Casey Anthony's Mother Mouths 'I Love You' at End of Prosecution's Case

June 14, 2011— -- Casey Anthony's mother mouthed the words "I love you" today as she left the witness stand in what was likely the final day of the prosecution's case in the Florida murder trial.

The prosecution is expected to tell the Orlando court on Wednesday that it has concluded presenting evidence that Casey Anthony allegedly killed her 2-year-old daughter Caylee in June 2008. Casey Anthony could face the death penalty if convicted of the murder.

Casey Anthony's lawyers asked the judge for a second time to declare a mistrial today, but the request was denied by Judge Belvin Perry.

Cindy Anthony was among the final witnesses for the prosecution, testifying tearfully at times as she recalled items like the remmants of a shirt found with Caylee's remains and heart shaped stickers.

The dead girl's grandmother said that she had never seen the pink shirt that reads "Big Trouble Comes Small" until she was asked by police about a photo showing Caylee wearing the shirt. Only shreds of the shirt survived during the the six months between the time that Caylee was last seen in June 2008 and when her body was found a short distance from the Anthony home in December 2008.

In addition, Cindy Anthony told the court that she noticed in May 2008 that Caylee's Winnie the Pooh blanket was missing. Rotting bits of a Winnie the Pooh blanket were found with Caylee's remains.

Caution that some evidence photos are graphic

The trial has touched at times on gruesome details that have repeatedly reduced Cindy Anthony to tears as well as grim photos introduced as evidence. Those photos have included such gritty details as Caylee's hair, bones fragments, and a reconstructed skeleton of Caylee's body.

As she left the witness stand, Cindy Anthony mouthed words "I love you" to her daughter.

Cindy Anthony also testified about the hair styles of her family, pointing out that her own hair and that of Casey Anthony had been treated, while the male members of her family have always kept their hair short.

The hair styles and treatment appears to have been intended to indicate that the hairs found in the trunk of Casey Anthony's car belonged to Caylee.

Earlier in the day, Catherine Theisen, the FBI's chief of quality assurance and trainee unit, told the court that the mitochondrial DNA from the hair found in Casey Anthony's trunk was a match for Caylee and Casey Anthony or another person from the maternal side of the family.

Previous testimony also contended that the hairs showed signs that they came from a corpse that was in the process of decomposing.

Alina Burroughs, a crime scene investigator for the Orange County Sheriff's Office, testified that she searched Casey Anthony's room and found a sheet of heart shaped stickers in a box. Some of the stickers on the sheet had already been used.

The stickers, prosecutors contend, are similar to the outline of a heart shaped sticker that was found on duct tape that was attached to Caylee Anthony's decomposing skull six months after the little girl disappeared. Three strips of duct tape were found over the child's nose and mouth and prosecutors contend they were used to suffocate Caylee.

In addition, a heart sticker was lying loose in a box of letters and cards, according to evidence photos submitted in court today.

Casey Anthony's attorney Jose Baez got Burroughs to state that the envelope that the loose sticker was lying on had a 37 cent stamp on it. "Obviously this is a very old letter," Baez said.

The defense attorney also noted that the box containing the heart stickers also had star stickers as well stickers depicting Disney characters. In addition, the box contained items from Caylee's baby shower.

The final witness for the prosecution was Bobby Williams, a tattoo artist who told the court that gave Casey Anthony the "Bella Vita" tattoo on her shoulder July 2, during a time that Caylee Anthony was missing but the police had yet to be alerted.

When asked about Casey Anthony's mood during the 30 minute tattoo, Williams said, "She didn't seem upset about anything... She seemed pretty happy."

He said Casey Anthony told him that he had a daughter named Caylee and that she would bring Caylee with her when she scheduled an appointment for another tattoo on July 19.