What would you do if your child was accused of murder?

"Casey Anthony - wikimedia commons"]

Carol Forsloff - A number of psychologists and mental health experts have speculated about the state of mind of the parents of Casey Anthony wondering how the tragedy impacts them, even as their drama plays out in the court of public opinion like their daughter accused of murder. 

Over the past two years and counting, since the young child Caylee, the grandchild of George and Cindy Anthony and the daughter of Casey, now in a Florida prison accused of killing the child, the parents have asserted their loyalty to their daughter.  Yet they hadn't seen her until this week, in an initial hearing, prior to a trial that according to experts will take time and be difficult in many aspects. 

On similar cases, where parents of children accused of murder or who have murdered, become despondent, they relate their mental problems and describe great grief in sometimes tragic ways.  Or worse yet, they may act them out; although the public face may show a united front, a seemingly stable family in support of the family member who is facing a murder charge or a sentence already given out. 

Just months after Caylee Anthony's body was found and his daughter Casey accused of the young toddler's killing and put in jail, the grandfather,  George Anthony was found in a motel room and was taken to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation. 

He was quoted as saying, "you just don't know what it's like." This is similar to the statements made from families in similar tragic situations. George and Cindy Anthony, the grandparents, have lost their granddaughter, Caylee whose remains were found in December. Their daughter, Casey, is now in jail awaiting trial for Caylee's murder.

The incident indicates how conflicted parents like the Anthonys are and how difficult the situation is for them.  

At the time of George Anthony's consideration of suicide, Dr. Phil, one of the psychologists often on television quoted on matters like this, described George Anthony's response as "a cry of pain." 

Dr Phil said,  George Anthony was saying, "I have had too much here."People in their yard every day, their daughter in custody, Dr. Phil on Larry King said is a cry of pain. George Anthony is a man who is saying, "I have had too much here."  

This week Cindy Anthony was seen in the courtroom telling everyone that she wasn't really sure Caylee was in fact dead, despite the fact a coroner's report verified it was the child, found close to the grandparent's home. 

Scott Peterson, the man convicted of killing Laci Peterson is continuing to move forward with an appeal to his murder conviction.  The information was cited on a family blog by the Chicago Tribune.  The family is asking for $95,000 to help with expenses towards the costs of the investigation into the murder of Laci, whose dead body was  found, and Connor, the couple's unborn child later. 

Scott Peterson was found guilty in 2003 of the murder of his wife and her fetus and dumping the body.  He was sentenced to death and is now in San Quentin prison. 

"Your help today will bring us one step closer to getting Scott granted a new trial and finding justice for Laci and Conner," an entry on Scottpetersonappeal.org said. 

Denial in the face of guilt already determined would seem an ultimate denial that might surprise people, even as commentators, along with Cindy and George Anthony's attorney said, a denial of a child's death already verified is a way of managing grief when the dysfunction arises and a family needs to appear function. 

And the public's response to parent's who stand by their children in this manner?  A quick survey of an online forum found many who condemned the parents for doing this, but several as well in support.  As one poster on Topix declared, "Scott Peterson's parents deserve all the help they can get. They are victims here as well. Imagine if you can (you liberal troops) if your offspring had committed this kind of crime. Would you not use any thread to hold onto hope of his or her innocence?


Imagine how it would feel - the impact it would have on you - The self questioning and the emotional impact of knowing that your child did such a thing." 

An ordinary post on an ordinary day by a likely ordinary person, an anonymous forum poster who says what the psychologists say in a way many folks might well understand they might do if their child were accused of murder.