Hi everybody, this is Scottie (a.k.a. “dad”).  I usually let Kathleen do the typing, but this one is all me. I always figured I would save my writing debut for something a little different… and I think this qualifies.

If you pay any attention to national news stories, you’re probably aware of the Casey Anthony case that’s been going on in the Orlando area since summertime. Casey has been charged with murdering her 2-year-old daughter Caylee, and her parents (George and Cindy) have been all over the media saying that Caylee is still alive, and Casey had nothing to do with it. A huge search has been  going on for months in hopes of trying to find any trace of the little girl. Well, The whole thing exploded last Thursday when a meter reader stopped to do some potty business in the woods just down the street from the Anthony house, and found the remains of a small child.

At this point I should explain I’m a bigtime news junkie. I live and breathe events like this, sponging up every bit of information available from all the sources I can find. Kath and I have been keeping up with the story since it first broke back in July, and we’ve watched Nancy Grace on CNN almost every night to stay on top of it. I’ve also worked in television production, so I know how this stuff is done. Needless to say the local channels went batpoop nuts with live coverage of the Thursday find, and I watched as much as I could during the morning hours.

My petsitting responsibilities eventually took me away from the tube. We make our living traveling from house to house, caring for our clients’ animals. So I had to give up my breaking-news-viewing to go earn some Cassidy-gets-to-eat money. But the schedule was light, and around 3pm I was done and ready to head home. Only I didn’t head north, I turned south towards Suburban Drive and Chickasaw Trail. Not too far from my last stop, heard there was something going on down there… and I’m always armed with my trusty camera (who did you think takes all those pretty horsie pictures?). What follows is a “behind the scenes” look at the insanity:

Facing east down Suburban Drive towards “ground zero”. TV trucks to the left, gawkers to the right.

Reverse of the previous shot, looking back towards Chickasaw Trail.

An officer stands guard in the street while camera crews scurry about in their tent city.

A news-copter hovers overhead.

Channel 6 anchor Bob Frier prepares to host the evening news only yards away from where the skeleton was found. See that flowery object in the bottom right of the shot, leaning against the tree? That’s a cross, which was the first item placed where a growing memorial to Caylee now sits.

Just across the street from Bob, a Channel 9 reporter and camera operator focus on the Sheriff’s Office Mobile Command Center. Beyond that big truck, back in those trees, is where the remains were found.

Holy crap, more TV trucks? We’re looking south from Suburban, down Hopespring Drive. The Anthony home is just around the bend on the left.

The red-headed wonder of AM radio… WDBO’s Nikki Pierce prepares her notes for the Nancy Grace show.

Hey, look! Another news helicopter!

Channel 2’s Michelle Meredith preps for her live hit (only feet from Ch.6’s Bob). Nice tenny-runs, Michelle!

Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary gives Michelle a quote or two.

On the way out, I stopped to check out the action at the Anthony home. Even more TV trucks! See the cop cars parked across the driveway on the opposite side of the street? That’s where the baby-killer lives.

The camera never blinks, never sleeps. And that light is wide awake too.

May Caylee rest in peace.