Anthony case inspires legislation in Georgia

Parents who do not report a missing child within 18 hours of disappearance or the death of a child within 12 hours could face up to 10 years in prison under legislation proposed in the state House.

Rep. B.J. Pak, R-Lilburn, introduced House Bill 974 and named it in honor of Caylee Anthony, the Florida toddler whose mother, Casey Marie Anthony, was acquitted on first-degree murder charges after telling police she had not seen her daughter for days. Anthony was convicted of providing false information to police.

Pak said the intent of the bill is to give prosecutors another substantial charge to use in cases where lack of evidence, such as a body, makes convictions difficult.