GA - Suspicion over heat death of Cooper, 22 mo., Cobb County, June 2014, #4

[Judicious1]

Awkward stages?!

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/cobb-county-father-makes-jailhouse-call-sons-funer/ngT8H/

Patsy Ramsey said similar things like how JonBenet never had to deal with cancer or the loss of a child. Most parents, however, talk about what their child will miss out on; getting married, kids, going to college, prom, etc.

Yeah.,, she is mentally out if it and looking for any minor silver lining she can cling to. As soon as I read the obit this was clear to me. Throw in walking out of the church following Coopers casket with Ross on the phone and all the strange comments she made during the service she is clearly suffering some denial and trying to support him and be the strength for everyone else opposed to dealing with her feelings right now. I did something similar. I didn't go this far and my situation didn't involve alleged criminal activity but I worried about everyone else but myself because it felt better and I knew I had a much longer road ahead of me than most others so I threw myself into helping them. I can't tell you how many people I dragged by hand to the casket at the wake to support them and I was told later i kept telling people" come say goodbye- he looks good - maybe different from when you saw him last but good- Some people look at this as "strength" but its not. Its a little mix of shock, denial and bargaining. Though in my mind I might have thought this was a good idea and my heart felt this was all I could do to honor and remember, I'm sure it made a lot of people uncomfortable. Very sad for her....her world has been turned upside down and once she can't keep up this charade and deals with the fact she doesn't have her little man to bath every night and care for day in and day to love forever her reality will be hard to ignore and her nightmare will start all over. I went to therapy 3 days a week for a year. Had I not I'm not sure what would have come of me. Sure my faith helped but at 27 I was not equipped to deal with a tragic sudden loss. I hope her family will encourage her to do the same.

 

[believe09]

But they can prove he did the search - he told them he did the search so I still don't see how she thought it would help him to say she searched too. It just strengthens what I am sure is going to be the prosecution's argument that they knew what could happen yet did nothing to minimise the potential for harm to their child.

I think that is fair. I think that mom saying she did the search too makes her look more like a fall guy than an accomplice. We also don't know what the context was regarding her statement. Did LE overhear something when biodad called her on his cell shrieking and such? Did she volunteer it or was she told he admitted to doing a search and she said "Well I did one too."

 

[Judicious1]

I was worried last night that she would try to claim the searches. Ugh.

I think it was a work computer and he offered the info so he has claimed it saying his was fearful this could happen not "they"

 

[human]

Let's be honest here. When you look at the two of them, as a couple, does it seem likely looking at current pics of him (before Cooper died) that he was in the market for a "hot new babe"? That he might have had one on the side at that time?

Look at her, look at him, look at the EVER peaceful happy sweet expressions on all 3 of their faces do you see a man on the prowl?

I ask that because I don't.

My expression is, " If a man is breathing, he can get a girlfriend."

And he is a bragger and has now gotten a raise. He is on a lower scale, but the same idea as the fact that ugly Sterling guy or Donald Trump can get women.

 

[believe09]

There is a reason she hasn't been picked up to this point, so either LE is holding back or they didn't hinge charging him simply on the computer search he confessed to.

I hate this case. Which is why I wont use the suspects name. Small of me, I know.

 

[octobermoon]

Is it possible these parents had been using the car as a babysitter? Just thinking out loud.

 

[blue22]

He was 27ish when they married. Does anyone know how old she was? (If that's not allowed, no response needed!)

I live in the south and we are Church of Christ. (Were, we recently left...due to some of these things.) That's old to be getting married. Seriously. Church of Christ colleges have marriage chapels on campus, because people go their pretty much to meet their spouses. Young love, short engagements, fast marriages. There are girls who pick out their dress BEFORE they leave for college, so they can get married. They don't engrave their bibles with last names, so they can add their new last name. There is A LOT of pressure within this church to marry. Kids come right after. Just thought I'd offer my perspective here..

 

[Virgoedge]

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/cobb-county-father-makes-jailhouse-call-sons-funer/ngT8H/

From the article linked earlier, something else jumped out to me. Ross had a dream about Cooper being in heaven, before he died?
"Ross Harris' father also spoke to the crowd sharing a story about how his son Ross had a dream Cooper was sitting on Jesus’ lap looking down at them, before the boy's death.

He said he was playing a guitar in the dream and Leanna was working in a nursery with other children."
Could that be another indication of premeditation?

 

[tlcya]

:wave: hello to all our guests reading. Consider joining so you can share your thoughts. It is quick, easy and free. I know many of you have opinions on this newest info being released.

 

[blue22]

So those calls he made, while he left his poor boor on the ground with a stranger and made everyone else do CPR and call 911. I wonder if he told her to claim the web search?

 

[believe09]

Is it possible these parents had been using the car as a babysitter? Just thinking out loud.

Good question. I would think at least the daycare records of the baby's attendance could be part of the answer. At the very least, he was spending time at the daycare as part of a regular routine I think.

 

[believe09]

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/cobb-county-father-makes-jailhouse-call-sons-funer/ngT8H/

From the article linked earlier, something else jumped out to me. Ross had a dream about Cooper being in heaven, before he died?
"Ross Harris' father also spoke to the crowd sharing a story about how his son Ross had a dream Cooper was sitting on Jesus’ lap looking down at them, before the boy's death.

He said he was playing a guitar in the dream and Leanna was working in a nursery with other children."
Could that be another indication of premeditation?

Yeah, this guy is an idiot. A monster and an idiot. :banghead:

He does remind me of Scott Peterson.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

He was 27ish when they married. Does anyone know how old she was? (If that's not allowed, no response needed!)

I live in the south and we are Church of Christ. (Were, we recently left...due to some of these things.) That's old to be getting married. Seriously. Church of Christ colleges have marriage chapels on campus, because people go their pretty much to meet their spouses. Young love, short engagements, fast marriages. There are girls who pick out their dress BEFORE they leave for college, so they can get married. They don't engrave their bibles with last names, so they can add their new last name. There is A LOT of pressure within this church to marry. Kids come right after. Just thought I'd offer my perspective here..

She graduated HS in 2002, so probably around 22.

 

[blue22]

She graduated HS in 2002, so probably around 22.

Thanks!

 

[tlcya]

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/cobb-county-father-makes-jailhouse-call-sons-funer/ngT8H/

From the article linked earlier, something else jumped out to me. Ross had a dream about Cooper being in heaven, before he died?
"Ross Harris' father also spoke to the crowd sharing a story about how his son Ross had a dream Cooper was sitting on Jesus’ lap looking down at them, before the boy's death.

He said he was playing a guitar in the dream and Leanna was working in a nursery with other children."
Could that be another indication of premeditation?

I literally have NO words!

 

[Judicious1]

COBB COUNTY, Georgia - The mother of a Georgia toddler who died after the boy was left by his father in a sweltering SUV for seven hours also searched, on the internet, child deaths inside vehicles and what temperature it needs to be for that to occur.

"Leanna Harris, the child's mother, was also questioned regarding the incident and made similar statements regarding researching in car deaths and how it occurs,'' according to new search warrants made public Sunday. The warrants were released by Cobb County magistrate officials, and obtained by Fox 5 in Atlanta, and other media outlets.

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2014/06/wife_of_justin_ross_harris_als.html

Yikes well this will be easy enough for them to verify if true . I didn't see the story on the news in May when a child died as a result of being left in the car in GA bit if they did and both looked it up and those searches coincide with the date it might be enough to convince at least one juror. What a mess...

 

[NancyA]

Is it possible these parents had been using the car as a babysitter? Just thinking out loud.

I had a similar thought, if the child was sick for instance, daycares are unwilling to take sick kids (for obvious reasons) and it might have been their way out of a difficult work situation. That really doesn't make this any better to me, I don't care if you'll get fired if you don't turn in to work, you can find another job but you don't endanger your children in such a horrendously reckless and irresponsible manner. You just don't.

 

[CCmakes3]

Warrants: Cobb toddler’s mom also researched kids dying in hot cars

By Alexis Stevens
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution


Quote:
The mother of the 22-month-old who died after being left inside an SUV told Cobb County police she also researched children dying in hot vehicles, according to new court documents released Sunday morning.
Leanna Harris has not been identified as a suspect in the death of her son, Cooper. She was questioned in the hours after the boy’s death after he was left in his carseat for at least seven hours on June 18. Harris’ husband, Justin Ross Harris, was charged with murder after the boy’s death.
The boy’s father, who goes by Ross, told police he had searched online for information regarding temperatures needed for children to die inside vehicles because he was “fearful” it could happen, according to search warrant affidavits released Saturday.
Additional affidavits released Sunday and obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution state that Leanna Harris made similar statements.
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/breakin...kids-dy/ngWJW/

Oh no....sounds like another "This child was our PROPERTY and it's none of your business, now go away and just let us deal with it on our own" case.

 

[blue22]

Yikes well this will be easy enough for them to verify if true . I didn't see the story on the news in May when a child died as a result of being left in the car in GA bit if they did and both looked it up and those searches coincide with the date it might be enough to convince at least one juror. What a mess...

I can't decide if I think she made the search, or if he had her cover and say she did.

But yeah...what a mess, indeed!!

 

[LadyJustia]

OT for a second, but PM me if you want. It sounds like your son might be a high functioning Aspergers. Those students usually struggle with social skills but have high aptitude. Over time their aptitude scores can drop because of the difficulties and challenges they face in school. You might want to have him evaluated. (This is part of what I do for a living so please feel free to drop me a PM) But it has absolutely nothing to do with you putting him in day care or not. Zero.

Back on topic. There have been some absolutely amazing ideas evaluated in this thread. I would like to send them to the DAs office.

I think the comment about the tinted windows makes perfect sense and explains a lot. And I'd like to list some ideas here, like someone did before, to show premeditation. So here goes.


A. He stopped at Chikfila and got the kid out of the car. Doing so stalled him for time and helped him arrive at the parking lot long after everyone had gone inside.

B. The tinted windows on the car helped conceal the child from people who might pass by. It also screwed up the timing of the death by a little bit of time which is his undoing.

C. Theory is he came down to put something in the car during lunch. That was for the big reveal. What did he put in the car??? Important, was it something that couldn't have been put there later?

D. Having worked as a LE dispatch he knew that his voice on the phone call could be evaluated and analyzed in court. In many cases this has been the thing that removed reasonable doubt. So he was careful not to be the one who called 911. Think about it, someone who has worked in dispatch knows all the ins and outs, he would be the first one to call in reality if he wanted help because he'd know the way to get the call through the fastest. But he let someone else call.

E. He led with his alibi. This is something that has been the undoing of other criminals in the past. (Ironically on 911 calls.) The person calls and says something like "I was at my brother's house for the last two hours and I just got home and my husband isn't breathing!" etc. The police analyze this and say "why did you start off letting us know your alibi????" Well RH did the same thing with the "google searches" He tried to say it FIRST to cover it being revealed in a computer search. As an IT guy he knows there is no way to hide it. So he "outs himself" at the scene. But why would THIS be something on his mind right then and there???

F. It was the hottest day on record for the last two weeks and his routine "didn't change" he changed his routine. Difference.

G. Uber religious guy who can rationalize to himself that he didn't actually kill the boy, he left him in God's hands. God took him home. Grrr.

H. After stating that he had been worried about this happening. He is at the car THREE times and doesn't look in the back seat. 1 When he left the car. 2. When he arrived at the car during lunch and then left 3 When he got in the car at the end of the day. Three times he never looked in the back seat. I hope the DA drives this point home.

Ok there's my list so far.

One last thing. IMO I think people should just stop talking about the mother altogether. My heart just absolutely breaks for the woman at the moment. She's had her entire life ripped out from underneath her in the cruelest of ways. For the moment, she has a free pass on everything as far as I am concerned. JMO MOO>

I was in agreement with you on giving LH a break until I woke up and saw that she also admitted to searching child deaths in hot vehicles. This, along with her odd statements, and the article below stating that she is also under LE scrutiny, have made me begun to wonder about BOTH parents. I said wonder, I am not accusing her. This entire case is heartbreaking and my heart just bleeds for Cooper, the beautiful, sweet, baby boy, who was barely recognized at his own funeral. Journalists have stated that there are more alarming details to come & LE's statement that this case shakes his conscience as a grandfather, father, etc. I have known many parents who have lost a child, and although each person handles grief differently, RH and LH's reactions just don't seem to fit those of grieving parents. I truly hope that I am wrong...I do. To even think that this baby's fate was premeditated and then carried out by the two people who are supposed to love, protect, and comfort him, is just something I can't fathom nor understand. It shakes me and saddens me. Too many children are dying this way and it seems that many are getting a free pass from LE. For many years I led a very stressed lifestyle and not once did I leave my children in the car, forgotten. My husband died and left me with a 3 year old daughter and 8 months pregnant with our son. After his death, I took over our business, which required constant travel and changes in routine. I had 20 employees who were young and very irresponsible, two young children, and many other responsibilities that would have made it very easy to slip up and forget a child. Again, this never happened. Not even for a minute. I just don't understand the phenomenal number of kids dying in hot cars because parents "forgot". Again, I hope I am wrong about LH and RH, I really do.

Rest in peace baby Cooper. In the end, I hope you are with God and at peace. I also hope you get the justice you deserve if this was not an accident.

http://m.ajc.com/news/news/breaking-news/warrants-cobb-toddlers-mom-also-researched-kids-dy/ngWJW/