GA - Suspicion over heat death of Cooper, 22 mo., Cobb County, June 2014, #1

[JeannaT]

Well if that was the case, after you take one kid in, you KNOW you have the 2nd kid to take in... so "forgetting" wouldn't come into play. Unless he forgot he had a 2nd kid in the few minutes it took to take the 1st one in.

Been keeping an eye on this one. Sure looking more and more like the dad didn't "forget" the baby

I thought that too, at first. That it seemed a GLARING oversight not to take both since you're there at daycare - why select just one to bring in?

And then in rethinking the actual procedure, it seems as if a very distracted parent could take one, and then come back to the car and leave.

I've never done that, but I've certainly unloaded half a car load of groceries and left the rest in the car all afternoon.

(I am not comparing groceries to a child, just comparing the process of the task of unloading the car. I personally have never left my kids in the car, ever.)

 

[ATasteOfHoney]

I wonder if the other young child has said anything that may have given LE cause to be alarmed?

 

[CrazytownUSA]

I thought that too, at first. That it seemed a GLARING oversight not to take both since you're there at daycare - why select just one to bring in?

And then in rethinking the actual procedure, it seems as if a very distracted parent could take one, and then come back to the car and leave.

I've never done that, but I've certainly unloaded half a car load of groceries and left the rest in the car all afternoon.

(I am not comparing groceries to a child, just comparing the process of the task of unloading the car. I personally have never left my kids in the car, ever.)

I'm sorry, I totally disagree. Distracted enough to know you have 2 kids to take into daycare... you take one, drop that child off and in between that, and the time you get to the car to pick up the 2nd kid, you FORGET you have a 2nd kid??? Seriously?

Bottom line is, they had enough to charge him with felony murder, so the "mistake" part it seems, has been ruled out... now we wait to see WHY it was ruled out.

 

[Tawny]

I'm sorry, I totally disagree. Distracted enough to know you have 2 kids to take into daycare... you take one, drop that child off and in between that, and the time you get to the car to pick up the 2nd kid, you FORGET you have a 2nd kid??? Seriously?

Bottom line is, they had enough to charge him with felony murder, so the "mistake" part it seems, has been ruled out... now we wait to see WHY it was ruled out.

Maybe the person usually takes Kid 1 in first, then comes back to get Kid 2, but this time for whatever reason, he took Kid 2 in first.

I have no idea how or why or what happened, simply providing a explanation of how it could happen (again, this wouldn't excuse it, it is simply an example of how)

 

[JeannaT]

Maybe the person usually takes Kid 1 in first, then comes back to get Kid 2, but this time for whatever reason, he took Kid 2 in first.

I have no idea how or why or what happened, simply providing a explanation of how it could happen (again, this wouldn't excuse it, it is simply an example of how)

That's what I think might have happened, too, Tawny. To me, if his habit were to take the two in separately, and this time he returned to the car without taking the second, that's MORE believable than bypassing the daycare all together. When I really think through the process, I can begin to understand how it might happen that you take one, and then absentmindedly continue on to work without the second process of taking the other.

Of course, if they find something else that indicates otherwise - that this was intentional, that's a whole different story all together.

 

[georgiagirl]

Are we sure they had two kids? I looked very closely at dad and moms social network and only saw pics of Cooper.


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[tlcya]

I'm sorry, I totally disagree. Distracted enough to know you have 2 kids to take into daycare... you take one, drop that child off and in between that, and the time you get to the car to pick up the 2nd kid, you FORGET you have a 2nd kid??? Seriously?

Bottom line is, they had enough to charge him with felony murder, so the "mistake" part it seems, has been ruled out... now we wait to see WHY it was ruled out.

agreed. If you are so distracted by the two kid thing you do not forget in the space of getting one delivered safely inside and returning to your car/other child.

It seems much much much more unlikely to me.

Only way I could see this is if the other kid was old enough to be in front seat and both parent and child forgot baby was in back because baby normally doesn't get dropped off by dad. And EVEN then it becomes a bigger stretch by far for me.

 

[tlcya]

I would love to know the answer to the two or one kid question because that is a big unusual mistake to make for the LE making statements to press.

He was directly quoted at the scene.

shrug

 

[CrazytownUSA]

Maybe the person usually takes Kid 1 in first, then comes back to get Kid 2, but this time for whatever reason, he took Kid 2 in first.

I have no idea how or why or what happened, simply providing a explanation of how it could happen (again, this wouldn't excuse it, it is simply an example of how)

If it's possible to, in the time it takes you to go back to your car from the daycare, you forget you have a 2nd child (regardless of which you usually take in), you should not be in the care of children (not you... just speaking generally lol). It was much more plausible that he forgot the one child. But to think that he went to the daycare (and all of this was based on the assumption the kids were in the same daycare), and took one in, and then suddenly somehow forgot he had 2 kids in the car... I'm actually sitting here with my jaw wide open, because I guess I can't believe there are people that think that is plausible. I'm respectful of your opinion, I just don't agree with it

 

[CrazytownUSA]

That's what I think might have happened, too, Tawny. To me, if his habit were to take the two in separately, and this time he returned to the car without taking the second, that's MORE believable than bypassing the daycare all together. When I really think through the process, I can begin to understand how it might happen that you take one, and then absentmindedly continue on to work without the second process of taking the other.

Of course, if they find something else that indicates otherwise - that this was intentional, that's a whole different story all together.

But he had not developed any "habits" since from the beginning he stated that he is not the one that usually takes the baby to daycare... that was how he got his "excuse".

[modsnip]

The fact that they have charged him with felony murder means they HAVE found something else. Otherwise, he would have been charged with some form of manslaughter, NOT murder.

 

[JeannaT]

Are we sure they had two kids? I looked very closely at dad and moms social network and only saw pics of Connor.


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Do you mean Cooper? I ask because I'm curious if you saw pics of a child named Connor.

 

[Chewy]

I think it's very telling that the police officer said what he knows shocked him as a police officer. Child abuse is fairly common, leaving kids in cars is fairly common. It had to be something very extreme IMO

 

[CrazytownUSA]

agreed. If you are so distracted by the two kid thing you do not forget in the space of getting one delivered safely inside and returning to your car/other child.

It seems much much much more unlikely to me.

Only way I could see this is if the other kid was old enough to be in front seat and both parent and child forgot baby was in back because baby normally doesn't get dropped off by dad. And EVEN then it becomes a bigger stretch by far for me.

Yes, THAT would make more sense (not much, but WAY more sense then going back out to get the other child and forgetting about him during the walk)

 

[newone]

I would love to know the answer to the two or one kid question because that is a big unusual mistake to make for the LE making statements to press.

He was directly quoted at the scene.

shrug

My 2nd thoughts on this ..... what if it was a favor to drop off another person's child that day.....

 

[eileenhawkeye]

Does anyone else feel like there could be a PR firm at work here? Or did Harris just get really fortunate that the story is being presented in a way that has caused thousands of people to donate and sign petitions?

 

[JeannaT]

But he had not developed any "habits" since from the beginning he stated that he is not the one that usually takes the baby to daycare... that was how he got his "excuse".

[modsnip]

The fact that they have charged him with felony murder means they HAVE found something else. Otherwise, he would have been charged with some form of manslaughter, NOT murder.

[modsnip] it's VERY common for LE to jump the gun and charge someone on faulty first blush evidence. The fact that he was in handcuffs within minutes of cops arriving on the scene to find his deceased child gives me pause. I don't know whether they have more information that makes it clear this was purposeful - but I've certainly seen parents vilified and then in the end it turns out what they were saying is true.

Riley Fox comes to mind. Before there is even an autopsy performed, I'm hesitant to blame this dad for murder. He was in handcuffs, literally, within minutes of cops arriving at the scene of a 911 call to report a child dying of heat stroke in a car.

Again, since we are trading on very very thin information at this point, I agree it may be true that he murdered this child.

 

[georgiagirl]

Do you mean Cooper? I ask because I'm curious if you saw pics of a child named Connor.

Yes!!! Cooper!!


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[Mystymiss]

These are different things. Intentionally risking harm by knowingly leaving babies alone in the car is not the same as forgetting the baby is there in the first place. Same possible outcome, the difference is intent.

People make mistakes. They screw up priorities. They make bad decisions. I'm not even saying there shouldn't be legal ramifications. I'm just saying that I think the punishment should fit the crime, and that intent makes the difference.

I'm sorry but I don't make that kind of mistakes! I don't care what I have on my mind. I would never never forget my baby was in the car!! You can make all the excuses you want but this father should be charged. I'm 59 and and still haven't...

 

[tlcya]

Other direct quotes from Pierce include:

"Much has changed about the circumstances leading up to the death of this 22-month-old since it was first reported," Cobb County Police Sgt. Dana Pierce told CNN.

SNIP

"I've been in law enforcement for 34 years. What I know about this case shocks my conscience as a police officer, a father and a grandfather," said Pierce.

SNIP

"Within moments of the first responders getting to the scene and doing their job and questions began to be asked about the moments that led up to their arrival at the scene, some of those answers were not making sense to the first responders,"

SNIP


"We have been in communication with the mother throughout the investigation. At this time, I'm not at liberty to discuss her involvement. That's a part of the case our detectives are working on,"

SNIP

"I cannot confirm that the child, as originally reported, was in the car at 9 a.m."

http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/21/us/toddler-car-death-probe/

 

[CrazytownUSA]

I think it's very telling that the police officer said what he knows shocked him as a police officer. Child abuse is fairly common, leaving kids in cars is fairly common. It had to be something very extreme IMO

That's what my initial thoughts were too... he certainly made it seem pretty extreme. As soon as the dad was charged with murder, I got a sick pit in my stomach