KC is not an addict, so I hope this comparison does miscommunicate my thoughts here:
In families where a child is an addict, you have those who enable, those who stick their head in the sand, those who cease all communication, and those that are the addict's watchdog.
In this case, and to answer the thread topic-CA is hands down the enabler. My opinion is that she should be either the watchdog, or cease all communication. In her role as the watchdog, she would constantly provide tough love, try to guide KC to do the right thing, not fall victim to dishonesty but not abandon her daughter, either. I think a lot of parents here would fall into that category.
However, given that KC is an adult...and given the following, I believe CA needs to take a harder line, maybe consider ceasing communication in some fashion.
KC has accused Cindy's husband of 20+ years and her son of abuse, sexual and otherwise.
According to KC herself, Cindy never believed this. And I personally don't believe it. So I have to ask in all of this, Cindy, how can you abandon not only your granddaughter, but your son? Your FIRST BORN! In the face of a lie you never even believed?
Casey is an adult, physically and psychologically speaking, she needs nothing from Cindy anymore (not wants, needs). The detectives told George this as well-that KC is an adult, they needed to focus on the innocent child and preserve their own sanity.
CA's gestures to KC, her lying for KC, her anger towards eveyone else-Total enabling. In families suffering with addiction, this causes as much strife amongst the sober members of the family as it does between the family and the addict.
In fairness, we have yet to see what CA does if KC does go down the abuse road. However, in light of her silence so far, even when George himself sent that letter to KC (Why me? Why Mom? Why Lee? Why Caylee?), I think she might actually stand aside and let KC do this to not only Caylee (that's a given so far), but the rest of her living family.
And what if Shirley takes the stand? Is CA going to stand idly by while the defense tries to, basically, show that Shirley is untruthful, or that KC's theft was no big deal?
Is CA going to smirk her way through questions about that?
Diseased.