Cindy Anthony's 911 Calls: She Wasn't Smelling 'Pizza' on July 15

Missing Orlando, Florida toddler Caylee Anthony's grandmother refuted claims made in court that detectives could smell decomposition in a vehicle used and later abandoned by Caylee's mom, Cindy's currently-incarcerated daughter, 22-year-old Casey Marie Anthony. Here is what she said to Fox News: "Do me a favor [...] Put a little piece of pizza or any piece of garbage in your car today and leave it shut up for 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 days in this heat and then come back to me in 19 days and tell me what it smells like."

Cindy Anthony's increasingly desperate-seeming statements on her daughter's behalf smack more of a woman who has lost a grandchild and now finds herself valiantly trying to hang on to her daughter, who may eventually be charged with that grandchild's murder.

Because in 911 calls made July 15, when Cindy first contacted police about Caylee's disappearance, she didn't seem so self-assured about issues like the nasty odor coming from her car.

The following is a portion of the transcript of Cindy Anthony's first call to emergency services, as published by Central Florida News 13.

Dispatch: 911, what’s happening?

Cindy: Umm…I have someone here that I need to umm be arrested, in my home.

Dispatch: They’re there right now?

Cindy: And I have a possible missing child. I have a three-year-old that’s been missing for a month.

Dispatch: A three-year-old?

Cindy: Yes.

Dispatch: Have you reported that?

Cindy: I’m trying to do that now ma’am.

Dispatch: OK, what did the person do that you need arrested?

Cindy: My daughter.

Dispatch: For what?

Cindy: For stealing an auto and stealing money. I already spoke with someone they said they would patch me through the Orlando umm Sheriff’s Department have a deputy here. I was in the car, I was going to drive her to the police station and no one … They said they would bring a deputy to my home. When I got home to call them.

Again, that was Cindy's first call. She made two. Below is a bit of the transcript of the 2nd call, also made on July 15.

Dispatch: 911. What’s your emergency?

Cindy: I called a little bit ago. The deputy sheriff ‘s (inaudible). My granddaughter has been taken. She has been missing for a month. Her mother finally admitted that she’s been missing. I want someone here now.

Dispatch: OK, what is the address that you’re calling from?

Cindy: We’re talking about a 3-year-old little girl. My daughter finally admitted that the babysitter stole her. I need to find her.

Dispatch: Your daughter admitted that the baby is where?

Cindy: That the babysitter took her a month ago. That my daughter’s been looking for. I told you my daughter was missing for a month. I just found her today, but I can’t find my granddaughter. She just admitted to me that she’s been trying to find her herself. There’s something wrong. I found my daughter’s car today, and it smells like there’s been a dead body in the damn car... [Emphasis added.]

The second transcript is long, and the rest of it is worth the read.

One reaction to Cindy Anthony's flip-flopping might be suspicion. At the very least, great irritation. But it is also easy to feel terribly sorry for the woman. She may sense how close she is to losing everything.

In this video, Cindy Anthony attempts to explain those calls. It's difficult to watch, if you have any sympathy for her at all. It is hard to not think that she might one day look at how she's enabled her troubled daughter, how she's willingly built fantasies to explain Casey's behavior, and just collapse.

Sometimes, tragedy seems to just beget more tragedy. For some families, it can take generations before it ends. Watching one member unwittingly try to fend off something so awful brings more pity than rancor.

Unless, of course, she's in on the whole thing.

[Central Florida News 13, Anthony 911 call, transcript 1, CF News 13 Anthony 911 call, transcript 2.]