Karmelo Anthonyâs family is taking heat online for allegedly blowing through over half a million dollars in donations and asking for another $1.4 million.
The teenager has been charged with first-degree murder for the stabbing of Austin Metcalf earlier this year, and his family had raised over $500,000 via GiveSendGo.
Despite receiving said amount, they recently requested a public defender, an obvious suggestion that they arenât able to afford one for trial.
Of course, this hasnât gone down well, at least not on social media.
âThis is the first time Iâve felt bad for Karmelo. Yes, he murdered a kid.But his family raised money off of evil public sentiment ostensibly to provide for an excellent legal defense, then kept it all for themselves. Truly an evil family,â one user wrote.
âThe family knows heâs guilty and heâs going away so theyâre just trying to grab as much money out of it as they possibly can,â said a second.
âThey pulled an easy scam đ. Now they have brand new house and a brand new car,â another claimed.
Karmelo Anthonyâs Family Outlines Their Needs
The Anthonys are asking for the $1.4 million so they can seek safe relocation following death threats, as well as for legal expenses, security equipment, counseling, legal counsel, and a team of investigators.
Karmelo Anthonyâs mother, Kaya Hayes, had previously denied using the donations on a new house and car. Itâs also said that the family is not one of little means and has always lived in a posh, gated community.
Meanwhile, a date for the murder trial has not been set. Karmelo remains under house arrest.
