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

[katinva]

The daycare my kids went to was the same as schools. You let them know the child wouldnt be there or they called you by a certain time.

 

[tiredblondy]

I think we HAVE heard about the dynamic and status of their marriage. Everyone says they were very happy, very wonderful, planning to buy a house in the future so little Cooper could run and play.

Do you mean you're waiting to see if anyone pipes up with a comment that disagrees with what everyone else has already said?

Because I'm not "waiting to hear" about the status. I've heard plenty and it's all consistent.

Bless your heart, you're hanging in there. Bravo. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and stating them.

This is just my opinion. I feel something is not right about him. I can't explain it. I just have a feeling he is not who he appears to be. If I'm wrong I'll eat crow stew. I have a good recipe and have had it many times.

And yes there is nothing definite that substantiates my feelings except a picture (not the mug shot) that bothers me. I also can't get past the fact that the wife has not said anything in support of him. (Yes I know about the loving obituary.) If it were my husband and I thought he could not do something like this I'd be saying the following-We have been told not to say anything but I know he could never intentionally do this. Then again that's based on what I would do.

The mug shot bothers me too. I've looked up SOME other pictures of people who left their child accidentally in their car then they died. The grief is all over their face, redness from crying, puffiness, etc. I don't see it in him.

One more thing- I saw somewhere the wife worked part-time at DaVita. That is a dialysis center I believe. We have one here. ALL of the above is just my opinion. Nothing to substantiate it but my intuition and past experiences.

 

[Chewy]

I just wanted to add, that had the discovery been at his work, everyone who ran out would know him and have their own opinion of him.
At Akers Mill it was a crowd of strangers.
I believe he thought he wouldn't get caught and would be more likely to be believed if the discovery was somewhere besides work.
moo

Interesting point. Maybe someone even asked him about his son in a friendly way at work that day. Like "Hey how's Cooper doing! He's such a cute kid." Couldn't have that around police.

 

[Judicious1]

I 100 percent agree with this. Any parent who knowingly leaves a baby in a car is criminal and negligent in my mind.



BBM.3


I have wanted to point something out about the "smell" that everyone keeps mentioning but have continually forgotten. The smell of death is unforgettable and yet NONE of the witnesses at the scene commented on any smell emanating from the vehicle or the body. So I'm not entirely convinced that the smell had anything to do with the cops busting him right then and there.

IMO what happened is that the father intended to make the discovery of the body when he went to the car at noon. He took something with him as an excuse to go to the car.

Why noon? IMO he felt it was enough time for the boy to die and before he'd be getting any phone calls from the wife or daycare center. IOW enough time to make sure he could "control the discovery."

He went to the car and heard the boy choking and immediately knew he was basically busted on camera and that it wasn't going to go down the way he had intended. He knows standing right by the car that he's on video camera. So he just walks back inside to the building (I seriously doubt he'd have done the google search then.)

He comes out later and tries to control the discovery by driving somewhere else away from the security cameras. But now he's in trouble because how does he rationalize not picking up the kid from day care?

What's the motive to driving somewhere very crowded? A distraction. He doesn't want it just to be him and the cops during the discovery. More people creates more confusion and noise. People notoriously throw sympathy towards the parent that commits this act. So he's making lots of drama about "What have I done!!" to elicit that sympathy and drama in the hopes that it would distract the cops. That IMO is why he drove elsewhere.

As far as the constant applauding of him being a stand up guy, my goodness has no one watched any true crime shows out there? Tons of people have been convicted of horrible horrible crimes and prior had been considered a very upstanding member of society. That means absolutely nothing to me except an indication that the person is likely a sociopath. Sociopaths are known for being very friendly charismatic people. It's how they mask their lack of emotion.

He didn't need an accomplice to pull this off. It's very obvious that all he needed to do was leave the kid in the car and walk away.

Just because the child was supposed to have died in the first hour or so doesn't mean it happened that way. Like others have pointed out there have been cases of children surviving longer that that. The child may have been in a seizure or comatose and gagging and choking.

There had to be something right on the scene that indicated to the police immediately that his story didn't add up. They arrested him right away. They didn't wait for computer searches or any more details.

IMO he slipped and said he heard the boy choking in the back of the car which is why he pulled him out and had CPR started. But the EMT and the police could see immediately that the boy had been dead for some time. That statement was his undoing.

And it's sad to think that Coopers last gasps for life in choking are what ultimately revealed the truth about what his father did to him.

MOO

Well for one he doesn't normally pick up the child. 2 are you implying when he went to the at at noon (which time is uncomfirmed) to "discover" publicly but didnt because heard him choking? He would have been on camera regardless so I dont see a concern there. Its been established that Cooper could not have survived until noon. He was most likely deceased by 11am at the latest.

 

[tiredblondy]

I think they either didn't call him, or they tried and failed to contact him. Judging from how LE is charging this, I can't imagine either:

1. LE doesn't know whether or not daycare contacted Harris
and
2. If he was contacted in the morning by daycare, that he wouldn't now be charged with intentional murder.

That just seems most plausible to me.

Or he just refused to answer his phone knowing why they were calling...

 

[tlcya]

There must be some other pictures of him, because the MSM articles have them. Where did they get them?

FB and other social media account is my bet, which means those photos [ETA being shown in the press] are accessible to family.

I do feel horribly for mom and other family members. They should not be having to plan the funeral of this little cutie.

But bottom line, were the forensic analysts to copy stuff onto thumb drive for family I am willing to bet my bippy that the defense attorney would, at trial, attempt to impugn the forensics on the devices by stating they had been "tampered" with.

MOO - LE is in a lose lose situation in trying to address the family's request.

 

[Chewy]

"Most likely" is an opinion not a fact. Certainly he should have been dead by then but stranger things have happened, like the man who nearly froze to death on the top of Mt Everest and was left as dead by his fellow climbers, laying near frozen in the snow for hours and then suddenly coming to and stumbling towards camp and surviving.

The child had just eaten breakfast and was not in the car already for a half hour or so while driving to work. He'd been taken out and flexed his muscles and gotten at least a drink while his dad ate breakfast. Perhaps that small difference in scenario is what caused him to survive longer than expected.

Additionally, as someone else pointed out, if he hadn't immediately started crying but instead had fallen asleep or passed out, perhaps the lack of exerting energy and sweating profusely kept him a live a little longer.

Here's a case where a toddler survived being left in the car for at least an hour. She was discovered inside temperature of 124 degrees.

http://www.wthr.com/story/19012040/fishers-woman-charged-after-leaving-baby-in-hot-car

Police say the temperature inside the SUV was 124 degrees, and the temperature outside was 102, with a heat index of 107.

The little girl was limp and unresponsive, and began to go into seizures as the officer and store employees tried to cool her down. During that time, Trueblood identified herself as the girl's mother.

It's not inconceivable that in lower temperatures, with that added break from the car Cooper could have survived (just barely) longer.

 

[CrazytownUSA]

Or he just refused to answer his phone knowing why they were calling...

At that point one would think they would call Leanne, and she would be calling him asking where Cooper was.

 

[gngr~snap]

What stores are at Akers Mill? Is this the Cumberland Mall?

No two separate entities.
Akers Mill is more of a strip mall. Across 41 and a little south.

Key Tenants:*Bed, Bath & Beyond, Sports Authority, Office Max, Party City, LA Fitness, PetCo, Toys R Us/Babies R Us, Golfsmith, Longhorn Steakhouse, Hooters, Chipotle, Old Navy, Chick Fil-A
All stores at Akers Mill listed here.
http://www.olshanproperties.com/portfolio/retail/powercenters/akersmillsquare.aspx

Cumberland Mall is enclosed
stores listed here.
http://m.cumberlandmall.com/

Cumberland is on the right, Akers Mill on the left.

What stores are at Akers Mill? Is this the Cumberland Mall?

 

[LinasK]

FB and other social media account is my bet, which means those photos are accessible to family.

I do feel horribly for mom and other family members. They should not be having to plan the funeral of this little cutie.

But bottom line, were the forensic analysts to copy stuff onto thumb drive for family I am willing to bet my bippy that the defense attorney would, at trial, attempt to impugn the forensics on the devices by stating they had been "tampered" with.

MOO - LE is in a lose lose situation in trying to address the family's request.

And I've recently discovered Facebook photos can be downloaded and printed.

 

[Spice]

I have wanted to point something out about the "smell" that everyone keeps mentioning but have continually forgotten. The smell of death is unforgettable and yet NONE of the witnesses at the scene commented on any smell emanating from the vehicle or the body.

Yes they have. The First Responders stated that the car "stunk to high heaven" and Harris was also screaming that the baby was "choking' when he was obviously stiff and not even alive.

These are the things that made them suspicious of him right away and rightfully so.

That car stunk. And it likely stunk at noon when he went to "place the object" in the car, or in my opinion to check to make sure that the baby was dead.

And for the sake of argument. Let's just say that the car did not reek of death at noon (Highly unlikely) A child literally baking in an enclosed sweltering car for almost 3 hours would produce a SMELL and an odor, death smell or not. How many toddlers do you know that do not naturally soil their diaper for that long?

That car REEKED at noon. Of either a diaper and or a diaper and death.

And it definitely reeked at the scene of "discovery" behind the restaurant. The first responders reported that to the police immediately. Which set the ball in motion.

 

[hikerchick]

I have a question. For those of you who have used "professional" day care (as opposed to a family or friend keeping children in their home) - would it be the usual procedure that if you did not show up with your child at the expected time - they would call either parent to check on why they are not there?

I never used day care but I still feel this is an important part of this case and I'm sure LE has interviewed the Day Care workers.

Assuming they called the father he must have given some excuse - even if it was at that moment that he realized, "OMG - the baby is still in the car".

TIA for any input on this......

Yes, both of the centers I used had this policy in place. I never tested them though. I had/have an school aged child by the time I had my toddler so it was ingrained in me to call her in sick when we wouldnt be there.

 

[CCmakes3]

I respectfully disagree......those 'comments' under a news story are some of the most outrageous comments you can ever read....since they are under an alias usually, they range from racist to downright ridiculous..IMO...I have read some that simply would be laughable if not so tragic a situation.

All the above my opinion only.

Agreed. While the comments are interesting to read, there is no accountability. I would never trust an anonymous commenter over a journalist who is at least willing to put their name and reputation behind their words.

 

[CrazytownUSA]

So it wasn't his usual parking spot? Did he park differently that day according to the coworker? (shade or no shade).

This is what the co-worker said: "I worked with him. There’s a second building on Cumberland Parkway (there is an HR building and homedepot.com building). There is no parking deck for that building. The main campus has the child care in Building A."

That is from the comments on the article posted on Heavy.com (just put Ross Harris in the search and it's the first article titled "Justin Ross Harris: 5 Fast Facts You Need To Know"

 

[blue22]

FB and other social media account is my bet, which means those photos [ETA being shown in the press] are accessible to family.

I do feel horribly for mom and other family members. They should not be having to plan the funeral of this little cutie.

But bottom line, were the forensic analysts to copy stuff onto thumb drive for family I am willing to bet my bippy that the defense attorney would, at trial, attempt to impugn the forensics on the devices by stating they had been "tampered" with.

MOO - LE is in a lose lose situation in trying to address the family's request.

I agree.

It's evidence, period. If it were an adult, none of us would question the police not releasing evidence. This is a highly charged, highly emotional situation. People have to remember that this is state evidence, and letting any of it go is not part of protocol and can damage a case. LE can't abandon the protocol in handling of evidence, because a crime is more devastating than others. They simply can't.

 

[gngr~snap]

And I've recently discovered Facebook photos can be downloaded and printed.

Even if you set them to private. I had a duh moment when my husband informed a screen shot of the computer can always be done.
No way to keep them locked down if you post them.

 

[JudyBolton]

I think they either didn't call him, or they tried and failed to contact him. Judging from how LE is charging this, I can't imagine either:

1. LE doesn't know whether or not daycare contacted Harris
and
2. If he was contacted in the morning by daycare, that he wouldn't now be charged with intentional murder.

That just seems most plausible to me.

I don't see how that could be possible. If he was at work and the phones were not out of order - how could they have not have been able to contact him? And then would that not lead them to contact the mother? If he brings his child there every morning at a certain time and does not show up, does not call, etc. What if there had been a terrible car accident? This does not add up to me.... maybe I'm just stuck on this point but it seems pretty important to me.

 

[Spice]

Or he just refused to answer his phone knowing why they were calling...

Kind of like he ran into the restaurant screaming that his son "choked" and to call 911. Why didn't he use his own cell phone? Did he have it on him? Or did he purposely "forget" that too?

 

[Chewy]

Yes they have. The First Responders stated that the car "stunk to high heaven" and Harris was also screaming that the baby was "choking' when he was obviously stiff and not even alive.

These are the things that made them suspicious of him right away and rightfully so.

That car stunk. And it likely stunk at noon when he went to "place his or in my opinion to check to make sure that the baby was dead.

And for the sake of argument. Let's just say that the car did not reek of death at noon (Highly unlikely) A child literally baking in their for almost 3 hours would produce a SMELL and an odor, death smell or not. How many toddlers do you know that do not naturally soil their diaper for that long?

That car REEKED at noon. Of either a diaper and or a diaper and death.

And it definitely reeked at the scene of "discovery" behind the restaurant. The first responders reported that to the police immediately. Which set the ball in motion.

Well my point is, that it didn't have the "death smell" that is so unforgettable. And I'd like to see citations of the cops actually saying the car smelled. I may have missed it but I haven't seen that anywhere. Just hearsay. TYIA

 

[Spice]

Well my point is, that it didn't have the "death smell" that is so unforgettable. And I'd like to see citations of the cops actually saying the car smelled. I may have missed it but I haven't seen that anywhere. Just hearsay. TYIA

Sorry. I don't have them. It was discussed at length and heavily commented on this thread or near the end of the earlier one. I do believe the original poster linked.