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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Florida Sues Man Who Sells Dolls of Slain Toddler

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (CN) - The State of Florida has sued a doll maker for selling a doll of slain toddler Caylee Anthony while saying he has donated $5,000 to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a statement which is false, according to the state. Florida says the same man sells a "Michael Vick dog chew toy" over the Internet while falsely claim to donate profits from it to animal shelters.

The defendants are Jamie Salcedo and his company Showbiz Productions.

The state says it's received more than 200 consumer complaints about the Michael Vick dog chew toy, from people who said they never got the toy at all or got it after long delays. Florida says there is no record that Salcedo or Showbiz donated any money to animal shelters.

Florida also claims Salcedo and Showbiz are selling a "Caylee Sunshine" doll, for $29.99 - later increased to $79.99 - which is "modeled after a deceased person, Caylee Anthony, for commercial gain and without authorization."

The state claims the defendants - which operate out of Jacksonville - push the dolls, also known as Gracie Sunshine, Hope Sunshine, Sally Sunshine, and "other Caylee Sunshine merchandise" through misrepresentations.

The Florida Attorney General claims that on his Web site Salcedo "made the representation that 'we will donate 100% of the profits from the sale of 'The Sunshine Doll Collection' to charity.' The charity selected by defendant Salcedo was the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children."

The state says Salcedo also claimed on his Web that he had donated $5,000 to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. But the truth is, the attorney general says, that Salcedo donated $10 to that group, and that's all the group has received, from Salcedo or from Showbiz.

"Defendant Salcedo intentionally misrepresented the donation made to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In addition, defendant Salcedo misrepresented an affiliation with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children where no such affiliation existed," according to the complaint.

The state seeks fines and an injunction, in Duval County Court.

Caylee Marie Anthony was 2 when she disappeared in June 2008. Her body was found in December. Florida prosecutors said on Monday that the state would seek the death penalty against her mother, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

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