Florida AG sues over Caylee doll

Published: April 9, 2009 at 9:15 PM
UPI Pictures of the Year 2007

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., April 9 (UPI) -- The Florida attorney general is suing a company over its doll, made in the likeness of slain toddler Caylee Anthony, and its Michael Vick chew toys for dogs.

Legal Newsline reported Thursday that Attorney General Bill McCollum filed a lawsuit against Showbiz Promotions LLC, and its owner, Jaime Salcedo, for allegedly defrauding the public.

McCollum claims the company in Jacksonville, Fla., intentionally misled the public into believing that by purchasing a doll or a chew toy they were helping worthy causes.

The company said purchases of the Inspirational Caylee Sunshine Doll, would help raise money for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. As for the chew toys, the company said those proceeds would help animal shelters, the lawsuit contends.

"Any company that intentionally misleads innocent consumers to believe they are contributing to worthy charitable causes is absolutely reprehensible," McCollum said in a statement. "It is disgusting that a company would exploit a tragic situation for personal gain."

McCollum is seeking civil penalties in the amount of $10,000 per willful violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Caylee's mother, Casey Anthony, 22, was charged in the death of her daughter. Vick, a former Atlanta Falcons quarterback, was sentenced in 2007 to 23 months in federal prison for his role in dogfighting and animal cruelty in Richmond, Va.

© 2009 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
COL BKB: Clemson 70, Butler 69 (7 min)
Florida, Alabama again 1-2 in BCS poll (11 min)
NBA: San Antonio 97, Philadelphia 89 (43 min)
UPI NewsTrack Sports
COL BKB: Texas A&M 66, Minnesota 65
NBA: Orlando 114, New York 102
COL BKB: North Carolina 80, Nevada 73
fark
Photoshop this rocket man
New screening system put in place to ease the number of calls received by the Department of Children...
Just another night in Iowa - the corn growin', the birds chirpin', the naked drunken biatch ramming...
Pictures of the ugly ass bonobo born at the Jacksonville Zoo
The choice is to save your wife or your son. This man had to make that choice. What would you do?...
Who knew hospitals had cannons?