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

[Isabelle]

But in the car, it's been beyond proven hat rear facing until certain develop IS safer.

It's dictated by law in some states. I think it is in Louisiana. Looked laws up when buying new car seat for granddaughter to use in my car.

 

[RT51]

I think forward facing in the back seat of safe vehicle is better. Especially for an almost two year old.
Most people feed their children in the car ...with their busy hectic schedules. I would feel better if a parent could keep an eyeball on them, talk to them, see their face in the rear view mirror.
Seems psychologically wrong to have a child face a seat.



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As I mentioned in a previous post, it has been determined that the neck is not strong enough before the age of 2, to not be injured during a front impact accident when in a forward facing seat. While restrained, the head still snaps forward in a front impact accident. When rear facing, the head actually sinks into the padding instead.

Even if a vehicle is rear ended, the head would snap forward in a front facing seat.

This was not the norm when mine were little, but it was explained to me by my daughter when I bought a car seat to transport my granddaughter around. I followed her instructions as it was a "not on my watch" situation. I could never forgive myself if something happened to her on my watch.

 

[Judicious1]

Sounds as if he left work earlier than normal... in fact, earlier than the time his wife would have been expected to pick the baby up at the daycare. Otherwise, she'd have called and asked where the baby was, and he needed to be the one to discover the "error". I would presume that he normally worked later than the time the mother picked the baby up, as it would make sense for the one who got off first to get the child.

I thought about this also and agree. He must have left earlier than she would have gone to pick him up ....

 

[Isabelle]

He was arrested based on evidence at the scene and information from his interview per the pc last night.

The mothers interview with LE may have added information too.

 

[blue22]

It's dictated by law in some states. I think it is in Louisiana. Looked laws up when buying new car seat for granddaughter to use in my car.

Science is not dictated by law. Multiple very thorough tests have proven what is safest. Whether or not the law wants to catch up, has no bearing on what has been found safest.

 

[blue22]

But... OP thought baby had been fed at home and Chick was for Dad?

I have tried to keep up but is it known that they went into Chick or to the drive through?

Cooper could have fallen asleep on the ride, slept through drive through, still asleep when left in the car. Thus still in position at his passing.

If Cooper knew he had been left couldn’t he have wriggled out of the car seat?

There was a case up stream linked about the little boy who got out of his seat and moved around causing the car alarm to go off repeatedly only to have dad click it off from a window.

In this scenario [even though that is a small SUV with the child’s head, albeit in the high sided seat, right there] Dad goes on to work leaves car with other things on his mind and at some point remembers, makes a trip to the car fearing the worst and while approaching sees Cooper in the back.

Dad then acts like he put something in the car to cover his trip and retreats to gather his thoughts.

This is based on OP home experiment of being able to see enough of the child to know it was there through the tinted windows immediately on approaching the vehicle. So if dad was thinking he may be in there he is going to be looking as approaching.

I sometimes go to my car to get something during the work day but can’t recall a time I took something to my car unless I was on my way out anyway.

In this scenario Dad takes some time to process this incident and after seeing Cooper, feeling he was dead, looked it up to see if there was any chance…left as soon as he could taking a few miles to get up the nerve to start the beginning of the scene

I wouldn’t think he was in his right mind were this the case and the search query was only barely veiled.

This is not normal behavior but maybe he was sort of scared of the wife thinking he doesn’t do things correctly and he froze up.

All IMO

The warrant states they went in and the "father" after put him in his rear facing seat after breakfast.

It's very difficult to get out of a 5 point harness seat. You can't wiggle out. I have a 5 year old in a 5 point seat, and I have to open it every time.

 

[blue22]

RSBM.

For what it's worth, portions of the city of Atlanta are in three counties: Fulton, DeKalb, and Cobb. When I lived in this area I had an Atlanta address and was within Cobb County.

Not that I am saying I'm right, but when I looked online that address appeared to be in Fulton County. It doesn't really matter, I was just thinking out loud really.

 

[popsicle]

Atlanta is not Cobb County.

Further, If a police dog dies in a car, it is usually when a cop has to leave the car for job related purposes. If they have to attend to their job without the dog, there isn't much choice there.

With that said, I don't condone dogs dying in cars. However, Cooper's circumstances are egregious, and grossly criminal and negligent at the hands of his FATHER. A cop isn't out there commuting a felony in the process of a dog dying under VERY suspect circumstance. IMO, it's apples to oranges.

BBM I have to strongly disagree with you here. There are devices out there made for this purpose. They measure the temp of the car and many other things if you want and will alarm/release the doors at a pre-set temp when your K9 is in the car. No excuse for a LEO K9 to die in the car either. imo

http://www.elitek9.com/Ace-K-9-HOT-N-POP-Pro/productinfo/VAA102/

 

[RainCheck]

I haven't read back through today's posts, but the media is reporting the daycare was onsite. In particular the story featured on CNN.com says the daycare was onsite and where Cooper was brought by his father everyday. Reports also say he for sure went inside with Cooper to eat breakfast and then put him back in his car seat and drove less than half a mile to work. Maximum it would take him 4 minutes with traffic. There is no way this was an accident!

 

[blue22]

I view the mom as somewhat a victim as well.

I do, too.

I think most were meaning that in the situation of his death, Cooper is the only victim.

 

[Judicious1]

It was a dang defense strategy, if you ask me. A real shame.

Well in a way the family knows more than us since police have been sharing information and claim to have open contact with mom so maybe they have reason to feel it was an accident? I don't know if it was just saying. I would like to know the explination he had for the animal in car search. That's a sticking point as far as an accident scenario goes ..

 

[blue22]

BBM I have to strongly disagree with you here. There are devices out there made for this purpose. They measure the temp of the car and many other things if you want and will release the doors at a pre-set temp when your K9 is in the car. No excuse for a LEO K9 to die in the car either. imo

I'm not making excuses. If they leave the car and the door is open, they had to leave the car. (A K9 death happened like that here. The officers ran in pursuit on a summer day, left the door open, and something happened to the dog in the car. I am not saying every case is like this, but LE usually loves and protects their K9 officers and a dog death is typically a tragic accident. Cooper's father is in jail for Felony Murder.)

Anyway, it still has nothing to do with this case. They can't even be compared.

 

[murphy3k]

An online petition asking the Cobb County District Attorney to drop the murder charge against a father accused of leaving his toddler son in an SUV was closed Thursday.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/online-petition-in-cobb-toddler-case-withdrawn/ngS2D/

 

[georgiagirl]

I don't have enough damning evidence to decide if I think an an otherwise doting father who no one has had a bad thing to say about turned into an evil sadistic baby killer overnight.

This is STILL the court of public opinion so until he confesses to his intent or more evidence comes out at his trial I will remain unconvinced there was intent to kill his child.


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[LisaB]

There is no way, IMO. He had likely been deceased the majority of the day, and he would not continue sweating. So, for hours it was well over 100 degrees and the sweat that was there, would have dried very, very quickly.

I have taken my DD's friends to the beach or pool with us and had one leave a damp towel on the car seat after returning home mid-day. When taking the child back home after his Mom got home from work (4 or 5 hours later) the towel was still damp underneath.

That's what made me think a child in a plastic (non-breathable) car seat who had soaked it with sweat might still feel damp where their body had been pressed into contact with said seat, even if the top surface/front of the child was no longer wet.

 

[Judicious1]

Taking him to breakfast bothers me.
I believe his mom has a background in nutrion.
I haven't checked to see if she has a license in GA, but if that is indeed her profession, taking him to breakfast and then leaving him in car to die, takes on a whole new perspective.
moo

I am so confused by this post can you please elaborate? I don't see a connection between breakfast and this situation for nutritional reasons even if the mom works in nutrition...

 

[blue22]

I have taken my DD's friends to the beach or pool with us and had one leave a damp towel on the car seat after returning home mid-day. When taking the child back home after his Mom got home from work (4 or 5 hours later) the towel was still damp underneath.

That's what made me think a child in a plastic (non-breathable) car seat who had soaked it with sweat might still feel damp where their body had been pressed into contact with said seat, even if the top surface/front of the child was no longer wet.

That is a towel that is made to pull and hold water, saturating a seat underneath. We are talking about a deceased child in a car seat with a previously sweaty head. Heads don't hold moisture like a towel.

I really just don't think there is a scenario that makes him being wet naturally possible. Medically, scientifically...it doesn't make sense.

 

[popsicle]

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/online-petition-in-cobb-toddler-case-withdrawn/ngS2D/

wow Kudos to them.

 

[blue22]

Well in a way the family knows more than us since police have been sharing information and claim to have open contact with mom so maybe they have reason to feel it was an accident? I don't know if it was just saying. I would like to know the explination he had for the animal in car search. That's a sticking point as far as an accident scenario goes ..

If they have information, it's probably coming from him. I won't hang my hat on that. They aren't going to outline their case for the family.

 

[popsicle]

I have taken my DD's friends to the beach or pool with us and had one leave a damp towel on the car seat after returning home mid-day. When taking the child back home after his Mom got home from work (4 or 5 hours later) the towel was still damp underneath.

That's what made me think a child in a plastic (non-breathable) car seat who had soaked it with sweat might still feel damp where their body had been pressed into contact with said seat, even if the top surface/front of the child was no longer wet.

The sweat on him would have evaporated. imo