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Kentucky lawmakers propose "Caylee's law"

FRANKFORT, Ky. - A proposal by two eastern Kentucky lawmakers would make it a felony not to report the disappearance of a child 12 or younger within 12 hours.

The bill is called "Caylee's law" for a 2-year-old Florida girl who died in 2008. Her disappearance was highly publicized through the Casey Anthony trial. Anthony, the mother of Caylee, did not report the toddler's disappearance for at least one month. The child's body was found in Dec. 2008, six months after her mother said she was kidnapped by a what was determined to be fictitious babysitter in June 2008.

Anthony was ultimately was found not guilty of first degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of a child, but was found guilty of four misdemeanor counts of providing false information to a law enforcement officer.

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Democratic Reps. Richard Henderson of Jeffersonville and Keith Hall of Phelps said it would give prosecutors another tool to help police and prosecutors.

Republican Rep. Stan Lee of Lexington and Ernie Lewis, legislative agent for the Kentucky Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, raised questions about the wording of the bill at a House Judiciary Committee meeting Wednesday.

Hall and Henderson said they would be willing to work with Lewis and others to strengthen the legislation and expect to reintroduce it next week.

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