NORTH BERGEN AND BEYOND – State Sen. and North Bergen Mayor Nicholas J. Sacco plans to introduce this week a bill that would call for parents to quickly report missing children. Named after Caylee Anthony, “Caylee’s Law,” if passed, would require children under the age of 13 to be reported missing within 24 hours. Failure to do so is punishable for up to 18 months of imprisonment and a fine up to $10,000, according to an article on NJ.com.
Sacco planned to hold a press conference on Monday to discuss the proposal.
The Caylee Anthony case became a national phenomenon after the 2-year-old girl’s remains were found in Florida in 2008. Her mother recently stood trial for her murder. Her mother, Casey Anthony, was ultimately found not guilty in her death, although she was convicted on misdemeanors.
Suspicions were raised after the girl’s grandparents became concerned after they didn’t hear about her or see Caylee for over 30 days. It was only then that she was reported missing.