Mom Blames Seizures for Casey's Odd Behavior

(Newser) – Casey Anthony's loyal mom blames a seizure—and post-partum depression, and maybe even a brain tumor—for her daughter's chillingly cold behavior after the death of her toddler Caylee. "I'm not making excuses for her. I want to find out what's wrong with Casey. I know that there's something wrong," Cindy Anthony said in the first part of an interview with Dr. Phil McGraw, aired yesterday. How could "this young person who cared about everybody, loved kids and then all of a sudden something tragically happens to Caylee, and Casey completely goes off the deep end?" she wondered. Casey partied hard and got a tattoo reading "Bella Vita" after Caylee's death and before she admitted the little girl was "missing"—later testifying that the girl had accidentally drowned in the family pool.

Cindy Anthony speculated that her daughter may have suffered a "grand mal" seizure the day Caylee died, and said that Casey had at least two other seizures, which may have been caused by a "brain tumor or stress." Even before that, Casey's parents noticed a marked change in Casey after the birth of Caylee. "I'm almost wondering if she didn't develop post-partum schizophrenia or some issue after her pregnancy, a hormonal type of illness," Cindy said. When she learned Casey had lied about Caylee's disappearance, Cindy Anthony said she "wanted to choke her and hit her."