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

[jmcgladr]

I wonder if he ordered food for little Cooper?

Me too. I wonder if the statement he made where Cooper was choking had some validity, in that he possibly choked on the breakfast food in the back seat of the car that morning. Can happen fairly easily in a child of that age. The father may have discovered he had choked when he got to work and decided to cover it up with the hot car story, or he may have gone into shock/denial and not snapped out of until later, when it hit him at the shopping center. Just a few thoughts, MOO.

 

[blue22]

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.

The thing you and others have said over and over, parents taken out of routine forget to drop their kids off, because it's not routine. For him it WAS routine. Are you really suggesting breakfast with his son made him forget? In the 3-5 minute drive after eating with his son and putting him in the carseat, his routine was so off, it took minutes to forget an everyday integral part of his actual routine. Something he does EVERY day for two years? One 3-5 minute drive? We don't even know it wasn't part of his routine!

I'm sorry, I just think that is nuts.

 

[Sunshine95]

IIRC the mom picks him up from daycare because she works part time? If that's true, I imagine she may pick him up earlier than a full time job would allow. Had she gone to pick him up? If so? If not, what time does she usually pick him up, or was dad supposed to?
Oh, and someone asked how they knew he went to the car at lunch, I believe a co worker saw him

 

[Karmady]

IMO, it makes it more likely that he was extremely negligent and remembered about his son when he went to his car...and then did nothing.

I think as of now, pending what evidence they found in the warrants, the charges seem appropriate.

Well, so far, there's nothing to say he went to his car AND noticed the child or already remembered that he was there. I'm waiting to hear what all else they have.

 

[Judicious1]

If police had more I feel at this point they would release it. Especially with all the debate and petition. They have nothing to gain unless it remains an open investigation. Anyone know if they typically release the body to the family if investigations is ongoing?

It still seems as if there was a rush to judgement and arrest. As an article upthread qouted a reporter, the downgrade to the cruetly charge implies they don't feel it was intential. They also didnt allude to it being a intended action in the warrant.don't disagree with them charging him with something, this was gross negligence regardless of the fact that I can see and understand how it could happen. But it did happen bottom line... I know this could happen to me so I'm overly OCD and cautious when with my children. I'm easily distracted and sometimes I do to many things at once. Having children has slowed me down greatly because I couldn't bear the thought if hurting them because of these traits.

 

[Judicious1]

Me too. I wonder if the statement he made where Cooper was choking had some validity, in that he possibly choked on the breakfast food in the back seat of the car that morning. Can happen fairly easily in a child of that age. The father may have discovered he had choked when he got to work and decided to cover it up with the hot car story, or he may have gone into shock/denial and not snapped out of until later, when it hit him at the shopping center. Just a few thoughts, MOO.

I honestly think this would have been stayed in the warrant because he would have knowingly neglected the child of proper medical attention and covered it up.

 

[blue22]

If police had more I feel at this point they would release it. Especially with all the debate and petition. They have nothing to gain unless it remains an open investigation. Anyone know if they typically release the body to the family if investigations is ongoing?

It still seems as if there was a rush to judgement and arrest. As an article upthread qouted a reporter, the downgrade to the cruetly charge implies they don't feel it was intential. They also didnt allude to it being a intended action in the warrant.don't disagree with them charging him with something, this was gross negligence regardless of the fact that I can see and understand how it could happen. But it did happen bottom line... I know this could happen to me so I'm overly OCD and cautious when with my children. I'm easily distracted and sometimes I do to many things at once. Having children has slowed me down greatly because I couldn't bear the thought if hurting them because of these traits.

Remember, this is just the evidence to get the warrant. We have not seen the warrants for his office and his home. Nor, have we seen what evidence they took from there. This warrant is the beginning of all the other evidence searching. The autopsy is complete, so there is no reason to not release the body. Also, believing it was not intentional does not negate his responsibility. Often extreme neglect leads to murder charges, or even lesser murder charges.

 

[Judicious1]

I think the "shocking to my conscience " statement by Sargent Pierce was due to the knowledge that the fathered not only forgot the kid in the first place but the fact that he could have gone back to the car and hadn't noticed the poor child dead or dying... I mean the extra harshness in this case makes it so much worse

 

[blue22]

Well, so far, there's nothing to say he went to his car AND noticed the child or already remembered that he was there. I'm waiting to hear what all else they have.

No, they will likely never know that. All they needed to secure a warrant, is proof that he had opportunity to notice him. This release is just the formation they needed to GET the warrant. We have not seen the warrants for the searches or the evidence sought and taken from them.

 

[Judicious1]

Remember, this is just the evidence to get the warrant. We have not seen the warrants for his office and his home. Nor, have we seen what evidence they took from there. This warrant is the beginning of all the other evidence searching. The autopsy is complete, so there is no reason to not release the body. Also, believing it was not intentional does not negate his responsibility. Often extreme neglect leads to murder charges, or even lesser murder charges.

I agree intent doesn't negate his parental responsibility as to the well being of the child. As far as the warrants to search go I think once an arrest is made those search warrants come pretty easy and piggyback off the evidence provided to make the arrest. Especially if they were the last people with the child alive. I don't think they will shed more light on what happened to result leaving cooper in the seat. The missing link I think is the COD/MOD

 

[JeannaT]

No, they will likely never know that. All they needed to secure a warrant, is proof that he had opportunity to notice him. This release is just the formation they needed to GET the warrant. We have not seen the warrants for the searches or the evidence sought and taken from them.

I thought that's what we were going to see today. Warrants for the searches.

 

[katinva]

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.

Thanks! I hadnt read the warrant when I posted that.

 

[CHERIE.T]

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.

Yup, there's a big chunk of this story missing imo.

I'm not buying dad forgetting the child during a 3 minute drive from chick fil a to work.

 

[believe09]

I am trying to catch up on the threads so I am sure someone mentioned this, but I wonder if the key was his son's body temp. I wonder if that is why they don't believe he was actually in the car for 7 hours. I also wonder if he clocked out at another time during the day, not just during the witness statement. For LE to be so positive pretty much within hours surely indicates that something was very obvious, imvho.

 

[MvD]

Trying to catch up... Has the autopsy report been released yet? Thanks!

 

[Karmady]

No, they will likely never know that. All they needed to secure a warrant, is proof that he had opportunity to notice him. This release is just the formation they needed to GET the warrant. We have not seen the warrants for the searches or the evidence sought and taken from them.

Idk. I think a parent who legit forgot his kid in the car AND remembered upon going to the car later in the day would likely have a reaction that's noticeable even on video. I would say based on the warrant that he either meant to leave him in the car or forgot and didn't notice when he put something in the car later in the day. jmo

 

[JeannaT]

Trying to catch up... Has the autopsy report been released yet? Thanks!

Not that I've seen, nor have the search warrants.

 

[blue22]

I thought that's what we were going to see today. Warrants for the searches.

I thought so too, but I don't think they have released the warrants for his work place or home. Unless I am missing something. ??

 

[Judicious1]

Idk. I think a parent who legit forgot his kid in the car AND remembered upon going to the car later in the day would likely have a reaction that's noticeable even on video. I would say based on the warrant that he either meant to leave him in the car or forgot and didn't notice when he put something in the car later in the day. jmo

I agree 100%. I also think that he may not have intentionally lied about his timeline. If he really did forget the kid the shock and knowledge of your actions causing your own child's death has to be overwhelming. Maybe he didnt remember going for breakfast as he was wracking his brain to figure out how he could have forgotten to drop the child off at school. Hell sometimes I do so much in a I day and week I could confuse what I ate for breakfast on any given day.

I'm also confused as to why people who feel he could have forgotten in the time it took him to drive to work but not in the time it took to get to work from Chicfila? Because its a short distance? What if he was on the phone or Internet while parked before pulling out? I guess I'm just not seeing proof beyond a reasonable doubt of intent. I still think manslaughter is a more appropriate charge based on what information they have released so far. Just my opinion...

 

[Judicious1]

Trying to catch up... Has the autopsy report been released yet? Thanks!

Not yet. I'm hoping during noon news coverage