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Published January 25, 2017
This is a rush transcript from "On the Record ," December 12, 2008. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Tonight, a horrific discovery in Florida and a bone-chilling call to 911.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is Orange County utilities emergency dispatch. We found a human skull.
911 OPERATOR: Oh, my gosh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know. We've got -- is it a meter reader?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to let you speak right now with a representative from our field services (INAUDIBLE)
911 OPERATOR: All right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything is recorded. Here he is.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you doing? A skull (INAUDIBLE) that he believes is human.
911 OPERATOR: What's the location, please?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's right off of Suburban and Chickasaw, in the Caylee Anthony area, right by the...
911 OPERATOR: Oh!
(END AUDIO CLIP)
VAN SUSTEREN: Tiny human remains found in a bag blocks from the home of missing Caylee Anthony's grandparents. Now, Caylee vanished in June but was not reported missing by her mother, Casey. It was her grandmother, Cindy, who finally called police on July 15.
Casey sits behind bars tonight, arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Is this mystery finally close to being solved? Geraldo Rivera, host of "At Large," joins us from Florida. Geraldo, stunning developments, the discovery of this plastic bag. And I understand the defense says that they have been told that it is likely or probably this little toddler?
GERALDO RIVERA, HOST, "AT LARGE": I don't think anyone in Florida doubts that, Greta. I think that there was a tentative identification of those little remains almost instantly by the detectives on the scene, the child we were told right then and there. And then minutes after that grim discovery, that 911 call I had not heard before, but we were told by sources in law enforcement and the defense side of this fascinating and deeply troubling case that there were strong indications, every indication. There is no evidence to the contrary.
They have stopped short, as I understand it, of officially tentatively identifying the remains as the child, but it is the right size, the right age, the right hair color. I believe that the reason Dr. G., the very well known medical examiner in Orange County -- she has that "Ask Dr. G." show on the Discovery Channel. I believe the reason they have not announced the tentative identification pending DNA is that it does not therefore give the defense access to the autopsy, so the state has exclusive province over the autopsy. The judge denied the defense motion to have access to the autopsy based on the privacy of the little victim.
But there is no doubt among anyone that I speak to, Greta, but that this is the victim, the long-sought victim, missing toddler Caylee Anthony.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. And her mother, of course, is still sitting -- she's sitting in the slammer, charged with the murder of this infant. I mean, that -- they have not changed the charges. I mean, it's simply just a murder charge against her. They haven't upped it, for instance. They're not seeking the death penalty, for instance. And they have not yet added charges, if, indeed, that's appropriate.
RIVERA: As you know better than most, Greta, they will, upon examination of these remains, determine cause of death to the extent they can six months after the fact. But I think if that there is any sign of trauma to those -- to this little girl during life -- if, for instance, the skull is -- shows signs of blunt-force trauma, if her little limbs are broken, I think they're going to turn around and put the death penalty on the table in a heartbeat.
If, however, they do find traces of chloroform in the garbage bag in which the child was discarded, that would add credence to the oft- speculated theory that this was a reckless and selfish young lady who sedated her own child so she could go out and party or do whatever she had to do in the apartment and that she accidentally overdosed her child.
That would not be murder one, in my opinion. And I think that, you know, she could reasonably seek a plea deal, or even if found guilty, would not be sentenced to the maximum under Florida law. But that now is in the hands of the forensic pathologists. As you know, Linda Kenney Baden, Dr. Michael Baden, our esteemed colleague's, wife, the attorney who got Phil Spector that unexpected hung jury in the murder case in August 2007 -- - she has now been added to this team that already includes Dr. Henry Lee. So the defense is gearing up.
But I can tell you after numerous conversations that there is a sense of being deflated by this latest grim development. And there is also here in Florida, Greta, a sense of mourning among millions of people that this child with whom we have become so familiar with these touching home videos, that her fate is finally known. It's heartbreaking, and yet there is a sense that now Let's find out who killed her, how she got there, whether Casey Anthony did it on her own, if, indeed, she did it. Did she have help, either before, during or after the fact? Has that body really been there for six long months? Did Equusearch really miss it in the two times they were in that area? Those are all questions that will shortly be answered, Greta.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. We only have about a half a minute left, Geraldo. It was just almost a freak accident that this child was found, whoever this child may be, right?
RIVERA: It is a total happenstance, and that's usually the way it happens. You know, somebody, either a hiker, a jogger, or in this case, a utility man going 10 feet off of the road to relieve himself -- you know, just purely by chance, you know, the case is now meaningfully altered. I understand that there was a pretty good plea deal on the table for Casey Anthony. Gone now. Now I think she'll face trial in March and face the additional specter of capital punishment, if, indeed, this child has been hurt during life.
VAN SUSTEREN: Geraldo, thank you.
RIVERA: Greta, thanks.
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