Chik Fil A was 2-3 times a month, special "Daddy-Son" time.
Arrived at 9am. Verified receipts & video. Child appeared awake and happy on video. Left at 9:19 am. Drove straight to work. 0.6 miles. Stop light where he would have needed to turn for daycare was 1-2 tenths of a mile.
Arrived at 9:25 per time stamp on video. Left work at 4:15 pm.
Was going to meet up with friends for a 5pm movie.
It is less than 2 miles from HD to parking lot where JRH stopped. He pulled directly in to shopping center and stopped in the middle of a lane.
Opened rear door, removed Cooper and laid him on hot pavement. Cooper was deceased at that time.
Anthony Lonamo first person to make contact.
Behavior seemed upset, erratic. Yelling and screaming omg what have I done my child is dead and then stop with a blank look on his face.
Anthony assisted him in getting Cooper out. He had to tell JRH that they needed to do CPR, and he stared at him. Anthony started CPR and JRH walked to other side of car and got on the phone.
Officers said He was telling someone on the phone his child had died. He said he hadn't reached anyone on the phone. 3 calls: Leanna, HD Corporate x2. 2nd call went thru for 6 min to Toddler Room. He denies again when asked after the phone records showed the calls.
JRH said he took Cooper to the car and put him in the vehicle "strapped him in right" and spiel about watching you tube videos showing car seat regulations and that this was the right car seat and the right way of strapping him in.
He kissed Cooper on the head because he always gives him a kiss in case they get in a car accident and he dies he wanted Cooper's to remember that his daddy loves him.
He had to make a UTurn to go to work from CFA . Had to look to his right to do so. Photos into evidence showing placement of seat.
The car seat is visible from outside the car. It takes 30-40 seconds to get to the light where the UTurn had to happen.
Daycare employees said normally after a CFA day Cooper would come in talkative and happy. JRH denied anything unusual distracting him when he arrived at work.
He pulls past a space, then reverses, between two cars. Then pulls forward into another spot. To the left driver side is another car. So the drivers side of the other vehicle is far from Justin's car. Then the right side is grass. No backing camera. Would have needed to use mirrors to back up.
He had a large computer bag sitting in front of passenger seat. He had to lean across center console to get bag. A mannequin shows Cooper's head was clearly visible above the car seat. He spends 30 seconds in car after parking.
Owners manual said Cooper exceeded requirements by several inches.
At lunch 2 friends picked him up. Ate at Publix hot bar, went to UPS store, then returned. Left at 11:30 and returned at 12:30 approximate. He never mentioned returning to the car during the day. Video showed he returned to the car at 12:42. A green car pulled up (by JRH's SUV). JRH left out that he had gone to HD at lunch and purchased light bulbs. He got out and they (green car) immediately took off. He approaches car at an angle opens drivers side door.( car seat visible as proven by photos). All the way inside the frame of the car but tosses the light bulbs inside the car. When he reaches in, he turns his head a little bit. Shut door, walks in to HD.
A person passes him walking towards his car as he's walking away. He stops. Stands there as man walks past. As he gets close to JRH car he starts a little but then as the man passes JrH gets on cell phone and walks into HD.
At 1:30 pm group email received from daycare.
Movie was a 5 pm movie.
No records from AT&T for six weeks or more. Phone itself shows calls: around 4pm incoming from L missed, outgoing to L missed, outgoing to L connected for about 1 min. 4:04 pm
No texts from L that afternoon.
Tix to movie: his friend was going to buy his ticket. At 3:45 he group chatted he would be late to movie. JRH said he had left work early to get to the movie and beat the after work rush. Left at 4:16pm. 10 min to theater. Left 9 min after phone call with L.
Demeanor: fluctuates "tried to work himself up" walking around, rubbing eyes. Appeared to be trying to hyperventilate himself, then would stop. Looked thru map. Sit up, sit down. No tears or emotion other than "huffing".
Used to work in LE. Det. Stoddard has been told he worked at a jailer and as a dispatcher. In JRH's own words he said 5 years as dispatcher in Tuscaloosa. Would use cop speak "alpha bravo" etc.
Wife: showed up at 4:51. At Cooper's room she saw Michelle. L here to pick up Cooper. "Ross never dropped him off." Got really calm. "I don't know what to do." Suddenly states Ross must have left him in the car. "There's no other explanation. Ross must have left him in the car." They said there could be other reasons and she said no.
Her reaction at the scene. No emotion when notified. States "this is her worst nightmare". After being told Cooper was deceased she asked to see Ross. Not Cooper.
Phone call with her mom : Grandma started screaming what to you mean Cooper is no longer here? Why aren't you crying? L said I must be in shock. Gma was so loud detectives could hear her side of conversation.
In room together. Ross got emotional. All about him. I can't believe this happened to me why am I being punished for this, I'm gonna lose my job I'll be charged with a felony. Wife had him sit down and she said "Well did you say too much?"
"He (Cooper) looked peaceful. Eyes and mouth closed." Photos show eyes and mouth were not closed. "Looked like sleeping." Defendant said "I dreaded how he would look.".
