LOS ANGELES — Casey Anthony’s parents gave their first interview following their daughter’s acquittal on murder charges to television psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw.
The sit-down with George and Cindy Anthony is scheduled to air on the season premiere of “The Dr. Phil Show”, which will be broadcast on Sept. 12, People magazine reported Tuesday.
“Cindy and George have suffered a horrific loss with the untimely death of their granddaughter Caylee, and they have since endured an unprecedented public attack on their family,” McGraw said in a statement, according to People. “Have these attacks been warranted, or not? I looked them straight in the eye and asked some very tough questions. Nothing is off limits during this interview.”
McGraw said the interview was granted in exchange for a donation to Caylee’s Fund, a charity run by the couple. The psychologist said the organization is “intending to focus on promoting processes to educate the public about — and advocate for grandparents’ rights.”
Cindy Anthony said in a statement that she and her husband “knew that we’d want to speak at some point and we figured there was no better place than with Dr. Phil.”
“We are hoping that by doing this interview, we will be able to help other people who may be experiencing struggles of their own. We certainly don’t want anyone to experience what we have these last three years,” the statement said, according to People.
On July 5, Casey Anthony, 25, was acquitted of murdering her two-year-old daughter but was found guilty of lying to police during the investigation into Caylee’s death. Caylee’s remains were discovered in December 2008 in a wooded area almost five months after she was reported missing by Cindy Anthony.
Casey Anthony was released from jail on July 17, but a judge last Friday ordered her to report to the Florida Department of Corrections by Aug. 26 as part of her one-year probation for a check-fraud sentence.