CHERRYVILLE, N.C. -- With many Americans outraged by the verdict in the Casey Anthony case, two North Carolina lawmakers are leading the charge for a new state law that would increase the punishment for a parent or guardian who fails to notify law enforcement about a dead or missing child.
“How in the world could a missing child not be reported?” asked State Rep. Kelly Hastings, a Republican from Cherryville who represents Gaston and Cleveland Counties.
Hastings told NewsChannel 36 that he and fellow Republican State Rep. Tim Moore are planning to draft legislation on the issue.
“It’s very important to have that person reported missing as soon as possible,” he said.
The push to change the law began online with a petition on the website www.change.org. It’s being called "Caylee’s Law" in honor of 2-year-old Caylee Anthony, who died in June of 2008.
Anthony’s mother, Casey, was convicted on four counts of providing false information to law enforcement about her daughter’s death, however, she was found not guilty on charges of murder, child abuse and manslaughter.
At the heart of the new proposed law is a requirement that parents or guardians notify police immediately when a child is missing. In Anthony’s case, police were notified 31 days after Caylee Anthony was last seen alive.
As of 9 p.m. Thursday night, more than half a million people had signed the online petition to change the law.
In addition, lawmakers in at least nine other states – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Oklahoma, New York and West Virginia – have announced plans to pursue Caylee’s Law.
To sign Caylee’s Law, go to http://www.change.org/petitions/create-caylees-law.
