GA - Suspicion over heat death of Cooper, 22 mo., Cobb County, June 2014, #2

[RainCheck]

I hear you

I just recall from posting on Kyle Horman's board commens regarding the parents ((they were not charged)) were off limits ....Mods were very very vigilant about that policy that the surviving (no charges against them) parents were ''victims'' too.

I agree with you in spirit but for sake of WS TOS family members not charged are considered victims too....... I refer to them as secondary ((because they are grieving)) out of respect -- they did not harm the child and have lost grandson, nephew etc

I remember a victim's mother, I can't remember who exactly, but it may have been Johnny Gosch's mother, said in an interview only her son was a victim. Even though she had been through a lot and dealt with emotional pain, she was not a victim. Her son who had been kidnapped and suffered untold misery of physical and emotional pain was the only victim. I have always remembered that because it's so true. I remember who the true victim is because there is only one. I don't believe in secondary victims because no matter how sad they are, they didn't die that horrific death. They didn't struggle against that car seat harness or cry out for their mother. They didn't feel the adrenaline from fear pumping through their veins while they sweated and screamed. They didn't vomit and seize and finally die that day. Their life will go on. They may be sad, but they can breath. Isn't remembering the true victim why this site exists? Shouldn't it be why we are here? I feel especially emotional about this case because I'm holding my sleeping 21 month old, blonde haired, blue-eyed beautiful boy right now, but I care for all victims very much!

If parents aren't charged that's different, in this case we have a parent in custody. I don't think anyone should be allowed to call him a victim here.

 

[newone]

I remember a victim's mother, I can't remember who exactly, but it may have been Johnny Gosch's mother, said in an interview only her son was a victim. Even though she had been through a lot and dealt with emotional pain, she was not a victim. Her son who had been kidnapped and suffered untold misery of physical and emotional pain was the only victim. I have always remembered that because it's so true. I remember who the true victim is because there is only one. I don't believe in secondary victims because no matter how sad they are, they didn't die that horrific death. They didn't struggle against that car seat harness or cry out for their mother. They didn't feel the adrenaline from fear pumping through their veins while they sweated and screamed. They didn't vomit and seize and finally die that day. Their life will go on. They may be sad, but they can breath. Isn't remembering the true victim why this site exists? Shouldn't it be why we are here? I feel especially emotional about this case because I'm holding my sleeping 21 month old, blonde haired, blue-eyed beautiful boy right now, but I care for all victims very much!

If parents aren't charged that's different, in this case we have a parent in custody. I don't think anyone should be allowed to call him a victim here.

totally agree!!

father is NOT a victim ((from my point of view either)) just had that discussion ((you will see my posts on previous page))

I feel for his grandparents etc. ((again it is just policy here - discussing them is off limits as per TOS ((WS policy considers them victims too))

Hold that baby tight -- this case affects all of us who have held their babes.

 

[gngr~snap]

You know what is sad? I am running all these way for a child to die at the hands of someone the loved and trusted. I can't come up with one much worse than this.
God help him if it was an accident and he had no preplanning or forethought. I think he did..
It was said somewhere that he loved his child and took a picture of him everyday. I wonder if he took a picture that day.
Say he took one every morning, but didn't take one that morning.... what would that tell us?
moo

 

[RT51]

I just don't understand how he can say from the time he left breakfast at the restaurant, that he forgot his son was in the car. It was such a short time.

I remember at that age, my daughter's chatting in gibberish, but it was constant.

I have a now just turned 3 year old granddaughter, and for over the last year has talked constant when I have her in my car (in fact when bringing her home in a snow storm last year, I wanted to scream "Stop Talking", but I didn't.

She has now become a back seat driver. "Stop Grandma" etc. :tantrum:

 

[newone]

I just don't understand how he can say from the time he left breakfast at the restaurant, that he forgot his son was in the car. It was such a short time.

I remember at that age, my daughter's chatting in gibberish, but it was constant.

I have a now just turned 3 year old granddaughter, and for over the last year has talked constant when I have her in my car (in fact when bringing her home in a snow storm last year, I wanted to scream "Stop Talking", but I didn't.

She has now become a back seat driver. "Stop Grandma" etc. :tantrum:

yep ---- it's just too short a run isn't it!!

My kids would have made such a racket if I had walked away from the car with them in the carseat at that age.

 

[newone]

You know what is sad? I am running all these way for a child to die at the hands of someone the loved and trusted. I can't come up with one much worse than this.
God help him if it was an accident and he had no preplanning or forethought. I think he did..
It was said somewhere that he loved his child and took a picture of him everyday. I wonder if he took a picture that day.
Say he took one every morning, but didn't take one that morning.... what would that tell us?
moo

omg....that will be interesting - guess we will have to wait for the trial
I really hope that he will be asked that question during the trial!!

 

[gngr~snap]

The more I think about how the dad was described as acting, I don't think he did his homework.
IF he planned this for what ever reason thinking he could walk away with no charges. ...
I don't think he realized that his son would be in rigors when he took him from the seat. I think at that very moment he realized it was over for him. There wasn't going to be any way to make an explanation for any of it.
He was pitching a fit for himself. He was panic stricken realizing he had just had his last day of freedom.
I really wish an eye for an eye applied.
Plop him in that car strap him down and park it in the sun.
I am so heartbroken for this baby!

 

[gngr~snap]

Oh! This hits me in the gut!

"Burns said his wife, Valissa, worked as a dispatcher alongside Harris and remembers that he and his wife were eager to have children but had some trouble conceiving."

http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/...ith-son-inside-according-to-warrant-1.8569736

 

[newone]

Oh! This hits me in the gut!

"Burns said his wife, Valissa, worked as a dispatcher alongside Harris and remembers that he and his wife were eager to have children but had some trouble conceiving."

http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/...ith-son-inside-according-to-warrant-1.8569736

that's a bit gut wrenching.....poor mom

 

[Flutterby80]

I would be interested in the medical examiner's opinion on that, or any reliable medical scientific website that would agree that a human body starts to smell to "high heavens" of decomposition after about 4 hours.

Despite this one cop's statement.

This is why it's hard to find remains, even if they are in baking heat. I think we've all read stories of remains stuffed in between walls or in sheds outside in baking heat, and although the area is searched thoroughly the smell isn't apparent for days.

I can't be the only one who reads all these awful cases on this forum, and notice that although a house or field have been THOROUGHLY searched for a missing person, it isn't until days later that the odor is detectable. It's not hours. Otherwise it wouldn't be a long southern tradition in the 1800's and early 1900's to have a visitation while a body lies in "state" in a home (unairconditioned) so loved ones can come by and pay their respects.

But I think this is different because it's like a body decomposing in an oven, and then the oven door is opened. Plus the car is a very small space compared to a field, and if there was a body in a hot shed and someone actually went into the hot shed, they would smell the body.

I know you are hoping this guy didn't plan this, Jeanna, but my gut is telling me that he did. I think that the majority of these situations are indeed extreme distraction or forgetfulness, but this one feels different to me. It will be interesting to hear all the details.

 

[jmcgladr]

Could be. If he's an IT guy stupid enough to run a search about animals dying in hot cars when he was actually referring to his son, than I guess he's stupid and desperate enough to be in denial that every major corporation has video cameras in their lot that would prove him a liar in a heartbeat.

Is there any reason anyone can think of why the video and/or time of the computer search wouldn't be shared by now other than because they want to keep the mystery alive?

Yes, I can think of a reason. The prosecution wants to use it as evidence in court, and not bias the jury ahead of time.

 

[newone]

Yes, I can think of a reason. The prosecution wants to use it as evidence in court, and not bias the jury ahead of time.

some also posted today that an extended family member was approached for comment while walking a dog ..... so who knows? do you think he was conspiring to off the dog? (we are uncertain if it was his dog the family member was walking incidentally) post 328 this thread

 

[jmcgladr]

Copper is the only victim. There are NO other victims and saying anything else is so disrespectful of the true victim it's sick! Truly sick!

What about Mom? I feel really sorry for her, as there is no evidence she was involved in Cooper's death. If anyone took my baby away, worst of all my own husband, I'd be lost! But I agree that Cooper is the primary victim and needs to be acknowledged as such.

 

[newone]

What about Mom? I feel really sorry for her, as there is no evidence she was involved in Cooper's death. If anyone took my baby away, worst of all my own husband, I'd be lost! But I agree that Cooper is the primary victim and needs to be acknowledged as such.

I can't even imagine (nor do I wish to) entertain how devastated she must be at this time

 

[Chewy]

Yes, I am serious actually.

There are MANY victims here. Too numerous to count at this point. How many people are crippled by this dear dear little boy's tragic death?

Accidents happen, JLS. Accidents ruin lives. Charging a man for a horrific accident that killed his darling son and ruined his life makes him a victim of circumstance, in my opinion. He is a victim, too, of this horror.

So getting caught committing murder makes you a victim? If it was truly an accident I can see where you are coming from. But he's been arrested already and the charges have been SET. He's not a victim.

Is Scott Peterson a victim too because his plan didn't work out the way he wanted? :waitasec:

 

[jmcgladr]

some also posted today that an extended family member was approached for comment while walking a dog ..... so who knows? do you think he was conspiring to off the dog? (we are uncertain if it was his dog the family member was walking incidentally) post 328 this thread

That's a pretty terrible thought - maybe? You would think there would be easier and more humane ways to get rid of an unwanted pet - who would choose to kill them that way? It would show a cruel and sociopathic nature.

For that matter, who would choose to kill a child that way either, when you could just divorce and move on, even apply to relinquish your parental rights if you felt that was necessary? Mom would have taken care of Cooper. It's hard to understand.

I'm not saying for sure Dad did this, but it's looking that way given what we know so far, IMO.

 

[newone]

That's a pretty terrible thought - maybe? You would think there would be easier and more humane ways to get rid of an unwanted pet - who would choose to kill them that way? It would show a cruel and sociopathic nature.

For that matter, who would choose to kill a child that way either, when you could just divorce and move on, even apply to relinquish your parental rights if you felt that was necessary? Mom would have taken care of Cooper. It's hard to understand.

I'm not saying for sure Dad did this, but it's looking that way given what we know so far, IMO.

I may be way out in left field here but I am hopeful that this horrid incident will put ''leaving your kid in a car'' on a par with drinking while impaired...ZERO TOLERANCE....

I brought up the pet reference because of the internet search....we don't know enough do we ....but too coinky dink for me at this point...but I guess a defense attorney could say he was thinking of family pet safety -- we'll see.

 

[Melanie]

A child that died from hyperthermia in a car is not the same as a person dying in a home. A car is a heck of a lot smaller than a house is. And in this particular case, the car was entered and then the father shut the door again with him in the car with that smell. The smell was going to be obvious. Not to mention the fact that the child had eaten breakfast before he died. His stomach was not empty when he died. There is no way, IMO, that the father could not smell that smell before he finally stopped the car and alerted that he "needed help". This case makes me sick to my stomach. That poor little boy, left to die by the "caring father" that had just taken him out to eat breakfast.

MOO

I agree with you. And a panicked toddler left in a hot car, may more than likely urinate or defecate in panic mode. Sweat also leaves a distinct odor.

SO -- if pappy went back to the car (as reported in MSM) how would he not smell anything when he opened the door....not to mention upon opening the door after work and driving to the strip mall.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/25/justice/georgia-toddler-death/

Two new details were added to a revised Cobb County criminal warrant Tuesday: Not only did Justin Ross Harris put his son in the car minutes before arriving at work on June 18, but he returned to his car hours later during his lunch break.

MOO

Mel

 

[newone]

I agree with you. And a panicked toddler left in a hot car, may more than likely urinate or defecate in panic mode. Sweat also leaves a distinct odor.

SO -- if pappy went back to the car (as reported in MSM) how would he not smell anything when he opened the door....not to mention upon opening the door after work and driving to the strip mall.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/25/justice/georgia-toddler-death/

Two new details were added to a revised Cobb County criminal warrant Tuesday: Not only did Justin Ross Harris put his son in the car minutes before arriving at work on June 18, but he returned to his car hours later during his lunch break.

MOO

Mel

I can't even imagine that little guy's terror....

the smells in the car would be attention getting for sure....

 

[katydid23]

Yes, I am serious actually.

There are MANY victims here. Too numerous to count at this point. How many people are crippled by this dear dear little boy's tragic death?

Accidents happen, JLS. Accidents ruin lives. Charging a man for a horrific accident that killed his darling son and ruined his life makes him a victim of circumstance, in my opinion. He is a victim, too, of this horror.

I am not convinced it was purely accidental. He ate breakfast with his 2 yr old son, and yet 4 minutes later, he has no awareness that the child is with him in the car? How does that happen?