Florida Woman Accused of Killing Newborn Daughter Had Casey Anthony Images on Phone
Anne Mae Demegillo, a 20-year-old Florida woman charged with murdering her newborn daughter, allegedly had images of Casey Anthony on her mobile phone, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office. The discovery suggests possible searches related to child death investigations, authorities stated this week.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
Demegillo was arrested on March 6 and indicted on Monday on multiple serious charges. These include first-degree premeditated murder, aggravated child abuse, and failure to report a death with intent to conceal evidence. The charges stem from the death of her infant daughter, whose body was discovered in a shallow grave in Demegillo's backyard.
Her lawyer, Michael Politis, filed paperwork on March 11 entering a written plea of not guilty on her behalf. Politis indicated that Demegillo will formally enter a not guilty plea at her upcoming arraignment. He emphasized that his client had no prior criminal record or history of aberrant behavior.
Defense Cites Postpartum Mental Health Issues
In a statement, Politis suggested that Demegillo may have been suffering from severe postpartum psychosis or depression at the time of the alleged incident. "I believe that she suffers from severe postpartum psychosis and/or depression, and I think that explains her behavior that is alleged to have occurred," Politis said. He added that without further details from the state's discovery process, it was difficult to comment further on the case.
Disturbing Details of the Incident
Authorities were alerted to the situation last month when a caller contacted emergency dispatchers after receiving messages from Demegillo. The messages indicated that she had secretly been pregnant and unexpectedly gave birth at home. According to officials, the messages stated that the baby was born alive and crying, but Demegillo had "done something to the infant."
When deputies arrived at her residence, Demegillo allegedly told them she wasn't sure about the pregnancy but began experiencing severe abdominal pain early on March 5. She claimed to have delivered the baby in her toilet, thinking the infant was deceased. Demegillo then allegedly hid the infant in a duffle bag in her closet and continued with her normal daily routine.
After returning home from a theater performance in New Smyrna Beach, Demegillo reportedly decided to bury the deceased infant in a shallow grave in her backyard. Officials noted that she never contacted emergency services for assistance during or after the birth.
Sheriff's Emotional Response
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly expressed profound dismay at the case in a press release. "This is one of those tragic cases that shock you to your core that a mother would allow a newborn to die because the newborn was a distraction to her life," Staly said. "It's hard to comprehend how a mother would choose to watch their infant drown instead of lifting the baby out of the toilet."
Connection to Casey Anthony Case
The presence of Casey Anthony images on Demegillo's phone adds a disturbing layer to the investigation. Anthony was famously acquitted in 2011 of murdering her two-year-old daughter, Caylee, during a highly publicized trial. Caylee went missing in 2008, and her body was discovered six months later in a wooded area near the family home.
Prosecutors in that case had argued that Anthony killed her daughter because the child interfered with her social and dating life. Caylee's corpse was found with strips of duct tape on her nose and mouth. Although Anthony was cleared of murder charges, she was convicted of lying to police about her daughter's disappearance.
The discovery of Anthony-related images on Demegillo's device raises questions about potential influences or research into similar cases, though authorities have not elaborated on the exact nature or context of these images.
