July 7th, 2011
08:17 PM ET

Lightning strikes tree near Caylee Anthony memorial site

Hours after Casey Anthony learned on Thursday that she will leave jail next week, lightning apparently struck a tree next to a makeshift memorial in honor of her slain daughter,  Caylee.

No one saw lightning strike the pine tree on Suburban Drive in Orange County, Florida, where teddy bears and flowers mark the spot where 2-year-old Caylee's remains were found on December 11, 2008.

But long, diagonal strips of exposed wood scarred the tall pine tree, WESH reported, and bits of bark lay scattered across the road.

"It could be a sign from the angels that they aren't happy with what's happened," a visitor to the site told the Orlando Sentinel newspaper. "The rain, the lightning, the storm - it's the heavens indicating they aren't happy."

There are more lightning strikes in Florida per square mile than in any other state, according to weather.com.

A Pinellas County jury acquitted Anthony, 24, of murder and manslaughter charges Tuesday in the death of her daughter. The same jury convicted her of four charges of obstruction of justice for lying to police during the search for Caylee.

Judge Belvin Perry sentenced Anthony to four years in jail - one year for each of her four convictions - but with credit for nearly three years already served and good behavior, her release date was set for Wednesday, July 13, a court spokeswoman said.

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Filed under: Casey Anthony • Crime • Weather
soundoff (1,086 Responses)
  1. Shannon

    Every One watched and tuned in. The entire time the trial went on. She might have not been foud guilty in body. The only people that know what really went on was Casey. Caylee and God. For every one will stand in front of the maker . And have to answer to him . But what i want to know while every one is worried . Did any one see to Caylee getting a proper Resting place. Take flowers to her. Did anyone get her a head stone? There are more things that can be done. Look out for the children that are going thru it now. As we speak protect them.

    July 7, 2011 at 8:53 pm | Report abuse |
    • michaelfury

      http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/profits-and-losses/

      July 7, 2011 at 9:04 pm | Report abuse |
  2. someguy

    Maybe lightning will strike Casey!

    July 7, 2011 at 8:53 pm | Report abuse |
    • alicia

      we can only hope... twice....

      July 7, 2011 at 9:04 pm | Report abuse |
    • BillJ

      I'll order up a bolt about 1/3 as much power as usual BUT have it last about 10 seconds then hit her again

      July 7, 2011 at 9:28 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Really

    Thanks CNN. Now that the trial is over you and Nancy Grace have nothing to talk about except lightening? Let this little baby girl rest in peace and end the damn media circus.

    July 7, 2011 at 8:54 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Seamus

    Angels are mad? Man there are some huckleberrys living in Florida. They won't send a bolt of lightning down when Casey was putting chloroform into Caylee, but they'll send a bolt to hit the memorial? Religion is such a fairy tale. Please people quit believing in this nonsense.

    July 7, 2011 at 8:54 pm | Report abuse |
    • Girhm

      You have seven days...

      July 7, 2011 at 9:00 pm | Report abuse |
    • Darcy

      Shut up you idiot!

      July 7, 2011 at 9:02 pm | Report abuse |
    • George

      Nonsense ?!!! Jesus will return wearing a golden suit of armor riding a diamond studded chariot of flame as he smites his enemies, and buddy that's hardly nonsense.

      July 7, 2011 at 9:02 pm | Report abuse |
    • TessTyFy

      Nonsense! There was no chloroform... The chloroform search was a search because someone she dated had placed a man holding a rag near a woman's face saying something about getting it one way or another and that chloroformed worked. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT CAYLEE HAD ANY CHLOROFORM IN HER BODY! THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF CHLOROFORM IN THE TRUNK. It was a THEORY OF THE PROSECUTION that they tried to build a case around, but they failed. The entire case was a theory, and then staged because they knew they could not prove murder! Whether Casey did this or not, YOU WILL NEVER KNOW! You cannot kill someone when the baby could have died in the pool just as the defense stated. Read the evidence, watch the trial again... STOP LISTENING TO NANCY DISGRACE! She was wrong then, and she is wrong now. She used you for ratings, and you fell for it. Judge not, lest you be judged the same. Do you really want Jesus to through out your evidence?

      July 7, 2011 at 9:58 pm | Report abuse |
    • Callmeishmael

      <–rolfmao @ George. Wow, there are some real crackpots here.

      July 7, 2011 at 11:59 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Tarah D.

    @Erin, yes, people besides Nancy Grace are allowed to have opinions...but your opinion, my dear, is so incredibly dumb that I couldn't read past the part where you say "Try being young, a first time mom and having HUGE cops look at you as if you hurt your child, I bet you would be scared as hell and lie too." Ha! Stupid.

    July 7, 2011 at 8:55 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Spec5

    maybe all the stuff people putting around the tree increased the ground conductivity of that one spot act of man does bring on acts of nature duh if angels werent happy with which im sure they aremt wouldnt they have struck her or judge or prehaps the jury members themselves

    July 7, 2011 at 8:56 pm | Report abuse |
  7. ridiculous

    Why is this news. CNN you know exactly what response you will get with this ridiculous story. You are as bad as Nancy Grace.

    July 7, 2011 at 8:56 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Hookah

    Why is everyone going after Nancy Grace when she is just putting the truth out there? Casey should be in a jail cell. Period.

    July 7, 2011 at 8:56 pm | Report abuse |
    • KathyB

      Well....she IS in jail. So, there you go.

      July 7, 2011 at 10:09 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Andurill

    You can't really consider this news?

    July 7, 2011 at 8:57 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Marie Pearle

    Sigh. Prove that there is a. an afterlife beyond a reasonable doubt and b. a deity beyond a reasonable doubt before claiming that anything in life happens is "God's". And you also have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it's the Christian deity, not a Muslim, Buddhist, Pagan, etc. deity. Please stop claiming we have to believe in imaginary beings or be tortured eternally/murdered for our lack of belief, okay?

    That being said, if I were Casey, I'd hire bodyguards full-time and not go out alone again...angry mobs aren't a good thing. And no that's not a threat, it's common sense.

    July 7, 2011 at 8:57 pm | Report abuse |
    • pastafarian

      Marie: A voice of reason in a vat of blind stupidity!

      July 8, 2011 at 1:43 am | Report abuse |
  11. HuhWhat

    This made news? Must be slow...

    July 7, 2011 at 8:59 pm | Report abuse |
  12. ZippyPH

    Nancy Grace has gone from being a hard-nosed, overzealous prosecutor to a disgusting huckster who gains ratings by inflaming people's worst emotions. Shame on you CNN for having her on your network.

    July 7, 2011 at 8:59 pm | Report abuse |
  13. butch

    could be a sign of "get the h3ll out of here and get over it. the legal system spoke. get over it. you don't know wat happened, quit guessing and judging. judge not so you will not be judged. i'll bet all of you could cast the first stone. so throw it or shut the F up. just so home and let people mourn for kaley. just be done with it.

    July 7, 2011 at 9:01 pm | Report abuse |
  14. nemo

    CNN...BREAKING NEWS......A GARBAGE TRUCK HAS BEEN EXPOUNDED...GARBAGE MAY BE INSIDE....FILM AT 10. Idiots

    July 7, 2011 at 9:01 pm | Report abuse |
  15. dicedoN

    Hopefully God will strike the Satanic Casey in her Rat-like face with a lightning bolt,but don't kill her like that, not enough suffering ,please she needs to suffer ,she needs to be buried alive in a coffin full of giant centipedes!

    July 7, 2011 at 9:02 pm | Report abuse |
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