Aquan Lewis' family wants 2nd autopsy--Chicago Tribune

February 5, 2009

Relatives of the 10-year-old boy found hanging in an Evanston school would like an independent autopsy as they continue to question that Aquan Lewis killed himself.

The family's attorney, Todd Smith, said they are considering arranging for a second autopsy. Smith said this afternoon "it was startling" that the Cook County medical examiner's office "had so quickly" ruled the boy's death a suicide.

Scolded by a teacher, Aquan responded with a threat to kill himself the same day his body was discovered, said sources familiar with the investigation.

The 5th-grader hanged himself Tuesday afternoon by his shirt collar on a hook in an Oakton Elementary School restroom stall where a footprint was found on a toilet, a source said.

The boy's mother, Angel Marshall, said she remains shocked and confused about what exactly happened to Aquan, the second of her three children. She rejects the idea of suicide and said she believes foul play may have been involved.

Marshall spoke in a hushed voice between tears and sobs at Smith's office in downtown Chicago this afternoon.

Marshall said she kissed her son goodbye when he left for school Tuesday and he was excited about playing a basketball game.

"What happened in that school that would cause this?" she asked. "My son is the type of kid that he ain't never, never wanted to be at no better place than to be at his games."

She said her son was popular in school. "My son has helped protect kids at that school," she added. "I couldn't see him going to school to harm himself."

--Susan Kuczka, Ofelia Casillas

Public memorial for Caylee Marie Anthony will be Tuesday

Amy L. Edwards

Sentinel Staff Writer
February 5, 2009

The public memorial service for slain toddler Caylee Marie Anthony will be Tuesday morning.

Brad Conway the lawyer representing Caylee's grandparents, told the Sentinel the service will be at 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Orlando.

The public is invited to this service, but the Anthonys and the church do have the right to refuse entry to certain people, Conway said.First Baptist Orlando just issued a statement regarding the memorial, and said seating for the service will open at 9 a.m.

The church also said: - Use of cell phones, still photo and video cameras are not allowed inside the building. - No bags, purses or backpacks will be allowed inside the building. - Everyone who attends the service must pass through a metal detector.

Senior Pastor David Uth issued the statement:"I believe God placed First Baptist Church of Orlando here in Central Florida to make a difference in this community, and to love this community. We believe our purpose is to be a lighthouse, especially in difficult and dark times. One of those times is now as we have all been saddened by the death of Caylee Anthony.

As a church, we want to provide hope, healing and the opportunity to experience God's love. We believe that hosting the service will give us the opportunity to minister to a family in need and to a community that is hurting because of the loss of this precious child."Conway said other details will be released in the near future.

Boy's death at school ruled suicide--Aquan Lewis, Chicago

February 5, 2009
BY MAUDLYNE IHEJIRIKA

LISA DONOVAN

Staff Reporters

The state's child welfare agency is investigating neglect allegations against an Evanston school where a 10-year-old boy died after being found hanging in a bathroom stall, officials said.

Fifth-grader Aquan Lewis of Skokie was found unresponsive at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Oakton Elementary, 436 Ridge Ave. in the north suburb. He died at Children's Memorial Hospital at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Aquan told a teacher he planned to kill himself, and the teacher may also have shared the boy's comments with another staff member, sources told the Sun-Times. One of the sources charged that school personnel failed to take the threat seriously.

According to a law enforcement report, Aquan had been scolded by school staff earlier Tuesday.
"I just can't talk right now," Aquan's tearful mother, Angel Marshall, 26, told reporters Wednesday.

Evanston police and Evanston/Skokie School District 65 officials declined to provide details about the death, citing a police investigation. "It appears this is an isolated incident involving one student," District 65 Supt. Hardy Murphy said.

Aquan's family hired a lawyer, saying they had received scant details and had concerns over why the boy hadn't been in a gym class.

School officials told his mother he had been in line for gym but apparently slipped away unnoticed.

Neglect allegations were called in to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services against the school in connection with the death, DCFS spokesman Jimmie Whitelow confirmed.
"The question I think everyone is struggling with is where he made his departure from gym class to the bathroom," Murphy said.

The Cook County medical examiner's office ruled the death a suicide by hanging.

"As she sat there through the night and into the morning as her son lay dying, his mother kept asking, 'How did this happen?' " said Larry Rogers, the lawyer for Angel Marshall. "How is a boy out of a classroom on his own, unsupervised, and hanging on a hook for that duration?"

How high was this hook? How does a 10 year-old get himself hiked up there to hang himself? Was it low and he just sat down? Seems like more info than a boy that age should know, as far as "how-to" commit suicide. This stinks of bullying to me.

Anthony's Family Subpoenaed In Gonzalez Case

Anthony Given 30 Days To Answer
February 3, 2009

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A series of questions written on behalf of the woman Casey Anthony claimed was Caylee’s baby sitter has been given to Anthony to answer within 30 days.

Meanwhile, Anthony’s parents, Cindy and George, and her brother, Lee, also were subpoenaed in the civil case.

Zenaida Gonzalez, 37, was named by Anthony in July as the woman who kidnapped her daughter, Caylee.

Gonzalez denied knowing the Anthonys and has since sued Anthony for defamation of character.
The questions for Anthony were constructed by Circuit Judge Jose R. Rodriguez in an effort to assist Gonzalez in clearing her name in the case.

A month after Caylee’s disappearance, Anthony told investigators the last time she saw her daughter was when she left her with Gonzalez at the Sawgrass Apartments.

The following are some of the questions submitted to Casey to answer by the end of the month:
"To your knowledge, how many children does she have?"
"What kind of car does she drive?"
"Do you know who killed Caylee?"
"Were you involved in the death of Caylee?"
Click here for the entire list.

Do you reckon they will ALL take the 5th?

Casey Anthony takes the Fifth in defamation suit

Sarah Lundy Sentinel Staff Writer
February 3, 2009

Casey Anthony doesn't plan on answering a series of written questions posed on behalf of a woman suing her, including whether Anthony knows who killed her daughter, Caylee Marie Anthony, and whether she was involved.

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Anthony is going to reply to each question by citing her Fifth Amendment right because of concerns the answers could be used in the criminal case against her, her civil attorney, Jonathan Kasen, said Monday.

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Lawyers for Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez, who filed a defamation suit against the Orange County murder suspect, sent the questions to Anthony's attorney Monday, according to court documents.

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Circuit Judge Jose R. Rodriguez came up with the compromise of posing written questions last month after Anthony's attorneys tried to stop a videotaped deposition of Anthony in jail.

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The judge was trying to balance Fernandez-Gonzalez's civil-court efforts to clear her name and Anthony's rights in the criminal process. When Caylee's disappearance was first reported in July, Anthony, 22, told investigators that a month earlier she had left the 2-year-old with a baby sitter named Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez at Sawgrass Apartments, and when she returned later that day both were gone.

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Authorities interviewed 37-year-old Fernandez-Gonzalez, who told them she didn't know Anthony or her daughter. Caylee's remains were found in December a short walk from the home she shared with Anthony and her grandparents.

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Every time I come across that bit of info, I remember Cindy screaming at everyone at a candle-light vigil to get out there and find her granddaughter. The irony is not lost on me that if she had taken a walk/search through her own neighborhood, she might have found Caylee herself.

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Among the questions submitted to Anthony to answer in writing:

*How did you describe (baby sitter Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez) to law enforcement?

*List everyone you told that Caylee was with Zenaida Gonzalez the last time you saw her

*Do you admit the Zenaida Gonzalez who is suing you has never baby-sat for Caylee?

*Do you admit the story you told law enforcement that Caylee was with someone named Zenaida Gonzalez the last time you saw her is not true?

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You can just say no? Who knew?

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In other developments:

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*Roy Kronk, the Orange County Utilities meter reader who was thrust into the national spotlight when he found Caylee's remains, was reassigned to a new job Monday, his lawyer said. Kronk was reassigned to work in inventory control at a warehouse -- a position he requested before he found the remains.

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*Allen Moore, a spokesman for the Orange County Jail, confirmed there will be a verbal notice given to Anthony's criminal defense attorney, Jose Baez, about jail policies because a prohibited item -- a rubber wristband inscribed with "Forever in our hearts Caylee Marie Anthony" -- was found with the clothing Baez dropped off Wednesday for Casey Anthony's court hearing Friday.

So...first it was a little jail-house hugging, no doubt "comforting" Casey, as she had complained to her parents in the infamous video whine session replayed daily on all the news channels, since she was all alone with no one to comfort her. Who was there to comfort little Caylee when her mother turned on her?

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On Nancy Grace last night, Leonard Padilla, who broadcasts his theories as if they are fact, indicated that instead of Casey and Caylee leaving the Anthony house on June 16 at 12:50 as George has stated, that Casey actually stormed out of the house with Caylee on the night of June 15, after the fight between Casey and Cindy over the money stolen from Grampa Pleasee's retirement home account. The night Cindy tried to choke Casey (also according to Padilla.)

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In the (now outdated) timeline on this blog:

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"*June 16 Per Amy H official statement, Casey spent June 16 thru July 4 with Tony Lazzaro, July 4-8 with Amy Huizenga at Ricardo Morales apartment, then July 9 thru 15 with Tony.

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*Casey's boyfriend Tony says Casey stayed with him from June 10 until June 16. Tony told investigators that Casey was not in a panic, not searching for her daughter.

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She spent the night of June 15 with him." ?? Did she get there late at night? I'll go back and look at Lazzaro's interview transcript to make sure I'm remembering right.

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Since George's breakdown, we now know from his suicide note that he just couldn't live a lie anymore. Was that part of the lie he was referring to?

So, which is it? on the night of June 15 was she sleeping with Tony, or was she at home (at the Anthony's house?) hmmm.