Casey Anthony has been released from a Florida jail, 12 days after she was acquitted of murder in the death of her two-year-old daughter.

Ms Anthony got into a car after leaving the Orange County Jail in Orlando early on Sunday morning, leaving in the company of her lawyer Jose Baez.

The 25-year-old was found not guilty on July 5 of killing her daughter Caylee in June 2008, ending a sensational trial that captivated millions of Americans.

She was convicted of lying to detectives about the girl's whereabouts. When Caylee's disappearance was reported in July 2008, Ms Anthony told detectives several lies, including that she had been kidnapped by a non-existent nanny.

Caylee's remains were found that December in woods near the home Ms Anthony shared with her parents. Her lawyers say that Caylee drowned in the family pool.

Ms Anthony, wearing a pink T-shirt with blue jeans, left the jail at 12.14am local time.

She was given 537.68 US dollars (£334) in cash from her jail account and escorted outside by two sheriff's deputies armed with semi-automatic rifles.

Neither Ms Anthony nor Mr Baez said anything to reporters and others gathered outside.

The case has had national attention ever since Caylee was reported missing. Cable networks aired the entire trial and vitriol poured into social networking sites when Ms Anthony was acquitted of murder.

"This release had an unusual amount of security so, therefore, in that sense, it would not be a normal release. We have made every effort to not provide any special treatment for her. She's been treated like every other inmate," said Orange County Jail spokesman Allen Moore.