Mother of Alleged Baby-killer Admits to Conducting Chloroform Searches

"There were several searches I made that day," said Cindy Anthony, referring to March 17, 2008. The mother of Casey Anthony, the 25-year-old on trial for murder, testified Thursday that she was the person who conducted the internet searches for such things as "chloroform," not her daughter, Casey.

Cindy Anthony informed the jury that she initially searched for chlorophyll in an attempt to decipher what in her backyard was making her two dogs sick, which led to the search for bacteria and species of algae associated with chlorophyll.

"The smallest [dog] had some issues; she was extremely tired all the time ... I looked it up to see what in the backyard was causing the dog to be sleepy," she said.

She said she was notified of a scare over hand sanitizers, which prompted her to look up the ingredients in the antiseptic, a search which led to the other items, such as alcohol, acetone, peroxide and hydrogen peroxide. Cindy Anthony stated she was fearful because these solvents were present in household products she used around her granddaughter, the 2-year-old victim, Caylee Marie Anthony.

Mrs. Anthony also claimed that she was the person who searched for the violent terminology, such as "injury," after she learned a good friend of hers was in an automobile accident. She asserted that she explored the items while on her desktop computer because she is not permitted to web browse while she works.

Under cross examination, lead prosecutor, Linda Drane-Burdick questioned Cindy Anthony's work schedule at that time. The searches were done between 1:43 p.m. until 1:55 p.m., Drane-Burdick informed her, then asked how she was able to do that if at work. "It's possible," Cindy Anthony replied. "If these searches were made, I know I took them."

"It's possible even if your work records reflect something else?" asked Drane-Burdick.

"Yes," Cindy Anthony replied.

Drane-Burdick recalled when law enforcement officers were called when Casey Anthony was suspected for check fraud, and that Cindy Anthony did not inform them that she was the one to search those words on the web. Cindy Anthony rebutted that she did tell the officers and that she in fact did tell Mrs. Drane-Burdick, as well, at the time of her deposition.

"You told me you searched for chlorophyll," argued Drane-Burdick. "You even spelled it for me." Drane-Burdick added that Cindy Anthony - during her deposition - denied searching for chloroform.

Cindy Anthony affirmed, "I looked up chloroform," and explicated that if you search for the term chloroform on the internet, the results moreover includes the directions on how to make it, which she said is why she visited the websites that executed the instructions. She said she doesn't recall typing into the search bar, "how to make chloroform."

Cindy Anthony denied searching for "self-defense," "neck breaking," and "how to make weapons out of household objects," but remembered a pop-up appeared for the website, YouTube, that portrayed a skateboarder and the text "neck breaking."

(Photography by Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel/POOL)