Your friends’ and the Anthonys stories are really tragic. Parents have no clue about how to deal with a child like that, so, to conform with societal norms, do that cover up till it is their ‘norm,’ so they live a lie for decades.
I really think there are just ‘bad seeds,’ and there is little the families can do about them. In those cases, I don’t think bad parenting per se is at fault so much as parental adjustments that arise from coping with a child like that. They all become very good at lying to everyone, most of all themselves.
The parents suffer greatly....constantly in alert mode for when the next call comes...and this for years. Because the kids do always try to go back home. Casey will too...just a matter of time. They plead and beg their parents to take them back....and are good at displaying quite the show to get them to. But it always errupts over and over.
I agree with what you stated as well...also even psycologists will tell people to get away from these people if possible. Unfortunately parents know their kid will always get kicked out no matter where they go. That will happen to Casey as well no matter where she goes...and she’ll be back to her parents once more.