Would Aspergers Syndrome Explain Casey Anthony?

Casey Anthony Defies Social and Moral Conventions Without Remorse

© Elizabeth Randall

Nov 8, 2008

Casey Anthony, the prime suspect in the ominous disappearance of her two year old daughter, Caylee Anthony, has been described by friends on Topix.com blogspot as “very smart.” The Orlando Sentinel staff, covering the bulk of the Central Florida story, describes Casey in articles as “cool,” “confident,” and “unemotional.” Featured on local television, clad in an orange jumpsuit and shackles, Casey Anthony rarely shows emotion. Her head is often ducked, avoiding eye contact. Tellingly, her publicized and recorded phone calls from the Orange County jail reflect a shocking lack of appropriateness for a young mother in her situation. When her mother, Cindy Anthony, tries to get her to tell the truth about her granddaughter’s whereabouts, Casey says,

"Do me a favor and just tell me what Tony [a boyfriend]’s number is. I don't want to talk to you. Forget it."

Does Casey Anthony have Asperger’s Syndrome?

In Crime Times, Vol. 11, No. 3, 2005, Pg 6, a series of papers by J. Arturo Silva, and colleagues, suggests that some serial killers, including Jeffrey Dahmer and Theodore Kaczynski (the "Unabomber"), exhibit evidence of Asperger's disorder.

Although Asperger’s Syndrome is more common among boys, this neurological disorder signals a “splash” of autism to its unlucky carrier. According to WebMD, the main symptom of Aspergers is a lack of empathy.

Asperger’s patients have a severe problem with socially appropriate behavior. They cannot pick up on social cues and nuances; they ignore body language, and avoid eye contact. They do not understand differences in speech, tone or pitch; the are oblivious to the feelings of others. On the other hand, they are usually highly intelligent, and good with technology.

Examples of Aspergers in Casey Anthony

Although such speculations are fruitless without a psychological and neurological workup, it is worth noting that several examples of Aspergers-type behavior exists in widely reported news items about Casey Anthony. The first is her failure to report her daughter, Caylee Anthony, missing when she reportedly disappeared from a babysitter’s residence in June. Instead of calling the police or even her mother, Casey frequented a party circuit of Orlando bars, set up a My Space page, and got a tattoo. Asperger’s Syndrome is renowned for its carrier’s preoccupation with only one or two interests to the exclusion of all others.

In July, Casey was arrested for emptying the savings account of a close friend who had entrusted her with the responsibility of looking after her possessions. She was resentful about her arrest and saw no connection between her actions and the legal consequences.

It would be interesting to learn from Cindy Anthony whether Casey had delayed motor development as a baby, or had trouble learning to use a fork or a spoon, to ride a bike, or to catch a ball. Did Casey have an unusual walk? Was her handwriting poor? All of these symptoms indicate Asperger’s Syndrome.

Why Isn’t Casey Anthony a Sociopath?

Casey Anthony actually has many symptoms of a sociopath, otherwise known as antisocial personality disorder. These include: Lying, irritability, recklessness, disregard of safety for others, irresponsibility, and a lack of remorse. The only sociopathic symptoms lacking in Casey are consistent trouble with the law and a conduct disorder diagnosis before the age of 15. Casey had no criminal record until recently. She is 22 years old.

Why Does an Asperger’s Diagnosis Matter?

If teachers, family members or friends had acknowledged Casey’s peculiar behavior years ago, she could have been diagnosed, perhaps, with Asperger's Syndrome. Although Asperger patients do learn to function in society, even to form families of their own, no one would argue that a young single parent with such a condition should be entrusted singlehandedly with that task.

If Casey had gotten help, Caylee's mortality would not be in question. It is up to us to be on the alert to help other young single parents, like Casey, who may try to balance a neurological condition with unfortunate life choices.

Print Article

View All Articles

How to subscribe to feeds