I first met Casey when I was transferred into Colonial High School in Orlando Florida in January 2001. We had mutual friends and became friends ourselves. We have maintained in close contact through all four years of high school and since graduation. We got closer when I was deployed to Iraq and kept in contact via email. Following my deployment, I was on leave in Orlando and spent a great deal of time with Casey and Caylee. We went on a few dates during this time, but there was never any sexual nature to our relationship. Casey and I never dated seriously and we both agreed that we should remain strictly friends, as I am in the military and constantly being sent to different locations. Casey didn't want a transient life for herself or Caylee and felt she was established in the Orlando area.
Since the fall of '07 Casey and I have remained good friends and have kept in regular contact through email, myspace, and telephone. Sometimes during our phone conversations Casey would put Caylee on the phone so I could say, "hi" to her. Casey and I would keep up on each others lives and what we were each doing. Casey would sometimes keep me updated on Caylee and how she was doing i.e.; when she started talking, walking, etc.
In late June/early July 2008 Casey and I were talking regularly, as I was keeping her updated on medical issues of mine. She was worried about me and stated she wanted to come out to Cali to see me, although there were never any solid plans made. A week or so later Casey called me and was noticeably upset and frustrated. She said she had something to tell me and couldn't say it over the phone. She said, "something happened" a long time ago but wouldn't say what it was. Casey said she told her mother and brother whatever it was and they became angry and frustrated about it. I asked Casey what happened and tried to get her to tell me but she started to get upset with me, so I dropped it. When I kept asking her about whatever it was she wanted to tell me she just said, "Hey Mark its just something I want to tell you in person." I thought maybe there were some issues between her and her father or thought she was possibly upset about something else and she was just sort of dancing around it.
During this conversation, Casey said she had plans to go to Puerto Rico with some friends in August, but was thinking about canceling that trip and coming out to Cali. As I stated Casey and I were good friends and hadn't seen each other in a year, so she said she wanted to come out to Cali and see me. Casey never brought up again whatever it was that she was upset about. She said she had a couple of other friends in Cali and could also see them while she was out here. Casey did not specify who these friends were and did not mention any names.
I asked Casey if she was going to bring Caylee out to Cali with her. At this time, Casey was telling me her parents were going through a separation and were planning on getting divorced. Then, she also said they were getting back together again. Looking back now, I don't know if what she was telling me was truth. I know Casey would get into arguments with one or both of her parents and would alienate herself and Caylee by purposely not going to see them or bring Caylee to see them. During these times, Casey told me she would go and stay with her then boyfriend, Tony and she would bring Caylee with her. According to Casey they would stay anywhere from a day or two to a week at a time at Tony's house.I would usually call Casey during my lunch break or after training was done for the day. Casey would tell me stories about going out and partying with her friends and about what was going on at club Fusian. She told me she "helped out" there because her boyfriend, Tony worked there. During these conversations I would ask about Caylee and how she was doing. Sometimes she would say Caylee was at her mom's house or they were at Tony's and she was going to drop Caylee off with her mom, because she(Casey's mom)hadn't seen her in "a while." Casey never once mentioned any babysitters by name.
(end Pt. I)
:websleuther:
