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

[jnTexas]

I wonder how often people leave their child in the car and remember before the child passes.

I just don't see how this happens.... I think he should be charged either way. If you are too absentminded to attend to the safety of a child then don't have one.

Children are not possessions. Had this happened to a dog people would be up in arms to charge the guy. Probably the same ones supporting him. Just sayn'

 

[JeannaT]

In the south, in the old days, people referred to young boys as 'master' and little girls as 'miss'. I haven't heard the term 'master' used in years.

My guess is, a grandparent wrote that obit - or someone of that generation.

 

[jnTexas]

any idea what time the press conference is?

 

[JeannaT]

I wonder how often people leave their child in the car and remember before the child passes.

I just don't see how this happens.... I think he should be charged either way. If you are too absentminded to attend to the safety of a child then don't have one.

Children are not possessions. Had this happened to a dog people would be up in arms to charge the guy. Probably the same ones supporting him. Just sayn'

Well, not me. I'm supporting him and am incensed when people leave dogs in cars. The difference is, though, no one accidentally forgetfully locks a dog in a car. They do it on purpose. I'm even more incensed when people purposely leave small children (or old people, I've seen that) in a hot car.

So educating people to the hilt and charging them for leaving dogs in cars - as it is purposeful - will make some headway. Charging people who purposely leave children or other humans in the car will make headway.

Charging grieving parents for absentmindedness doesn't seem to make any difference in the very very rare cases where this happens.

If you say, lock your dog in a car and you'll be charged with a crime, people will stop doing it. Accidentally lock your precious baby in a car and you'll be charged with a crime doesn't seem to help. It's inadvertent. No one takes into account being charged with a crime when they forget their baby. That would be remembering TWO things, not just one - the precious child.

 

[blue22]

That makes it more believable for me. He was out of routine. (I guess, maybe he stopped there every day though).

Being out of routine is what makes this happen. Had he not stopped for breakfast, but rather, went his usual straight to daycare instead, it seems highly unlikely he would have gotten off-track.

This happens when there is a kink in the routine. I was surprised learning yesterday that Ross took the baby every morning to daycare - that's very routine - and then there's this stopping for breakfast thing that came to light.

Out of sight, out of mind. Sad phrase at this point.

So he eats breakfast sitting with his son in a restaurant, puts him in the carseat and in 3-5 minutes drive, he is SO out of routine...he forgets his son. But wait, daycare IS part of his every day routine. Not only does those 3-5 minutes screw him up so badly, that he forgets part of his every single day routine, his child going to daycare in HIS WORKPLACE. His memory also isn't jogged when he goes to his car during the day. Those 3-5 minutes messes with his head so much, that he drives miles without noticing smell, that his son was there dead. He pulls over and tells multiple people his son (who has been sitting dead for hours and stiff with rigor) was choking. (You can't choke if you are dead.)

Those were some mild altering 3-5 minutes.

 

[georgiagirl]

There is no love in the obit. His first name was Master? http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tu...r-cooper-mills-harris&pid=171475366&fhid=8345

No. Master is a formal way of referring to a young boy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rob]

So he eats breakfast sitting with his son in a restaurant, puts him in the carseat and in 3-5 minutes drive, he is SO out of routine...he forgets his son. But wait, daycare IS part of his every day routine. Not only does those 3-5 minutes screw him up so badly, that he forgets part of his every single day routine, his child going to daycare in HIS WORKPLACE. His memory also isn't jogged when he goes to his car during the day. Those 3-5 minutes messes with his head so much, that he drives miles without noticing smell, that his son was there dead. He pulls over and tells multiple people his son (who has been sitting dead for hours and stiff with rigor) was choking. (You can't choke if you are dead.)

Those were some mild altering 3-5 minutes.

I agree, it's too much. It seems like he was going another way with his story, then he gets the body out and its already stiff. The story is too quirky. Something just ain't right.

 

[FrostByte]

The autopsy report will reveal all. It's a reason they're are waiting on releasing it. Tragic story. My prayers are with the mother. Hope he rots in prison.

 

[Judicious1]

What could this mean?

"Harris, 33, has been charged with felony murder and previously was charged with cruelty to children in the first degree. The cruelty to children charge was later downgraded to second degree, implying that investigators do not believe there was criminal intent."

from http://www.ajc.com/news/news/breaking-news/cops-cobb-toddlers-death-investigation-continues-t/ngRfn/

I noticed this as well. I have no clue. Nothing they released today helps. I'm interested to see manner of death as well as COD. Anyone know what time the press conference is?

 

[JeannaT]

So he eats breakfast sitting with his son in a restaurant, puts him in the carseat and in 3-5 minutes drive, he is SO out of routine...he forgets his son. But wait, daycare IS part of his every day routine. Not only does those 3-5 minutes screw him up so badly, that he forgets part of his every single day routine, his child going to daycare in HIS WORKPLACE. His memory also isn't jogged when he goes to his car during the day. Those 3-5 minutes messes with his head so much, that he drives miles without noticing smell, that his son was there dead. He pulls over and tells multiple people his son (who has been sitting dead for hours and stiff with rigor) was choking. (You can't choke if you are dead.)

Those were some mild altering 3-5 minutes.

Blue, frankly, I don't get it either because I've never forgotten my kids in the car. But I do recognize it when I see it, having seen a couple people do it. I just believe, although I don't do this, that it can happen.

I've certainly set out to go to one destination and headed in the direction of another very routine destination and then think WAIT I'M NOT GOING TO WORK, and turned the car around to go to where I was actually going. Autopilot can take over.

I don't believe the choking thing. I just don't. I think that was a misunderstanding when Ross was ranting about CPR and needing CPR. I don't think he said my child is choking. Only the pizza guys (who are friends) think he said that, and then one of them went on to imagine he could diagnose shock in a person and this guy wasn't in shock.

I think this man has a very tragic lack of flexibility in his brain, coupled with the sad circumstances of lack of ability to visually see the child and the perfect storm was created and now this very precious child is dead long before his time.

I also think he will never ever forgive himself, nor will his wife ever forgive him and the ripple effect out - of this awful tragedy - will continue for a full generation.

On the other hand, how many people across the US right now are recognizing themselves in this situation and coming up with solutions to keep this from happening in their family?

 

[Judicious1]

What could this mean?

"Harris, 33, has been charged with felony murder and previously was charged with cruelty to children in the first degree. The cruelty to children charge was later downgraded to second degree, implying that investigators do not believe there was criminal intent."

from http://www.ajc.com/news/news/breaking-news/cops-cobb-toddlers-death-investigation-continues-t/ngRfn/

Re reading it I think it means they don't think he left him intentionally. Wonder why they didnt drop murder down to manslaughter. Maybe for plea bargaining chip?

 

[blue22]

I noticed this as well. I have no clue. Nothing they released today helps. I'm interested to see manner of death as well as COD. Anyone know what time the press conference is?

As much as folks are talking a bout a press conference, I haven't actually seen any information about one happening. I just spent some time looking for articles talking about it, and I can't seem to find anything.

 

[jnTexas]

Well, not me. I'm supporting him and am incensed when people leave dogs in cars. The difference is, though, no one accidentally forgetfully locks a dog in a car. They do it on purpose. I'm even more incensed when people purposely leave small children (or old people, I've seen that) in a hot car.

So educating people to the hilt and charging them for leaving dogs in cars - as it is purposeful - will make some headway. Charging people who purposely leave children or other humans in the car will make headway.

Charging grieving parents for absentmindedness doesn't seem to make any difference in the very very rare cases where this happens.

If you say, lock your dog in a car and you'll be charged with a crime, people will stop doing it. Accidentally lock your precious baby in a car and you'll be charged with a crime doesn't seem to help. It's inadvertent. No one takes into account being charged with a crime when they forget their baby. That would be remembering TWO things, not just one - the precious child.

I respectfully disagree..... He was negligent in leaving his flesh and blood in that car seat. That baby died a horrific death. Could you imgaine being locked in a hot car strapped to seat unable to get yourself out as the heat took over your body, sweat pouring out as you grasp for your last breath. The thoughts going through your mind as you take your last gasping breaths? Because YOUR PARENT the person instrusted with your care and safety forgot you but most probably remembered his lunch, cellphone, badge, drink he was drinking... This is no different than leaving a child in a bathtub while running to answer a phone..... Accident or not he should be charged. If I were his wife I would want my own justice via a 45, but maybe I'm too harsh. I litterally could kill someone who killed my child. That is exactly what he did, he killed his child.

 

[Judicious1]

Now knowing about the stop for breakfast, I wonder if the child did choke in the morning and passed away. Perhaps RH left CM in the car not knowing what to do, or in denial/shock. I am in no means defending RH. If this is the case, he should have rushed to the hospital right away.

COD can clear this up. I wonder if manner of Death is accident. That will be telling. The fact that they haven't reduced the felony murder to manslaughter makes me think it will be deemed a homicide but the downgrade to from cruelty in first degree to 2nd has me confused

 

[blue22]

Blue, frankly, I don't get it either because I've never forgotten my kids in the car. But I do recognize it when I see it, having seen a couple people do it. I just believe, although I don't do this, that it can happen.

I've certainly set out to go to one destination and headed in the direction of another very routine destination and then think WAIT I'M NOT GOING TO WORK, and turned the car around to go to where I was actually going. Autopilot can take over.

I don't believe the choking thing. I just don't. I think that was a misunderstanding when Ross was ranting about CPR and needing CPR. I don't think he said my child is choking. Only the pizza guys (who are friends) think he said that, and then one of them went on to imagine he could diagnose shock in a person and this guy wasn't in shock.

I think this man has a very tragic lack of flexibility in his brain, coupled with the sad circumstances of lack of ability to visually see the child and the perfect storm was created and now this very precious child is dead long before his time.

I also think he will never ever forgive himself, nor will his wife ever forgive him and the ripple effect out - of this awful tragedy - will continue for a full generation.

On the other hand, how many people across the US right now are recognizing themselves in this situation and coming up with solutions to keep this from happening in their family?

But you see, there is a snag. His routine wasn't just work. It's going to work AND dropping off Cooper. That was every day. There was no change there. He drops his kid off at his employment daycare. Every day.

 

[Judicious1]

Do we know the child was alive at breakfast? He could have ordered for both of them and ate it or threw it away. Stopping that close to work and then forgetting does make it worse, if this was an accident. Like someone said....you would still taste the food. If the child ate then it wasnt that he was asleep in the 5 mins to work.

Death cert will have a time of death

 

[LeeCR7]

I would like to believe this was an accident, but this seems, as minimum, a case of extreme negligence.

1. It was his normal routine to bring in his son (we don't know whether getting breakfast was).

2. The daycare was on site, so pulling up to his work parking lot should have triggered him to bring his son inside (unlike parents who drive first to a daycare site, then to a work site, which is more understandable).

3. The breakfast site was very close to his office, which makes the forgetfulness less likely.

4. The return to the car at noontime. It is certainly possible that he didn't see anything, but it is very odd. How did the police know about this? Did he tell them? A coworker tell them? A video?

5. The delayed discovery time, and the choice (?) of having the discovery made in front of witnesses.

6. The protestations that the son died from choking.

7. The apparently odd reaction noted by some of the witnesses (this is the least compelling, but when taken with the other things, it may be important)

I could absolutely see a parent making a few of these mistakes, but all of them, plus, apparently, lies he told to law enforcement, make me inclined to think the the police were right to arrest him. Obviously, the release of the autopsy information may change things.

Based on just those things, I'm not sure that I would sign off on an immediate arrest, which makes me think the police have even more evidence that will make the situation pretty clear.

 

[Karmady]

Do we know the child was alive at breakfast? He could have ordered for both of them and ate it or threw it away. Stopping that close to work and then forgetting does make it worse, if this was an accident. Like someone said....you would still taste the food. If the child ate then it wasnt that he was asleep in the 5 mins to work.

The warrant says he strapped him into his rear-facing car seat after leaving the restaurant. I looked specifically to see if he drove through or took the baby out of the car.

 

[jnTexas]

But you see, there is a snag. His routine wasn't just work. It's going to work AND dropping off Cooper. That was every day. There was no change there. He drops his kid off at his employment daycare. Every day.

Not only that. We have an employer daycare at our main facility. I drive past the playground on the way to the parking garage. I see people daily walking with or carrying their children. The workers also can be seen pushing them around in a 6 seat stroller throughout the main floor. People go and pick up their kids during lunch and take them to the lunch room to eat and return them to the daycare afterwards.

I don't understand how someone could forget their child in a car. I just don't and I have three kids. I really don't understand how seeing other kids within the building wouldn't jog his memory.

Either way he is guilty of killing his child.

 

[JeannaT]

But you see, there is a snag. His routine wasn't just work. It's going to work AND dropping off Cooper. That was every day. There was no change there. He drops his kid off at his employment daycare. Every day.

I don't know whether the restaurant was in his routine - maybe in fact, it was.

But maybe it wasn't. That's not routine. Suddenly you've introduced a nonroutine item. So, go to the restaurant and then maybe approach his work from a different street that doesn't go by the daycare? I've read in the comments that the daycare wasn't on his actual facility as earlier thought, but at a facility a mile or so away.

I'm quite sure I have ADD. So thoughts cross my mind continuously - my mind is a storm of things crossing it. So while I can forget for awhile that I need bread, I'll remember it in a half hour when it crosses my mind again.

Some people don't have things cross their minds all the time, their minds focus well and they don't dart around. If I ever DID leave my child in the car, I'd remember it soon because it would cross my mind that I meant to touch base with the teacher about something.

That's why I don't permanently forget things, and other people do.