A day in the life of jailed mom Casey Anthony: Reading, lots of sleep

Sarah Lundy

Sentinel Staff Writer
August 13, 2008

Casey Anthony had turkey bologna for lunch Tuesday and will dine on jailhouse turkey with gravy for dinner today. That's life for Orange County inmate No. 08034750.

Today marks the 28th day she has been locked up in the jail, where her existence is a stark contrast to the media circus surrounding the disappearance of her 3-year-old daughter Caylee Marie.

While her parents are interviewed daily by reporters, 22-year-old Anthony is living alone in a 7-by-12-foot cell in the county's female detention center. Her only TV appearances are on security video watched by officers.

Jail officials say she spends most of her days reading books from the jail library and sleeping. She is not allowed to have pen and paper.

"She has been a model inmate," said jail spokesman Allen Moore. "She hasn't made any unusual demands and has been very cooperative."

Authorities booked her in jail July 16 on charges of child neglect, a felony, and filing a false statement, a misdemeanor. She remains there until she can post a $500,200 bail.

Her notoriety puts her in "protective custody" status, which means she's separated from the general population. This is the same treatment former astronaut Lisa Nowak and former boy-band producer Lou Pearlman received during their stays.

It's for the inmates' safety -- it keeps them from being targeted by others, Moore said. "She lives a very stark existence in spartan surroundings," he said.

The only human interaction Anthony has is with jail staff -- including officers and medical workers if needed -- and her attorneys."It's basically without social interaction," Moore said.

At least an hour a day, Anthony is allowed out of her cell when she can have access to a phone, take a shower or watch TV in the day room. If weather permits, a corrections officer can escort her to an atrium-type area where she can get fresh air.

Her day usually starts about 5 a.m. with breakfast. There is no wake-up time, but lights come on about 6:30 a.m. Anthony eats by herself in her cell, which has a bed, toilet and sink.

Lunch is served around 11 a.m., and dinner comes starting about 4:30 p.m.

She can't buy extra food from the jail commissary because no one has deposited money in her jail account.

Anthony dialed her last phone call more than 10 days ago when she asked her brother to have her attorney, Jose Baez, come to the jail. The call lasted 34 seconds.

Baez has made the trek to the jail 14 days since he first saw her July 17, according to jail records. On some days, he saw her several times. Some visits lasted more than two hours.

Another lawyer and investigators in Baez's firm have stopped by more than five times. Baez was not available Tuesday to comment.

In addition to her legal team, Anthony's family can visit her. The jail does not allow face-to-face contact with the public. Visitation -- limited to three a week -- is done through live video, and participants talk by phone.

However, Anthony has refused to see her family for the past several visits -- including her parents Sunday night. She gave no reason. Her brother, Lee, canceled a visit Tuesday. Like his sister, he gave no reason.

Her parents are scheduled to visit again Thursday. Jail officers will ask her that day whether she wants to see them.