ORLANDO, Fla. — A Florida mother charged with killing her 2-year-old daughter sobbed in court Friday as a prosecutor speculated aloud that the toddler was methodically drugged and suffocated with tape.
Casey Anthony cried as prosecutor Jeff Ashton suggested that Caylee Anthony’s killer restrained her arms, dosed her with something that knocked her unconscious and put duct tape over her mouth and nose.
Ashton offered the scenario when explaining why he thinks the case would qualify for the death penalty.
“Her killer would prepare some substance in advance that would render her physically unable to resist,” said Ashton during the pretrial hearing. “If the killer looked at her face, maybe the killer saw her eyes . . . First one piece (of tape), then two, then three so that no breath was possible.”
The cause of Caylee’s death remains unknown, but duct tape was found on the body.
Ashton offered the scenario in response to a defense request to bar prosecutors from seeking the death penalty.
Circuit Judge Stan Strickland said he would rule later.
Because the cause of death is still unknown, prosecutors are unable to prove she suffered a heinous, cruel or atrocious death, the standard under Florida law for seeking the death penalty, said Andrea Lyon, one of Anthony’s attorneys.
Anthony has pleaded not guilty.
