Anthony attorney Brad Conway sure thinks so.
Conway stated this morning that law enforcement’s quick response and search for a despondent George Anthony early this morning inevitably saved his life.
OK, I can understand that he was suicidal. His granddaughter has been murdered. His daughter is in jail, accused of the terrible crime. But I have a question: Do you believe that he was actually going to take his life? Was this an elaborate plan to take the focus of the case off of his daughter Casey and the recently released documents? Thoughts?
From the Orlando Sentinel:
Anthony, who reportedly sent several text messages to relatives suggesting that he wanted to end his life, was found alive in a Daytona Beach motel with what appeared to be a suicide note after his family reported him missing late Thursday.
“Had it not been for (law-enforcement), this might have been a different outcome,” lawyer Brad Conway said. “They deserve a huge thank you.”
Conway said he wanted to acknowledge the “outstanding” actions of Orange County Sheriff’s Sgt. John Allen, the lead detective on the murder case involving Anthony’s granddaughter Caylee Marie; Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood; and the deputies and officers who helped track Anthony down.
“They went above and beyond, and they saved this guy’s life,” Conway said.
Daytona Beach police took Anthony into custody under the Baker Act after finding him in a motel on South Ridgewood Avenue. The Baker Act allows authorities to hold someone at a mental-health facility for up to 72 hours while they are evaluated by physicians.
Anthony, 57, was taken to the Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach where he is being evaluated. A hospital spokeswoman said this morning Anthony was in stable condition and would be receiving a physical evaluation before being admitted to the hospital.
Anthony left his home on Hopespring Drive in east Orange County Thursday morning and failed to show up for a 4 p.m. meeting with his wife, Cindy, and Conway.
Beginning at about 10:30 p.m., Anthony began to send his family text messages. Conway wouldn’t disclose exactly what the messages stated, but said they “caused us great concern.”
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office released the incident report and the three-and-a-half-minute 911 call Conway made last night at the direction of Sheriff’s Office Sgt. John Allen, the lead detective handling the homicide of Caylee Marie.
Conway told dispatchers that George Anthony left the Anthony home around 10 a.m. Thursday morning to go on a job interview. Cindy Anthony relayed that her husband had been “upset and depressed” about his granddaughter’s death recently. On Wednesday Cindy had asked George to pick out jewelry for Caylee’s funeral, which seemed to upset him more, reports show.
“We’re worried that something is — he’s done something to himself,” Conway told a dispatcher.
Conway gave the call taker a description of Anthony and his clothing.
Reports show that Cindy Anthony grew increasingly concerned throughout the day because George Anthony canceled several meetings, including a 4 p.m. appointment with Conway.
She tried to reach him but he would not respond to calls or messages left on his cell phone, reports show. She checked her husband’s night stand and saw that his medication was missing as well as picture of Cindy with their daughter Casey Anthony. Friends and other family members had not been able to contact George Anthony throughout the day.
Around 10:45 p.m. George Anthony began sending text messages to friends and family stating “he did not want to live anymore and that he wanted to be with Caylee,” records show. He also sent messages that said he “wanted to make sure Caylee was in God’s arms.” He would not tell them where he was.
Several Orange County deputies responded to the Anthony home and met with Cindy Anthony and Conway. They also used the K-9 unit to search the area for George Anthony while others began looking for his Chevy HHR, reports show.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office felony squad immediately began its search for George Anthony. Allen drove to the Anthony home to meet with Cindy Anthony. He left after George Anthony was located.
Orange County detectives were able to use pings from George Anthony’s cell phone to track him to Daytona Beach near Bethune Point, according to Daytona Beach police. Officers began searching for George Anthony’s black vehicle and spotted it at the Hawaii Motel in the 1300 block of South Ridgewood Avenue.
Chitwood, Daytona Beach’s police chief, spoke with George Anthony and convinced him to seek medical attention.
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