The echoes of a cold case that once left more questions than answers are now reverberating through a Phoenix courtroom, as Annie Anderson, the woman accused in the death of "Baby Skylar", seeks additional legal firepower. In a revelation by ABC15, Anderson's public defender has made a move to reinforce her defense by requesting the aid of two attorneys specializing in pregnancy-related cases. These counselors, affiliated with a pregnancy defense organization, are set to join forces on a pro hac vice basis, pending court approval.
Skylar, an infant girl, was found deceased in an airport bathroom in 2005, a grim discovery that has haunted the halls of Sky Harbor for two decades. Despite the trail having long gone cold, a breakthrough came when Anderson was identified through investigative genetic genealogy and subsequently arrested in Washington in 2023. According to a statement obtained by Scripps News Phoenix, Anderson allegedly confessed to being Skylar's mother and placing her in the airport trash, under the weight of financial and personal turmoil.
Contemplating the severity of the charges—first-degree murder—Anderson's trial looms with a starting date set for June. Further complicating the case, new court documents suggest that a plea deal may be on the horizon. Despite the twists and turns of pretrial developments, Anderson remains out of custody, tethered by electronic monitoring and bound by state lines, after her $200,000 bond was posted last December by a reproductive rights group.
Local attorney Armando Nava, unaffiliated with the Anderson case yet providing insight to ABC15, notes the legal precedence of bringing private attorneys to complement a public defender's efforts. "This is something that is available to anybody going through the criminal legal system in Arizona," said Nava. The prosecution in the case has not yet taken a position on the latest motion to bring in additional counsel for Anderson.
