee's] for us to come here with a motion for an inspection of preservation," said attorney Linda Kenney-Baden, part of Jose Baez's team, after their motion to observe the autopsy was denied early Friday afternoon (watch attorneys speak). Kenney-Baden is the wife of forensics pathologist Michael Baden.

The new attorney was introduced Friday, a self-proclaimed forensic expert, arguing an accused killer's legal team should witness the autopsy.

"This is all an attempt to make sure that our client's due process rights are protected, that we get the information sooner not later," Kenney-Baden said in court.

The Medical Examiner's Office considered Jose Baez's attempt to interfere in the autopsy ill-advised at best. Florida's public policies don't allow it; an autopsy is a private, dignified right of the deceased not to be hawked over by lawyers.

"I would suggest the court not allow something as egregious as allowing strangers to be present for the autopsy of a young child," the prosecution argued in court.

Casey's defense team also asked that evidence be preserved, suggesting the medical examiner, Dr. Jan Garavalia, won't bother.

"Because the remains are in the hands of the medical examiner, they are in a position to be better preserved than ever before, prior to being discovered yesterday," an attorney for the sheriff's office and medical examiner argued.

Prosecutors also cited a defense expert who talked on national TV about the Anthony car after an inspection.

"What I don't want to see, bluntly, is 24 hours after viewing an autopsy a defense expert on a national news show describing this child's remains," the prosecution said in court.

Investigators did grant one request Friday to Jose Baez, working out a deal that would allow his experts access to the crime scene immediately after detectives are done with it.


CASEY'S TREATMENT CHANGED AFTER DISCOVERY

Casey Anthony remains in a jail cell with no contact with other inmates. After Thursday's discovery, jail officials said they did alter her treatment.

"In fact, there has been a change. She met with a correction officer psychologist and was reviewed and placed on psychological observation. However, that is not a suicide watch," said Allen Moore, Orange County Corrections Department.

Although it's possible she watched news reports on television Thursday, jail officials said it's not likely.

Eyewitness News has learned Casey's made no phone calls since the discovery was made and nobody's asked to visit her.


SHERIFF APPEARS ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA

Friday morning, Sheriff Kevin Beary appeared on Good Morning America to discuss Thursday's findings (watch Beary on GMA).


SHERIFF ON GMA: "Absolutely" Reason To Search

"I know you can't go into detail, but there was something that was found that made you want to search the grandparents' home?" GMA's Robin Roberts asked Beary.

"Absolutely," Beary said.

Beary said investigators searched the home early Friday after the medical examiner found "some clues that came out of the remains" that "linked it to the house." He would not say what clues were found.

"We took some things out of the house that the forensic people are very interested in," he said.

Beary said his investigators and the FBI would work around the clock and through the weekend to identify the child.

Asked if he believed if the remains are Caylee, Beary said: "I think it's a good possibility, but I have to wait seven to 14 days for the DNA analysis."

There are no other similar missing-child cases in the area.

"I say my prayers every day and one of them is to solve this case," said Beary, who is retiring in January. "I just hope that we solve the case on my watch."

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