Casey's "Emotional Breakdown" per the docs

[Annie Maude]

I'm thinking Cayce could have gotten away with pleading post-partum depression in light of the testimony that she wanted to go to an institution and get some help after Caylee was born. Post-partum depression has gotten so much press time in the last few years, it would probably have worked. It is my understanding it is possible for it to last a few years, not sure. I think it would have been her only chance at a defense.

 

[MomofBoys]

It would have been a longshot for an acquital, IMHO, because you would have had experts on both sides arguing about the prevalence of severe PPD or PPS after the passage of a year, and when coupled with the pictures at Fusian, the testimony of friends and acquaintances, and other things pointing to her general mondset--I don't think a jury would buy that.

Look at Andrea Yates. I still don't know how I feel about that case, but you can't find anyone who said she was acting herself, or happy, or anything but depressed in the days leading up to the murders. I'm sure there are exceptions, but KC was almost three years PP.

 

[Beyond Belief]

She definitely should have made a deal. personally I think she planned on killing herself and caylee. she definitely went on a "i don't give a crap binge" for a month. (just thinking outloud.)

 

[Issi]

Just my two cents, but I think that ship has sailed. Too many other factors now to make that defense stick.

Now... if they had gone with that from the get-go, sure that might have worked, but that would still be an admission of guilt which Casey doesn't want to acknowledge.

Baez and Casey really painted themselves into a corner with the whole "abduction by babysitter" accusation/theory/defense.

 

[Balthazar]

I'm not 100% sure Casey was 2.5 years postpartum. She did claim she had a miscarriage in 2007.

At the same time, the FBI agent and George discussed the fact that Casey seemed to change after she reached age 20 - which coincides with the time right after Caylee was born. I believe the FBI agent said to George that he recognized the person Casey was after age 20 was different than the person she was before age 20. So, it seems to me that there is significant evidence of post partum depression. Casey seemed to experience periods of manic (partying) behavior but showed signs of depression - unable to hold down her job at Universal after Caylee was born, she just quit showing up and apparently never had full-time employment after that.

Andrea Yates suffered from postpartum psychosis, which is very different from postpartum depression. However, untreated, either of the mental illnesses can lead to the death of either the sufferer or the child.

In some countries (such as the UK), post partum depression is considered a mitigating circumstance in cases where the mother has killed her child until the child is up to age 5.

 

[Mamabear1963]

IF kc had been thinking and planning she could have used ppd as a defense.

I have had 13 births...and 9 m/c...my "dark tunnels" after my m/cs were far worse and longer then after my births.

BUT she stuck to her nanny theory and as far as we know is still sticking to it.

But even the m/c she claims to have had is questioned by friends.

 

[Issi]

Also.. Wouldn't post partum depression have to have been documented in order to be used as a defense? A few claims here and there by Casey's friends... people that are not professionally certified to make a psychological diagnosis, and just "things" Casey said wouldn't necessarily mean it would hold up in court.

 

[jai-yen]

I'm thinking Cayce could have gotten away with pleading post-partum depression in light of the testimony that she wanted to go to an institution and get some help after Caylee was born. Post-partum depression has gotten so much press time in the last few years, it would probably have worked. It is my understanding it is possible for it to last a few years, not sure. I think it would have been her only chance at a defense.

I just don't think it would fly. Casey's behavior isn't consistent with depression. Her Carrie Bradshaw imitation kind of spoiled that one. The wheel may be spinning but the hamster has left the building.



~Jai Yen

 

[Short_Stuff]

Just my thoughts....I dont think PP would have held up. But she should have went with a mental defense or something other than that ridiculous Nanny story.
PS (Its too late now IMO).

 

[TheTruthIsOutThere]

Lurker here...

I have to say, my question as to her sanity has less to do with whether or not (and i lean heavily towards not) she had a miscarriage, but more to the fact that she even TRIED to use the nanny story. I mean, like you said, PPD would have been much more viable in court, some experts would say she clearly has it, some would say she clearly doesn't - but with the nanny story - there is NO ONE to testify that she exists.

 

[Issi]

Just my thoughts....I dont think PP would have held up. But she should have went with a mental defense or something other than that ridiculous Nanny story.
PS (Its too late now IMO).

Hindsight is 20/20 as they say...


Kinda scary if you think about it. KC seems willing to take that babysitter theory all the way to the bottom of the ocean.


Not to poo-poo the OP's idea... You're probably right. A mental illness defense would have held a lot more water than all this babysitter stuff if it had been thought through at the start of all this.

That's assuming that she's guitly, though... which I know a lot of people do.


Note that I say "babysitter" and not "nanny". A 22 year old umemployed mother doesn't have a nanny... that's just silly.

 

[Trailerparkgirl]

if severe post partum goes untreated i think it can turn into something ugly
perhaps pregnancy/child birth triggered something?
but ive mentioned the postpartum thing before....
if it goes untreated, can it just go away on its' own?
i know i experienced post partum, and i had anxiety attacks start when my baby was almost a yr old...
you can't rule this out....

 

[TheTruthIsOutThere]

It seems to me that if Casey even thought she might have PPD, she would be screaming it to the rooftops to her nearest & dearest for sympathy. She doesn't strike me as someone who truly wanted to be seen as a "good mother," or she wouldn't have called Caylee "the little snothead."

 

[Trailerparkgirl]

true, but what if it was post partum psychosis?
obviously something wasnt right "upstairs" would she have been able to get help if she didnt realize what was going on in her head?

 

[TheTruthIsOutThere]

That is a good point, and there is the testimony by two friends that she wanted to be "committed" at one point.

Has she been meeting with a psychologist in prison? One who could perhaps see if this might be true?

Don't get me wrong - I don't want her to get away with this... I just can't imagine how she could do it in her right mind.

 

[Marple]

I think the change in personality is more the result of new friends, partying, drinking and drugs.

 

[dunlurken]

I just don't have it in me to give her that credit.

1 - Lets see some medical records of a miscarriage. This isn't a 3rd world country and her mother is a nurse for Pete's sake. Top that off with what an attention seeking person she is, there's no way she didn't seek medical attention after a miscarriage. Surely LE has looked for records of this. Not to mention, when going in for a DNC, someone has to drive you so there would be another witness to it. Perhaps Zanny took her in.

2 - Her friends tried to follow up with her per their statements and when they called her back the next day, she blew them off like nothing was wrong.

Crazy? No. Without a soul? Yes.

Just for the record, I had a girlfriend who has a miscarriage every month. Or so she thought.

 

[dunlurken]

true, but what if it was post partum psychosis?
obviously something wasnt right "upstairs" would she have been able to get help if she didnt realize what was going on in her head?

Post partum doesn't last two almost three years.

 

[DianeB]

At first I wondered if the 'breakdown' occurred around the same time as the seizure, but that occurred in November 2007 - see p 9 here:
http://www.cfnews13.com/uploadedFiles/Stories/Local/Anthony pgs 2551-2600f.pdf

Wasn't there another incident in which Jesse took Casey to the hospital? When did that happen?

 

[stellasmommyphd]

I just don't have it in me to give her that credit.

1 - Lets see some medical records of a miscarriage. This isn't a 3rd world country and her mother is a nurse for Pete's sake. Top that off with what an attention seeking person she is, there's no way she didn't seek medical attention after a miscarriage. Surely LE has looked for records of this. Not to mention, when going in for a DNC, someone has to drive you so there would be another witness to it. Perhaps Zanny took her in.

2 - Her friends tried to follow up with her per their statements and when they called her back the next day, she blew them off like nothing was wrong.

Crazy? No. Without a soul? Yes.

i don't agree there would necessarily be records of a miscarriage. if she had an early miscarriage, there would be no need for a D&C. if she didn't want her mom to know she was pg (as was the case when she was pg with caylee), she wouldn't "seek attention" about it.

i'm torn about this question of her mental state. it seems to me she can't BOTH be a sociopath AND be on the verge of a breakdown, and asking for help. would a sociopath admit to being so vulnerable? i doubt it. now, a sociopath MIGHT claim to be having a breakdown for the attention (which may have been the case).

but i dunno. the whole "she's attention seeking" thing has never quite added up for me, honestly. she absolutely hid her pg with caylee as long as she could (maybe even hid it from herself!?). if she's as attention seeking as everyone says she is, then wouldn't she want everyone to know she was pregnant? i never got so much attention in my life than when i was pregnant :waitasec:

i think of her as more approval seeking than attention seeking. she wants people to think well of her, as evidenced by her claiming to have a job she didn't have, claiming to have a nanny to look responsible, etc. she doesn't want just any kind of attention; she wants positive attention and for people to think she's great, responsible, successful, attractive, a good mom, etc.