So, all parents that have forgotten and suffered a similar tragedy don't really love their children????
BBM --Respectfully, I believe your standards for what constitutes love of a child is unfair to many parents. IMO
Not that it matters, but, I find your use of the term "young baby" interesting. Cooper was not a young baby. He was a 22 month old toddler. I commend you for being constantly vigilant around young babies. Whatever you need to do in order to make sure a young baby is safe. Sure, many parents concerned about sudden infant death syndrome check to see if their young baby/infant is still breathing. Not so much when that young baby reaches the age of 22 months old. IMO
As we know, Leanne is not the only person that has come forward to say Harris loved Cooper. Many other people have said the same. I'm not going to use my standards to determine whether RH loved his child or not. I will take the word of those that actually witnessed Harris' relationship and interaction with his son.
I would not say that 'ALL' parents that suffered a similar fate did not love their children. However, if one only traveled one minute down the road, and thats all it took to forget their child needed to be dropped off, then YES, I question their level of care and concern for the child. And I do not think it is unfair to expect a parent to remember their toddler is in the car when they get out and lock the doors. It is not really that high of a bar.
In my opinion, 22 months is still a young baby. They are totally vulnerable and completely dependent upon their care givers at that tender age. They still do irrational things like put small objects or poisonous substances in their mouths, fall off of things or out of things, etc etc.
My friend looked in her rear view mirror and saw that her 2 yr old was sucking on a small plastic bag from her older sibs lunch, and had sucked it partially into her throat. She pulled off the road and got it clear from her throat in seconds, as her daughter was gasping for air. And as I had stated, my 18 month old inexplicably put a shiny penny in her mouth and was sucking on it. I never noticed but my 5 year old came and told me. It could have been a disaster if it became lodged in her throat.
So in my opinion, one needs to watch 2 yr olds very carefully. They are still vulnerable young things, imo. And it was very negligent of Ross to be so distracted and disconnected from his YOUNG baby. That showed a level of dispassion and disconnection, imo.
As for the definition of 'love' ---I suppose we all have our own personal standards. I think that LOVE for a child is also seen by the level of care and concern shown for that child. I can easily say I love my baby---but if I leave my baby all alone at home while I go to a club , or I drive my baby around while I am too drunk to walk, or I allow a sex offender to watch my baby while I go to party with my girlfriends, then maybe others would question my definition of 'love.'
I think it is fine that Leanne is standing up in support of her ex husband. If she wants to describe him as a wonderful father that loved his son, good for her. But I am not going to accept it at face value just because she thinks it is so. Because my definition of parental 'love' includes caring for and protecting one's children.
ETA: I do remember one case in which I felt total sympathy for the father, in a hot car death. I don't remember all of the details, except it was something like a Father, with a very young child, and his wife was in the hospital with cancer. And he was spending time with her there, and working full time , and driving the child to daycare. It was not something he usually did. And he was exhausted because of the schedule and the emotional stress. And he went to work one morning and forgot to drop off the child. I believe he truly loved his baby but the circumstances were so stressful and difficult that he had a memory lapse. jmo
