Small Details that are interesting in the Cooper Harris case, #1

[Melanie]

A big one for me is why did he spend 4K to acquire Frequent Flier miles? This seems so off the radar for him - as they didn't appear to be world travelers. It seems like a ridiculous expense for this family doesn't it?

Police say Harris, who told detectives he had recently taken over the family’s finances, had racked up $4,000 of credit card debt “in order to acquire airline miles.”

Source: http://mdjonline.com/view/full_stor...ris--son?instance=secondary_story_left_column

MOO

Mel

 

[SStarr33]

A big one for me is why did he spend 4K on Frequent Flier miles? Was this a habit, and when did he purchase them. This seems so off the radar for him - as they didn't appear to be world travelers. It seems like a ridiculous expense for this family doesn't it?

Where were they going?

MOO

Mel

Unless they had a bunch piled up, they were going nowhere. Here is a mileage chart from USAirways

http://www.usairways.com/en-US/dividendmiles/usemiles/awardchart.html?re=1

 

[stmarysmead]

Think about HOW MANY times we are asked to believe that Ross "forgot" about his child.

He "forgot" him seconds after strapping him in...as he turned the wrong way.

He "forgot" him each time he made a right turn and turned his head to check traffic.

He "forgot" him when he looked behind to back the car into a parking spot.

He "forgot" him as he shut the car door.

He "forgot" him when he went out to lunch.

He "forgot" him when he returned to the car.

He "forgot" him as he open the door, leaned in and put in the light bulbs.

He "forgot" him as he smelled the inside of that car at lunch.

He "forgot" him as he watched someone walk toward his car.

He "forgot" him when he saw the email from Daycare.

He "forgot" him when he called his wife and asked about pickup.

he "forgot" him as he re entered the car to drive away.

He "forgot" him as he smelled the stench of death.

He "forgot" him as he drove out of the parking lot.

That's just way too much "forgetting."

 

[kjpaw]

In the state of GA a child must be in the back seat until they're 8. Just an FYI.

 

[YidArmyRach]

In the state of GA a child must be in the back seat until they're 8. Just an FYI.

How convenient for them.

In that case, put Cooper's daycare bag on the seat next to you, or a big teddy or something else which will jog your memory that you have a little boy strapped in the back of your car ........ yeah, like you wouldn't remember. I can't believe I typed that suggestion either. When driving my children when they were Cooper's age, the entire journey was spent trying to keep them quiet and trying to forget they were there, so I could concentrate on driving. I find it impossible to believe anyone would forget they still had the child they'd just eaten breakfast with, a few minutes earlier, in the car.

 

[Lyra500]

if you watched the hearing 7/3/14 or read the transcript, do you think hes innocent?

cause there is no way in he-l he is imo.

No of course not!

I have thought him guilty from the moment I heard that he acted weird at the pizza place and both police and witnesses thought he was dodgy. The claim that he had heard a child in rigor mortis "choking" was also deeply suspicious.The revelation that he neglected to mention returning to the car at lunchtime sealed the deal for me. The more details came out, the more unlikely his version of events became.

The wife was odd at the funeral but I just thought she might be some kind of religious nut - however when her quotes from the day care centre and the police station "Did you say too much" came to light I felt that they were BOTH as guilty as sin.

 

[greenbean]

I thought it was odd that he let a stranger perform/take over CPR. I also thought mentioning life insurance was odd. I just don't think that the average person would think of a policy at that moment. I had a close friend lose a child and she had to be sedated in order to release him to the emt's. Her child was also in full rigor. His death was of natural causes. She had no money to inter him and honestly, none of us even gave that any thought for days. A local funeral home donated his services.

I don't know what to think of Cooper's mother. I would not have appeared at the hearing but, I am not her. I also would not have spoken to him at the station. Accident or whatever may or may not have happened, I would have been blind with rage. Assault-level rage and I'm not proud to admit that.

However, I feel like I have to keep in mind that I am not of their faith and do not fully understand it.

Frankly, none of this makes any real sense to me at all. It doesn't seem to fit with the cases where children do appear to be accidentally forgotten. The trip is too short, it's in his routine... But it just seems so RISKY. I sort of wonder if Copper was concealed by some sort of cover while strapped in the seat? I can't imagine that a cover (blanket, etc) would not have been found if discarded on the way to the strip mall where JRH discovered him and was witnessed by Anthony and other bystanders..... Plus, Cooper would have been able to pull off any cover when JRH first left the car...?

This just leaves me totally aghast and grasping at straws. Nothing seems to add up.

 

[gngr~snap]

I thought it was odd that he let a stranger perform/take over CPR. I also thought mentioning life insurance was odd. I just don't think that the average person would think of a policy at that moment. I had a close friend lose a child and she had to be sedated in order to release him to the emt's. Her child was also in full rigor. His death was of natural causes. She had no money to inter him and honestly, none of us even gave that any thought for days. A local funeral home donated his services.

I don't know what to think of Cooper's mother. I would not have appeared at the hearing but, I am not her. I also would not have spoken to him at the station. Accident or whatever may or may not have happened, I would have been blind with rage. Assault-level rage and I'm not proud to admit that.

However, I feel like I have to keep in mind that I am not of their faith and do not fully understand it.

Frankly, none of this makes any real sense to me at all. It doesn't seem to fit with the cases where children do appear to be accidentally forgotten. The trip is too short, it's in his routine... But it just seems so RISKY. I sort of wonder if Copper was concealed by some sort of cover while strapped in the seat? I can't imagine that a cover (blanket, etc) would not have been found if discarded on the way to the strip mall where JRH discovered him and was witnessed by Anthony and other bystanders..... Plus, Cooper would have been able to pull off any cover when JRH first left the car...?

This just leaves me totally aghast and grasping at straws. Nothing seems to add up.

IMO he wanted the insurance money so that he could make bail/bond (I don't know what the difference is sorry)

OK I looked it up, so bail.
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Bail_vs_Bond

 

[greenbean]

LH and RH claim their "worst fear" was leaving Cooper in a hot car, which was their justification for the questionable internet searches on hot car deaths. IF this was true, why in heck weren't they doing everything possible to prevent their "worse fear" i.e. placing Cooper's diaper bag in the front seat as visual reminder, placing RH cell phone in backseat (we all know he would NEVER forget that), sticky note on computer to remind him, customized alarm on phone to remind him, have his wife call to remind him or daycare call immediately if he doesn't show up, etc.. I mean seriously, the list is endless of measures one could take to avoid this 100% PREVENTABLE "worse fear" from coming true. They didn't do anything! Are we honestly to believe they were taking the time to research this online but not doing anything to prevent it? The explanation of why they were making these searches simply does not pass the sniff test.

He did say he did the "turn around" test. IDK what that is, I did the bear-in-seat thing. I think the weather searches on the other site are more damning. I cannot link to the site that proves he was asking about the accuracy of weather models.... The miles he drove after work are incredibly what the....??!!! That's the real "sniff test," IMO.

IMO he wanted the insurance money so that he could make bail/bond (I don't know what the difference is sorry)

OK I looked it up, so bail.
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Bail_vs_Bond

Well, in all his googlin' he probably should have googled that, too. I don't think those pay out lickety-split, and I think they do a bit of looking into high-profile cases? Also, it seems to me that children cannot be insured for double indemnity plans in case of accidental death (especially so, I'd think, if caused accidentally, by one of the policy holders....)

However, I'm not sure of that.


If planned, and it looks like planning was done, why was this planned so poorly? Ego? Did they never expect anything to be searched? Any questions to be asked? I think even in cases where it appears to be TRULY an accident or TRULY natural causes, death investigations are done. When my friend's son died he had an extensive death investigation. We did not know until after the fact but one was done. As should be done, anytime a child dies.

 

[Linda7NJ]

I thought it was odd that he let a stranger perform/take over CPR. I also thought mentioning life insurance was odd. I just don't think that the average person would think of a policy at that moment. I had a close friend lose a child and she had to be sedated in order to release him to the emt's. Her child was also in full rigor. His death was of natural causes. She had no money to inter him and honestly, none of us even gave that any thought for days. A local funeral home donated his services.

I don't know what to think of Cooper's mother. I would not have appeared at the hearing but, I am not her. I also would not have spoken to him at the station. Accident or whatever may or may not have happened, I would have been blind with rage. Assault-level rage and I'm not proud to admit that.

However, I feel like I have to keep in mind that I am not of their faith and do not fully understand it.

Frankly, none of this makes any real sense to me at all. It doesn't seem to fit with the cases where children do appear to be accidentally forgotten. The trip is too short, it's in his routine... But it just seems so RISKY. I sort of wonder if Copper was concealed by some sort of cover while strapped in the seat? I can't imagine that a cover (blanket, etc) would not have been found if discarded on the way to the strip mall where JRH discovered him and was witnessed by Anthony and other bystanders..... Plus, Cooper would have been able to pull off any cover when JRH first left the car...?

This just leaves me totally aghast and grasping at straws. Nothing seems to add up.

I watched this portion again of the hearing, the first witness on the scene told the detective, russ was fumbling around...Russ at no time was attempting CPR.

Despite Russ claiming to be a dispatcher for 5 years and knowing full well how to perform it.

He also didn't bother to call 911.





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[greenbean]

I'd think you'd call 911 as soon as you saw your kid, even before pulling over. Give them location, set down phone, start CPR. This has not happened to me. I may just scream or faint in that situation, I do not know. He was a dispatcher. He should have known how important getting EMT's there asap would be?

Something like "I've left my son in the car. Please help him. I am pulling over here." Give address, leave phone on top of car on speaker. Or drop phone. They will come.

I know things get crazy in an emergency, I had one when my son's tonsillectomy opened up and he started bleeding badly in our house in the middle of nowhere. I got eerily calm. Got him in the car, called Surgery Center, took him to ER, as instructed, then freaked out as soon as I handed him to the crew waiting for me in the turn around at the Pediatric ER.

This in NO WAY compares but, ehhhhhh, IDK. Odd. Just odd. All odd.

 

[tlcya]

the reddit weather model questions are a red herring IMO. during the time he was asking that question if I remember right 'Bama and GA got hit with that freak snow storm that closed highways, trapped kids in schools overnight etc.

EVERYONE was looking at weather models during that big storm event, even my mom who never looks at such things.

JMO

 

[blue22]

A big one for me is why did he spend 4K to acquire Frequent Flier miles? This seems so off the radar for him - as they didn't appear to be world travelers. It seems like a ridiculous expense for this family doesn't it?

Police say Harris, who told detectives he had recently taken over the family’s finances, had racked up $4,000 of credit card debt “in order to acquire airline miles.”

Source: http://mdjonline.com/view/full_stor...ris--son?instance=secondary_story_left_column

MOO

Mel

Right, and the $4,000 could be used to just buy the tickets or hotel, whatever it was he "needed" them for?

For a pathological liar, he is really a terrible one.

 

[SStarr33]

I thought it was odd that he let a stranger perform/take over CPR. I also thought mentioning life insurance was odd. I just don't think that the average person would think of a policy at that moment. I had a close friend lose a child and she had to be sedated in order to release him to the emt's. Her child was also in full rigor. His death was of natural causes. She had no money to inter him and honestly, none of us even gave that any thought for days. A local funeral home donated his services.

I don't know what to think of Cooper's mother. I would not have appeared at the hearing but, I am not her. I also would not have spoken to him at the station. Accident or whatever may or may not have happened, I would have been blind with rage. Assault-level rage and I'm not proud to admit that.

However, I feel like I have to keep in mind that I am not of their faith and do not fully understand it.

Frankly, none of this makes any real sense to me at all. It doesn't seem to fit with the cases where children do appear to be accidentally forgotten. The trip is too short, it's in his routine... But it just seems so RISKY. I sort of wonder if Copper was concealed by some sort of cover while strapped in the seat? I can't imagine that a cover (blanket, etc) would not have been found if discarded on the way to the strip mall where JRH discovered him and was witnessed by Anthony and other bystanders..... Plus, Cooper would have been able to pull off any cover when JRH first left the car...?

This just leaves me totally aghast and grasping at straws. Nothing seems to add up.

It could be a simple explanation. Several people with experience here said the funeral home usually asks the family about life insurance. And at that point, they had no idea HD would be paying for the funeral. If that is the case, I am sure the defense will have the FH director testify.

 

[dlkutac]

The planning for the birthday party...IF Leanne was part of this murder...may just mean that the date to kill the child was fluid. Until they made a decision to "do it tomorrow"....of course, they would carry on just as usual. The grandparents, the church community would expect it and they could do no less.

It's possible the planning was part of the premeditation process as something they could point to later and say "see, we were even planning a birthday party!" I just don't understand how if they were that savvy in the planning process, they could screw up so badly in the execution (no pun intended) phase.

 

[tlcya]

He controlled the finance. Wonder if the points being saved by spending on credit card were for future use to book hotel rooms in his own area.

When you are looking for places to eventually hookup with your sexting buddies I cannot imagine he would want to take them home and going to a park or someone else's place to do the deed is pretty risky stuff.

Shrug, just a thought.

 

[gngr~snap]

He controlled the finance. Wonder if the points being saved by spending on credit card were for future use to book hotel rooms in his own area.

When you are looking for places to eventually hookup with your sexting buddies I cannot imagine he would want to take them home and going to a park or someone else's place to do the deed is pretty risky stuff.

Shrug, just a thought.

Hotels have cameras though, not that he cares.
Was he paying his bills with a credit card? or...

 

[cebee]

I would like to hear what LH and the daycare worker who rode with her talked about. I imagine it will come out in the trial. But was she frantic? ( I would be!!) And if the day care knew something terrible had happened... why did they not offer to drive her? I would think a frantic mom would not be the safest behind the wheel!

 

[tlcya]

I would like to hear what LH and the daycare worker who rode with her talked about. I imagine it will come out in the trial. But was she frantic? ( I would be!!) And if the day care knew something terrible had happened... why did they not offer to drive her? I would think a frantic mom would not be the safest behind the wheel!

yours just got me to thinking. I wonder if that could be kept out? Unless LH is charged, her demeanor may not go to the case the prosecutors lay out.

This lack of need to prove premeditation is a double edged sword IMO. Prosecutors could go wandering down a trail of proving malice and premeditation simply to try to satisfy jurors when the charges actually do not call for that. If they open those doors they could shoot themselves in the foot. JMO

Indtroducing too much evidence of premeditation suggests that is their case. I am not sure it could be as then they set up that expectation.

On thinking on this case and the charges they have elected to bring, it is in some ways much easier, gets them the murder charge in, but really, they will be walking a thin line and will need to really get the point across to teh jury with super good instructions what they must show and what is irrelevant.

 

[magnolia]

I watched this portion again of the hearing, the first witness on the scene told the detective, russ was fumbling around...Russ at no time was attempting CPR.

Despite Russ claiming to be a dispatcher for 5 years and knowing full well how to perform it.

He also didn't bother to call 911.





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BBM- According to the search warrant he did. Also, a witness at the hearing testified to the same. The search warrant is also posted in the media thread - post #102

http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/n...d_document.pdf
​

Justin Harris, the deceased subject's father was witnessed pulling into the parking lot of Uncle Maddio's Pizza, 2955 Akers Mill Rd in a 2011 Hyundai Tucson, GA tag "RT7088". The vehicle came to a sudden stop. Justin quickly exited the vehicle, opened the driver side passenger door and pulled his child, Cooper Harris out of the vehicle. Justin was witnessed yelling "Oh my god what have I done". He then began doing CPR on the child.

EMS responded to the scene. It was obvious that the child was deceased.