Casey Anthony Photographed with Baby in Her Arms

Casey Anthony was back in the baby business ... at least for a minute.

Casey was at lunch with friends at a restaurant in Clearwater, Florida, when a woman at the table forked over the 6-month-old to the woman who was acquitted of murdering her own child.

There's a story behind all this ... the infant is the grandson of a veteran NBC producer who has gotten close to Anthony. There have been numerous stories ... NBC has made a serious play for several years to get a sit-down with her.

The infant's mother took the pics back in February.

BTW ... this was not just a moment in time. One of the pics shows Casey and the baby at a home before they all went to lunch.