Scared Monkeys Discussion Forum

http://abcnews.go.com/US/dad-charged-sons-hot-car-death-face-death/story?id=24416967
Dad Charged With Son's Hot Car Death Could Face Death Penalty
July 3, 2014

The Georgia dad charged with killing his toddler son by leaving the boy in a hot car all day could face the death penalty, a judge said today at a court hearing.

Justin Ross Harris, 33, was denied bond and faces child cruelty and felony murder charges after he said he forgot his 22-month old son in his SUV while he was at work.

A detective said Harris spent part of the day while his son was dying in the overheated car sending explicit messages to "multiple women." One of the females Harris sexted with was 17, the detective said.

The prosecutor said that he brought up the sexting during the probable cause hearing because it "goes to the state of mind" of the defendant.

"He wanted to live a child free life," the prosecutor said.

At the end of the three hour hearing Judge Frank R. Cox denied bond for Harris because "this is a possible death penalty case."

Cobb County Police Department Detective Phil Stoddard told the court that before little Cooper Harris died, his father took him to a Chik-fil-A restaurant for breakfast and while buckling the boy back into his car seat, "Cooper gives him a kiss and he [Harris] gave him a kiss back."

Harris, 33, sat impassively in an orange jail jumpsuit during the hearing. Harris, who faces child cruelty and murder charges, has insisted he forgot his son was in the car and that the boy's death was an accident.

Stoddard testified that before the boy died, Harris had visited the website Reddit to search for articles on life without children, and viewed videos on Reddit that showed people dying -- by suicide or execution, in some cases.

Harris had also twice viewed a video that shows the painful death of animals left in hot cars, and had searched for how to survive in prison, according to searches of his laptop, Stoddard said.

The detective said both Harris and his wife, Leanna Harris, seemed unemotional after learning their son died. Harris never called 911 after finding the boy unresponsive in his SUV on June 18, Stoddard said.

The detective told the court that Cooper suffered a "painful death." He said the temperature that day 88 degrees.

But Harris told his wife the boy "looked peaceful ... his eyes and his mouth were closed," Stoddard recalled of the pair meeting at the police station. The detective added under questioning, however, that photos taken by police show that the boy's eyes and mouth were not closed.

At one point, Harris told his wife: "I dreaded how he would look," according to Stoddard's testimony.

And Leanna Harris asked her husband, "Did you say too much?" during police questioning, Stoddard said.

The detective also raised some points about the wife's behavior in his testimony. He said that employees at the day care center said that when she went to pick up her son and was told her husband hadn't drop off Cooper that morning, she said moments later, "Ross must have left him in the car."

The officer also said that he clearly heard a phone call between Leanna Harris and her mother in which Cooper's grandmother was distraught over the news of the boy's death and asked her daughter, "Why aren't you crying." Leanna Harris replied, "I must be in shock," Stoddard said.

There were also marks on Cooper's face and abrasions on the back of his head, the officer said.

Harris and his wife had two insurance policies on their son, one worth $2,000 through Home Depot, where Harris worked, and a second policy worth $25,000 the couple took out in November 2012, Stoddard said.

Police noticed a "foul stench or odor" coming from the vehicle and hour and a half after Cooper was removed, Stoddard said, suggesting Harris would have also realized the smell.

"It smelled like decomposition, or death," Stoddard said.

When asked if thought that Harris was a flight risk, the detective said he did think Harris was a flight risk in part because "he has a whole second life."
 ::snipping3::

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/03/us-usa-georgia-baby-idUSKBN0F821F20140703
Georgia man charged with killing son researched child-free living: police
July 3, 2014

Reuters) - A suburban Atlanta man charged with murder after his 22-month-old son died from being left in a hot car for seven hours was having marital and work problems and wanted to live a child-free life, prosecutors said on Thursday.

The lead detective in the case against Justin Ross Harris, 33, of Marietta said Harris had exchanged sexually explicit text messages with women other than his wife in the weeks before the child's death.

He also had done Internet research on living child-free, how to survive in prison and child deaths in hot cars because he feared it could happen, Cobb County Detective Phil Stoddard testified at Harris' probable cause hearing.

A judge will decide if there is sufficient evidence against Harris on charges of felony murder and child cruelty stemming from his son's June 18 death and whether he should be released on bail pending a trial.

"We plan to show that he wanted to live a child-free life," a prosecutor told the judge.

Harris' defense attorney argued the status of his marriage and his alleged texting with women did not prove a motive in his child's death.

Harris told police he forgot to drop his son, Cooper Harris, off at daycare before heading to work the morning of June 18. But police have said evidence showed the case was more than simple negligence.

According to search warrants, Harris and his wife said they had conducted Internet searches about how hot cars needed to be for a child to die inside.

Harris' wife has not been charged, and police have declined to say whether she is a suspect.

Police have said Harris left his son in a rear-facing carseat in his sport utility vehicle. The father returned to his car during his lunch hour and placed something inside through the driver's side door, then went back to his office, according to a search warrant.

The temperature in Atlanta that day was in the 90s, police said. Georgia's medical examiner found the toddler died from heatstroke.

Harris told police he realized his son was in the car as he was leaving work that afternoon.

http://www.freep.com/interactive/article/20140703/NEWS07/307030071/Georgia-hot-SUV-child-death
Detective: Georgia dad sent nude photos while boy sat in hot car
July 3, 2014

MARIETTA, GA. — A Georgia man who police say intentionally killed his toddler son by leaving the boy inside a hot SUV was exchanging nude photos with women the day his son died and had looked at websites that advocated against having children, a detective testified Thursday.

Cobb County Police Detective Phil Stoddard testified at a hearing that evidence showed Justin Ross Harris was practically leading a double life and should not be granted bond. Stoddard described the evidence police have suggesting Harris, who is charged with murder, killed his 22-month-old son Cooper intentionally.

Harris and his wife had two life insurance policies for the toddler, one for $2,000 and one for $25,000. Furthermore, Harris' wife had become unhappy with her husband's spending habits, Stoddard said.

Harris has told police he was supposed to drive his son to day care the morning of June 18 but drove to work without realizing that his son was strapped into a car seat in the back.

Harris was exchanging nude photos with several women, including teenagers, even on the day his son died when he was at work, Stoddard said. In the weeks before the boy's death, the man also had looked at a website that advocated against having children and had done an Internet search for "how to survive in prison," the detective said.

"I think the evidence now is showing intent," Stoddard said. He said Harris should remain in jail because he is a flight risk: There is evidence he was leading a double life, he has family in Alabama, and the former 911 dispatcher has law enforcement experience.

Harris is a native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and moved to Georgia in 2012 to work for Home Depot.

The detective said after the boy died, Harris showed no emotion while being interviewed by investigators. At one point after Harris pulled over with the dead child in a strip mall parking lot, an officer told Harris to get off his cellphone, Stoddard said. Harris twice refused, using profanity, and was then arrested.
 ::snipping3::

According to the articles posted, there were two life insurance policies purchased for little Cooper.  One policy was for $2,000 through Harris's employer Home Depot.  Another policy was purchased for $25,000.00 from another yet unnamed source.  The policy for $2,000 isn't that big a deal for a child.  But what about the $25,000.00 one?  I haven't seen information at this time as to exactly what kind of policy it is.  Sometimes a policy can be purchased that can later be used for the child's education.  What kind was Cooper's?

http://www.lifehappens.org/insurance-overview/term-insurance/

Term Insurance

As the name implies, term insurance provides protection for a specific period of time and generally pays a benefit only if you die during the “term.” Term periods typically range from one year to 30 years, with 20 years being the most common term.

Advantages

One of the biggest advantages of term insurance is its lower initial cost in comparison to permanent insurance. Why is it cheaper when initially purchased? Because with term insurance, you’re generally just paying for the death benefit, the lump sum payment your beneficiaries will receive if you die during the term of the policy. With most permanent policies, your premiums help fund the death benefit and can accumulate cash value.

Term insurance is often a good choice for people in their family-formation years, especially if they’re on a tight budget, because it allows them to buy high levels of coverage when the need for protection is often greatest. Term insurance is also a good option for covering needs that will disappear in time. For instance, if paying for college is a major financial concern but you’re pretty sure that you won’t need life insurance coverage after the kids graduate, than it might make sense to buy a term policy that’ll get you through the college years.

When the Term Ends

But what happens if you buy a term policy only to realize at the end of the term that you still have a need for life insurance? Well, it’s sort of a good news, bad news story. The good news is that many policies will give you the option to renew your policy when you reach the end of the term. The bad news is that you’ll probably face much higher costs since age is one of key factors used to determine life insurance premiums. To renew the policy, you also may have to present evidence of insurability (that’s insurance jargon meaning, “take another medical exam and answer a new round of questions about your lifestyle, health status and family health history”). If you’re still a fine specimen with healthy living habits, you might re-qualify at a reasonable rate. But if your health has deteriorated, you may find that it’s too expensive to renew your policy or you may not even re-qualify.

So if you’re considering a term policy, make sure you carefully consider how long you’ll need the coverage. If you’re pretty sure that your needs are temporary, then term insurance is probably the right choice for you. But if you think there’s a possibility that you might need the coverage for a long time, then remember that if you want to renew your term policy after it expires or buy a new term policy at that time, your age, health status or other factors may make coverage very expensive.

To better understand term insurance, consider this analogy. When you purchase term insurance, it’s sort of like renting a house. When you rent, you get the full and immediate use of the house and all that goes with it, but only for as long as you continue paying rent. As soon as your lease expires, you must leave. Even if you rented the house for 30 years, you have no “equity” or value that belongs to you.

Return-of-Premium Option

One exception to this rule is what’s called a return-of-premium term policy. With these policies, if you keep the policy in force for the entire term, say 20 years, the insurance company will refund the premium payments you made over that 20-year period. Of course, there is a price to be paid for this added benefit. The premiums for return-of-premium policies are considerably higher than premiums for standard term policies. The price difference can be 20%, 30% or more. Another factor to consider is that term insurance rates have dropped considerably over the past decade, mostly because people are living longer. If you own a standard term policy, there’s really no harm done in dropping that policy in favor of a newer and cheaper term policy. But if you own a return-of-premium policy, dropping the policy before the full term has expired means that you will have paid a high price for your term insurance coverage and the premiums you paid won’t be fully refunded. At best, you’ll get a partial refund of the money you put into your policy to that point.

Key Policy Provisions

When considering a term purchase, one thing to keep in mind is that not all term policies are the same. Some may include certain provisions as standard features, while others may require you to pay extra to add these features as “riders” to your policy. So if you’re comparing term policies, remember that price is not the only factor to consider. Ask your agent about provisions such as:

Accelerated death benefits – allows a terminally ill person to collect a significant portion of his or her policy’s death benefit while that person is still alive
Disability waiver of premium – waives premiums when a policy owner suffers a long-term disability, typically one lasting six months or longer
Accidental death benefits – doubles or triples the benefit in the case of death by accidental means
Convertibility

Another provision that is very important is something called convertibility. Some insurance contracts only allow “conversion” in the first few years of the policy, while others allow it at any point during the term. This valuable feature allows you to convert your term policy to a permanent policy (e.g., whole life insurance) without submitting evidence of insurability. Being able to convert to a permanent policy is a great option to have in the event that circumstances in your life change such as failing health or maybe just the realization that coverage is needed for a longer period of time than you originally anticipated. That’s why when purchasing a term policy, it’s never a bad idea to find out what kind of permanent policies are offered by the company you are considering. Some companies may only have strong term insurance offerings, while others may have very competitive products in both categories.

http://www.ksla.com/story/25887294/mother-of-cooper-harris-denied-access-to-seized-laptops-pictures
Mother of Cooper Harris denied access to seized laptop's pictures
June 22, 2014

(http://i.imgur.com/mVvK6d8.jpg)
Cooper Harris (Source:  Facebook)

BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) -
Cobb County, Georgia police have denied a request from Cooper Harris' mother to get pictures off a laptop to be used at his funeral in Tuscaloosa.
The family is trying to obtain pictures from the family's laptop that was seized as a part of the investigation into Cooper's father Justin Ross Harris.

Harris has been charged with felony murder and second-degree cruelty to children for allegedly leaving his 22-month-old son Cooper in a hot car for hours while he was at work.

Harris' attorney, Maddox Kilgore, says Cooper's mom is asking police for pictures of her baby to be used at his funeral on Saturday at the University Church of Christ in Tuscaloosa.

Cobb County Police say they aren't allowing that because the laptop is being used as evidence in the on-going criminal investigation into Ross Harris.
 ::snipping3::
Under Cobb PD Policy, Justin Ross Harris will not be able to attend his son's funeral since he's still in jail on no bond.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/03/justice/georgia-hot-car-toddler-death/
Father whose son died in hot car to face Georgia grand jury
Updated July 3, 2014

 ::snipping3::
Police say Harris, 33, left his toddler, Cooper, strapped into a car seat under a baking sun for seven hours while he went to work. Records show that the mercury topped 92 on June 18, and police say the temperature was 88 degrees when the boy was pronounced dead in a parking lot not far from his father's workplace.
 Judge denies bond in hot car death case
Stoddard also recounted witnesses telling police Harris was acting erratically when he pulled into a shopping center asking for assistance with his son.
Witnesses told police they heard "squealing tires, and the vehicle came to a stop," Stoddard testified. Harris exited the vehicle yelling, "Oh, my God, what have I done?" Stoddard said.
The 33-year-old father then stood there with a blank look on his face, the detective said. When a witness told Harris his son needed CPR, Harris went to the other side of his vehicle and made a phone call, apparently to tell someone his son was dead, a witness told police, according to Stoddard.
Harris never called 911, and when an officer told him to get off his phone, he refused and even said, "F*** you" before an officer took his phone and handcuffed him, the detective said.
 ::snipping3::
According to Stoddard, Harris later made statements that police felt were strange, including "I can't believe this is happening to me" and "I'll be charged with a felony." Harris also talked about losing his job, he said.
The detective alleged that Harris told police he couldn't reach anyone on his telephone, but phone records show that Harris made three calls, and one between him and his employer lasted six minutes, Stoddard said.
Meanwhile, when the boy's mother, Leanna Harris, arrived at a day care center to pick the boy up, employees there told her Cooper had never been dropped off, the detective said.
"Ross must have left him in the car," she replied, according to Stoddard. Witnesses said they tried to tell her many other things could have happened, but Leanna Harris insisted that Ross Harris must have left him in the car, Stoddard said.
The detective also said that when Ross and Leanna Harris were in an interview room, Ross Harris told his wife that Cooper looked "peaceful" and his eyes were closed when he was removed from the vehicle.
He told his wife, "I dreaded how he would look," Stoddard said, adding that the boy's eyes and mouth were not closed when he was taken out of the SUV.
 ::snipping3::
Defense attorney H. Maddox Kilgore said after several witnesses testified that he didn't feel anything presented at Thursday's hearing indicated that Ross Harris intentionally left Cooper in the car, which would be key to finding him guilty on the charges.
"It's not even criminal negligence enough to support a misdemeanor," he told the judge, asking the judge to dismiss the warrant. "Ross pulled out of a Chick-fil-A, and his mind went elsewhere. It's easy to get distracted when you get behind the wheel. Everyone does it."
Kilgore said he himself had forgotten boxed-up leftovers, a comparison on which the prosecution seized. Someone might remember that they left spaghetti in the car after 30 minutes, said Assistant District Attorney Chuck Boring.
But Ross Harris not only forgot his child, he got an e-mail from his son's day care during the day and walked out to the vehicle to place light bulbs inside, never once remembering Cooper, the prosecutor said.
"I think it's remarkable he didn't stick his head in that car," Boring said. "He knew what he was going to find."
Harris, who is being held without bail, has pleaded not guilty.

http://www.kvue.com/story/news/2014/07/03/hot-car-death-georgia/12176417/
Detective: Dad had 2 life insurance policies for son
July 3, 2014

MARIETTA, Ga. — A Georgia man charged with murder in the hot car death of his 22-month-old child will stand trial on the charges, a judge ruled Thursday, denying bond.

During a probable cause hearing, a police detective testified that Justin Ross Harris was sexting with several women on the day of his son's death and there were two life insurance policies on his son, Cooper.

Cobb County Police Detective Phil Stoddard described the evidence police have suggesting Harris, who also is charged with child cruelty, killed Cooper intentionally.

Harris and his wife had two life insurance policies for the toddler, one for $2,000 and one for $25,000. Furthermore, Harris' wife had become unhappy with her husband's spending habits, Stoddard said.

A woman whom Harris was sexting with, said that Harris "wanted to hook up." Several explicit pictures were sent, beginning in the morning and lasting throughout the day,according to Stoddard said.

Maddox Kilgore, Harris' attorney, objected to the questions about the sexting, but the district attorney said that would show Harris was in an unhappy marriage and wanted a "childless life."

Stoddard also testified that Harris had accessed websites advocating "child free" and searched "how to survive prison" before Cooper died.
 ::snipping3::
Harris has told police he was supposed to drive his son to day care the morning of June 18 but drove to work without realizing that his son was strapped into a car seat in the back.

Stoddard testified that Harris told him that he went to lunch with two friends and they stopped at a Home Depot, where Harris bought some light bulbs. Surveillance footage showed Harris returned to his car and tossed some items into his vehicle.

Stoddard testified that Harris never told them during questioning that he'd returned to his vehicle during lunch.

Harris had planned to go to a movie at 5 p.m. with his friends, Stoddard said. On the way to the movies, Harris quickly pulled over and pulled Cooper from the back seat of his SUV and placed him on the ground. A witness said that he performed CPR on the boy as Harris made phone calls.

Stoddard said that witnesses reported that Harris told someone by phone Cooper had died. Harris told detectives that he never reached anyone by phone, Stoddard testified.

Stoddard said Harris told his wife that Cooper "looked at peace" with his eyes and mouth closed. Leanna said, "I dreaded how he would look," the detective testified. Stoddard stated that according to the pictures he saw of Cooper after his death, the boy's eyes and mouth were not closed.

The detective said that when he told Harris he'd be charged with murder, Harris responded, "But there's no malicious intent."

Stoddard said he believes Harris should remain in jail because "he's a flight risk." The detective said there was evidence of a double life, Harris had family in Alabama and that Harris had said he had law enforcement experience.
 ::snipping3::

Harris went to lunch with two friends, stopped by Home Depot and bought light bulbs and he went to the car Cooper was in and tossed the light bulbs in.  Harris failed to tell LE he went back to the car at lunchtime, but was seen on surveillance going to the car at lunch and tossing something in.   ::MonkeyNoNo:: 

Beyond the ten shocking details, you can also read the live blog from today's hearing (Thurs. July 3, 2014)


http://www.hlntv.com/article/2014/07/03/justin-ross-harris-cooper-toddler-hot-car-death-live-blog
10 shocking details in hot car death hearing
June 3, 2014

http://www.ajc.com/gallery/news/photos-funeral-service-held-cooper-harris/gCLqp/#5460320
PHOTOS: Funeral service held for Cooper Harris
June 28, 2014

(http://i.imgur.com/gdFiV2f.jpg)
A white rose rests on the grave of Cooper Harris at the Tuscaloosa Memorial Park Cemetery on Saturday, June 28, 2014, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

(14 images)

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/25932558/hearing-for-dad-in-georgia-hot-suv-child-death
Judge denies bond for father accused in son's hot car death
July 3, 2014

 ::snipping3::
Alex Hall, a friend of Harris since their sophomore year of college and a co-worker at Home Depot, said Harris talked about how much he loved his son all the time. He said he, another co-worker and college friend, Winston Milling, and Harris had gone to lunch the day the boy died and had planned to go to the movies after work that day.

"Nothing stuck out," Hall said. "Nothing was weird."

The two men later dropped Harris off at his car so he could put a couple of light bulbs he had purchased inside.

Kilgore, the defense attorney, said that showed Harris did not mean to leave the boy there.

"If that were the case, why in the world would he bring his colleagues right up to the car?" he asked.

Kilgore also said Harris had sent his wife a text that afternoon asking, "When are you going to get my buddy?"

IMO this was premeditated and one of the worst crimes I've heard of in a long time.  This monster should rot in hell and his wife can go along with him.  MOO

I agree Klaas. I think both Mom and Dad planned this. Sad when so many would have taken this child in a second. Monsters both of them.

I agree with you both Klaas & TBM. Monster is to nice of a name for them.  RIP Cooper.  Why do these kind of Monsters have children in the first place.  ::MonkeyMad:: 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/07/06/dad-hot-car-death/12274643/
Attention shifts to mother in boy's hot car death
July 6, 2014

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Attention has shifted to the mother of a 22-month-old child who died after his father left him in a hot car.

Justin Ross Harris, 33, is charged with felony murder and second-degree child cruelty in the death of his son, Cooper. He claims that he forgot to drop his son off at daycare before heading to work on June 18. Cooper Harris spent nearly seven hours in the SUV as temperatures rose to 88 degrees, according to warrants.

A judge found probable cause for the charges and did not grant bond to Harris in a hearing Thursday. He remains at Cobb County Jail.

Authorities won't say whether an arrest warrant has been obtained for Harris' wife, Leanna. It's not known whether police believe she had anything to do with the death of Cooper.

During Thursday's court hearing, Cobb County Detective Phil Stoddard said that Leanna didn't rush to her child — or even ask to see him. Leanna only wanted to know about her husband, Stoddard testified.

At the police station, she asked Harris whether he said too much. And earlier in the day, after finding that her son had never been dropped off at the daycare, she immediately told workers that her husband must have left Cooper in the vehicle.

According to warrants, both parents admitted to researching hot car deaths online.

Police could have intentionally waited until after Harris' hearing to arrest Leanna, wanting her to be in the courtroom to hear about his alleged double life. Stoddard testified Harris has been sexting multiple women, even an underage girl.

Leanna has defended Harris as a good father, but it could bolster the prosecution's case if she were willing to testify against him.

Meanwhile, computer forensics will be key in the case as police uncovered Harris' sexting and penchant for videos about death from his computers.

Stoddard testified that Harris had accessed websites advocating "child free" and searched "how to survive prison" before Cooper died.

Cobb County prosecutor Chuck Boring asked Stoddard whether the police had examined the computers.

We have," Stoddard responded.

"Are you finished with your examination of these computers?"

"We've only scratched the surface," Stoddard answered.

"These experts in law enforcement have been trained in computer forensics," said Greg Evans of Hi Tech Crime Solutions. "They have the best software in the world that will go in and go through each sector. It may not take a day. It can take a month; it can take a week; or it can take 6 months depending on how much data you have on there."

Harris had access to at least three computers. And police said it's clear he was covering his tracks on all of them.

But in cyberspace, "delete" doesn't mean "gone."
 ::snipping3::

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2681390/Cooper-Harris-baked-death-fathers-hot-car-scratched-face-rubbed-head-against-tight-car-seat-struggling-escape.html
Toddler who died after father left him in hot car 'scratched his face and rubbed his head against too-tight car seat desperately struggling to escape'
July 5, 2014


Disturbing new details have emerged from a preliminary hearing in the case of a Georgia toddler who died inside his father's car suggesting that the 22-month-old may have tried to free himself before succumbing to the heat.

Justin Ross Harris is facing murder charges in the June 18 death of his son, Cooper, who was found unresponsive inside the father's overheated SUV.

An investigation has revealed that Harris allegedly discussed collecting life insurance policies on the toddler, and that both Justin and his wife, Leanna, researched child deaths online.

During a hearing Thursday, Cobb County Police Department Detective Phil Stoddard told the court that several injuries were found on the toddler’s body, including visible marks on his face.

'It would have come from the child or a scratch being made while the child was alive and then not healing or scabbing over or anything after that, soon after he passed away,' said the officer.

There were also abrasions to the back of Cooper's head suggesting that the toddler was rubbing his head against the car seat in a desperate bid to get free.

The details that emerged from Stoddard's testimony paint a harrowing picture of Cooper's final moments, which the little boy possibly spent scratching his face with his nails and squirming to escape from the car seat.

Arrest warrants released Thursday shed additional light on what Cooper Harris must have been going through inside his father's scorching SUV.

According to the documents, the boy’s car seat was set on the lowest level, which means that Cooper was strapped in as tightly as possible.

Justin Harris allegedly knew the specific make and model of the car seat and what the weight limit was for the child to be seated in it, a warrant revealed.

The 33-year-old suspect's wife, Leanna, was in attendance during Thursday's hearing. She was photographed sitting in the audience an listening intently to the allegations against her husband.

New documents released Friday showed that Mr Harris gave his family grim instruction on what they'd have to do to collect on an insurance policy on the boy's life from his cell.

'Through the investigation Harris has made comments to family members regarding a life insurance policy that he has on Cooper and what they need to do in order to file for it,' the paper reported.


A Cobb County detective said there were two life insurance policies on the boy's life: one for $25,000 and one for $2,000. It's uncertain whether the family has actually attempted to claim the money.
 ::snipping3::
Harris was denied bond Thursday by a judge who called it a 'possible death penalty case.'

He will remain on jail on murder and child cruelty charges in relation to the June 18 death of his 22-month-old son.

Detective Stoddard testified at the hearing that evidence showed Harris was practically leading a double life and should not be granted bond. Harris has pleaded not guilty.

Stoddard described the evidence police have suggesting Harris, who is charged with murder, killed his 22-month-old son Cooper intentionally.

Harris has told police he was supposed to drive his son to day care the morning of June 18 but drove to work without realizing that his son was strapped into a car seat in the back.

The father was exchanging nude photos with six women, including teenagers, even on the day his son died. While at work, he used a smartphone messaging app called Kik and sent photos of his private parts, Stoddard said.

'We’ve only scratched the surface,' said Stoddard with regards to the searches done on Harris’ computers.

Harris' wife told police the pair were having intimacy issues, according to Stoddard. There are texts to indicate that she knew he was cheating on her.

'We plan to show that he wanted to live a child-free life,' the prosecution told the judge.

Stoddard testified that before the boy died, Harris had visited the website Reddit to search for articles on life without children, and viewed videos on Reddit that showed people dying - by suicide or execution, in some cases.

Harris had also twice viewed a video that shows the painful death of animals left in hot cars, and had searched for 'how to survive in prison', according to searches of his laptop, Stoddard said.

‘I think the evidence now is showing intent,’ Stoddard said.

He said Harris should remain in jail because he is a flight risk: There is evidence he was leading a double life, he has family in Alabama, and the former 911 dispatcher has law enforcement experience.

Defense attorney Maddox Kilgore said that evidence had no bearing on Harris' intent.

'I think the real purpose of all that is to publicly shame him,' Kilgore said

Harris is a native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and moved to Georgia in 2012 to work for Home Depot.

The detective said both Harris and his wife, Leanna Harris, seemed unemotional after learning their son died.

Harris never called 911 after finding the boy unresponsive in his SUV on June 18, Stoddard said.

The detective told the court that Cooper suffered a 'painful death.' He said the temperature that day 88 degrees.

Stoddard said Harris' wife came to the day care the afternoon the boy died, June 18, and was told the child wasn't there.

According to witnesses, she then said her husband must have left the toddler in the car.

According to Stoddard, Harris only became emotional when he was with his wife at the police station.

'It was all about him: "I can’t believe this is happening to me. Why am I being punished for this?" It was all very one-sided,' Stoddard said.

'He talked about losing his job… "What are we going to do? I’ll be charged with a felony.'"

According to Stoddard, Leanna Harris then asked her husband, 'Did you say too much?'
 ::snipping3::

Search warrants released over the weekend showed Harris told investigators he had done an online search on what temperature could cause a child's death in a vehicle.

The warrant doesn't specify when Harris did the searches. Police have said facts in the case 'do not point toward simple negligence.'

The Cobb County Medical Examiner's office said last week that officials believe the child died of hyperthermia - a condition in which the body overheats. The medical examiner has called the death a homicide.

The temperature that day was 88 degrees at 5:16 p.m., according to a warrant filed the day after the child died.
 ::snipping3::
The Harris' landlord, Joe Saini, also gave the couple a glowing review to local media outlets.

'Everything was going right for this couple,' Saini told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 'They wanted to buy a house so they could have some space for their child to run around the backyard.'

Other friends weighed in on the couple on a Change.org petition to have the murder charge against Harris dropped. The petition was recently shut down.\
 ::snipping3::

Harris has since pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and child cruelty. It was recently revealed that both he and his wife had done Google searches pertaining to children killed in hot cars prior to their son's death. Leanna Harris has not been charged with any crimes in the boy's June 18, death.

Justin Harris has already told police that he used the internet to research child deaths in vehicles and what temperature it needs to be for death to occur, police said.

‘Justin stated that he was fearful that this could happen,’ a police affidavit released on Saturday said.

During a police search executed on Wednesday June 18 officers seized a laptop computer, a computer tower, a Google Chromecast and other electronic devices. Harris’ white AT&T IPhone 5, was also seized by cops.

This comes after it was alleged the Home Depot web developer also used his work computer to research how long it would take for a dog to die inside a hot car.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2681390/Cooper-Harris-baked-death-fathers-hot-car-scratched-face-rubbed-head-against-tight-car-seat-struggling-escape.html

(http://i.imgur.com/6ShjjZ4.jpg)

I totally agree with you klaas.... wait and see... the mother had a hand in this... these 2 need to be tied into the back seat of the suv and left in the heat to die. As details start to trickle out, the disgust felt for these 'parents' will grow ..

This story is all over the news here.  He is going to prison. They will grant her some sort of deal to talk.

Why oh why- what a world.

I know people who know of him. 

He is going to prison.

Disturbing Details Revealed In 'Hot Car Death' Bond Hearing
Thursday, July 3 2014, 07:20 PM EDT

<snipped>

Detectives also got access to evidence of a dysfunctional marriage after searching Harris's cellphone. They saw that Harris was 'sexting' several women on messaging app Kik - including a 16-year-old girl. He expressed interest in meeting up with them.

Messages uncovered on the phone showed evidence that Leanne Harris was aware of the infidelities.

More details were revealed when officers checked Harris' work computer. Among them:

- He searched the website Reddit for videos of "people who die."

- He visited a Reddit website called "Child Free."

- He searched the internet using the phrase "how to survive prison."

- He searched the internet for the age of consent in Georgia.

- He searched the internet for information on heat-related deaths of animals, 5 days before Cooper's death.

- Harris is charged with murder in connection with his child's death.

Detectives at Thursday's hearing say given the evidence they've received, he also may soon be facing charges of sexual exploitation of a minor.

<snipped>

http://www.newschannel9.com/news/top-stories/stories/disturbing-details-revealed-hot-car-death-bond-hearing-11387.shtml

3 New Discoveries About Justin Harris and Hot Child Car Death
Jul 11, 2014

There has been endless speculation and discourse about the shocking death of Cooper Harris in suburban Atlanta in June. The 22-month-old boy perished after being imprisoned in a sweltering car on a humid day in Marietta, Ga., due to the alleged neglect, or murderous intentions, of his father, Justin Ross Harris.

The father is facing felony murder charges while his mother, Leanna Harris, remains a suspect in the toddler’s untimely death. Other than Leanna Harris hiring a lawyer, despite not being charged, here are the latest developments in the hot car child death that stunned the nation:

1. Leanna Harris finally speaks to the media. Sort of …

The media tried to get the mother of the deceased Cooper Harris to utter a statement of some sort after her visitation to her husband at the Cobb County Jail this past week. Police are still gathering evidence in order to reportedly charge her in the child’s death as well.

“Do you support your husband still?” a photographer asked the mother, according to WSB-TV. Leanna Harris responded, “We have no comment.”
 
2. Home Depot has terminated Justin Ross Harris’ employment with the company.

According to WSB-TV, Home Depot confirmed that it fired Justin Ross Harris from his job. Even if Harris had done nothing wrong as it relates to his son, police found out that, while the young son was dying in the car, the father spent the balance of his day exchanging pornographic material online with a bevy of females in his office, one whom authorities say was an underaged teenager. That is an offense worthy of termination at any company.
 
3. Toxicology report on Cooper Harris returned

Cobb County Police Department said toxicology tests confirmed that Cooper Harris’ system was free of drugs or any other toxic substance that may have contributed to his death. While this is good news for Justin Ross Harris’ defense, it does little to offset the mountain of damning evidence that was presented in court, prompting the judge to order the father to stand trial for murder and felony child cruelty.

<snipped>

http://chicagodefender.com/2014/07/11/3-new-discoveries-about-justin-harris-and-hot-child-car-death/

Fundraising campaign for Justin Ross Harris removed; more evidence surfaces of 'double life
July 10, 2014

An online fund to raise money for Justin Ross Harris and his family has been taken down, as more information comes forward almost daily about the Tuscaloosa native's "double life" and what may have led to his son's death. ...

More than $22,000 was raised for the Harris family through YouCaring.com in the days following Cooper's death and Harris' arrest.

That online campaign disappeared sometime within the past week. ...

An online petition asking Cobb County authorities to drop the charges against Harris was removed in late June. The petition reached 11,886 signatures before it was closed by its author.

<snipped>

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2014/07/fundraising_campaign_for_justi.html


PayPal refunding donations in Justin Ross Harris fundraising campaign
July 11, 2014

The online payment site PayPal says it will give refunds to people who donated to a fundraising campaign for a Georgia family whose toddler died in a hot car.

PayPal will soon be issuing refunds to customers who used the service to donate to the campaign at YouCaring.com, where a total of more than $22,000 was given, PayPal spokeswoman Adriana Higuera said in a late Thursday statement to The Associated Press.

<snipped>

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2014/07/paypal_refunding_donations_in.html

 ::MonkeyShocked::

Leanne Harris is glad Cooper Harris is dead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkClQKSAj4A

JVM on HLN is cover this case right now!

4:00 PM PDS

NG on HLN discussing case right now!

5:00 PM PDT

http://www.11alive.com/story/news/local/marietta/2014/07/14/ross-harris-cooper-hot-car-death/12650533/
The case against Ross Harris: What's next?
July 14, 2014

COBB COUNTY, Ga. -- It's been more than three weeks since a Cobb County father was charged in the heat-related death of his toddler.

Ross Harris remains locked up in the Cobb County jail without bond while investigators continue to look for evidence he deliberately left his son Cooper in the backseat of his car for 7 hours.
 ::snipping3::


Police must now complete their investigation and turn all of the evidence over to the district attorney's office. They are looking for evidence that cooper's death was premeditated or planned.

Step number two: the district attorney's office will launch an independent review of the evidence gathered by police. As part of that process, they will evaluate the strength of the case against Ross Harris.

The third step: the district attorney will present evidence to a grand jury and decide which charges they plan to pursue against Harris. The office has 90 days to indict the case before Harris is guaranteed bond by law. Monday marked day 26.

This case continues to have an impact across the country. The Georgia Trial Lawyers Association is partnering with child safety advocates to pressure the White House and the US Department of Transportation to require car makers to install devices that would detect a child left unattended in a car. They've launched a petition drive on Change.org.

Video

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/11/leanna-harris_n_5578592.html
Leanna Harris, Mom Of Toddler Dead In Hot Car Case, Hires Attorney
July 11, 2014

ATLANTA (AP) — The wife of a Georgia man facing charges after their son was left in a hot car and died has retained a criminal defense attorney for herself.

Atlanta attorney Lawrence Zimmerman said he now represents Leanna Harris.

Her husband, Justin Ross Harris, faces murder and child cruelty charges in the June 18 death of their son, 22-month-old Cooper Harris. The father told Cobb County police he left the boy in the SUV for about seven hours after forgetting to drop him off at day care and going to work.

Leanna Harris has not been charged with any crimes in the death. Asked about his role in the case Friday, Zimmerman told The Associated Press he could not comment further.

"We practice only criminal defense which means that our clients are represented by criminal defense specialists, not a general practice lawyer," Zimmerman's website states.

Meanwhile, the online payment site PayPal says it will give refunds to people who donated to a now-defunct fundraising campaign for the family.

PayPal will soon be issuing refunds to customers who used the service to donate to the campaign at YouCaring.com, where a total of more than $22,000 was given, PayPal spokeswoman Adriana Higuera said in a late Thursday statement.
 ::snipping3::

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/07/15/lawyer-ga-mother-whose-son-died-in-hot-car-is-devastated-living-every-parent/
Lawyer: Ga mother whose son died in hot car is devastated, 'living every parent's nightmare'
July 15, 2014

ATLANTA –  A lawyer for a suburban Atlanta woman whose husband was arrested after their son was left for hours in a hot SUV says she is devastated by the boy's death.

Attorney Lawrence Zimmerman issued a statement Tuesday saying Leanna Harris is "living every parent's nightmare.'

The woman's husband, Justin Ross Harris, was arrested on charges of murder and child cruelty after the June 18 death of their 22-month-old son, Cooper.
 ::snipping3::

Zimmerman criticized media coverage of Leanna Harris' reaction to her son's death and says she's asking to grieve for her son privately.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/mom-cooper-harris-tot-killed-hot-car-asks-privacy-husband-eyed-murder-article-1.1868268
Mom of Cooper Harris, tot killed in hot car, asks for privacy as husband eyed in murder
Leanna Harris, 30, through her lawyer claims her every move has been scrutinized as she tries to mourn the death of the 22-month-old boy. Prosecutors say little Cooper was left in a hot car for about seven hours after his dad, Justin Ross Harris, pretended to forget to drop the boy off at daycare.
July 15, 2014

A Georgia woman whose husband has been accused of murdering their 22-month-old child in his hot SUV last month lashed out against media scrutiny in a statement Tuesday as her lawyer asked the public to give “her the dignity to mourn her son in private.”

Leanna Harris has not spoken to the media since little Cooper Harris was found dead June 18 outside of Atlanta. Her statement, released Tuesday to local Atlanta-area news outlets by her attorney, Lawrence J. Zimmerman, never once mentions her husband Justin Ross Harris, who remains jailed on murder charges.

Instead, it blasts the media, who have made “dealing with her grief … more difficult” because her “every word, action and emotion  —
or failure to cry in front of a crowd  — is scrutinized for some supposed hidden meaning.

“Reporters have delved into Leanna’s upbringing, her employment, quizzed people for information about her marriage, and her sex life,” the statement reads. “The constant attention has prevented her from returning to work.”
More...

Mother of toddler who died in a hot car speaks out
Jul. 16, 2014 - 2:25 - 'Devastated' by son's death

http://video.foxnews.com/v/3677653235001/mother-of-toddler-who-died-in-a-hot-car-speaks-out/#sp=show-clip

 ::stpats::
Interesting that the headline is the mother "speaks out" when it actuality it is the lawyer "speaking for her."

I did not mean for the shamrock guy to be in my post^^above.

Sorry.

http://mdjonline.com/view/full_story/25561089/article-Remembering-Cooper-Harris--Online-group-seeks-money-to-build-park-in-toddler-s-memory?
Remembering Cooper Harris: Online group seeks money to build park in toddler’s memory
August 6, 2014

MARIETTA — People across the country who want to memorialize the late 22-month-old Cooper Harris, have created a fundraising campaign online to build a Marietta park in his memory.

Harris died after being left in his father’s car for seven hours on June 18.

His father, Ross Harris, 33, of Marietta, is charged with murder and child cruelty. He was denied bond and has been in the Cobb County jail since June 18.

Spectators interested in advocating for child safety created the group called Cooper’s Tree House Foundation.

Roxs Bourgeois of White City, Ore, a core member of the group who works for Macy’s, said she wants to raise money to build a park in Cooper’s name to remember the child.

The 275-member group has raised $780 of its $250,000 goal since the fundraiser was created on July 19.

Marietta Mayor Steve Tumlin said parks can cost anywhere from $60,000, such as Blackwell Park, to $4 million, such as the Elizabeth Porter Recreation Center.

Tumlin said he recognizes people may want to support the cause because “this is still a very emotional time,” but he said parks in the city must meet certain standards.

“To build a park, it takes a lot more debate and time to do it than you think,” Tumlin said. “We have to meet standards: does it have a bathroom? If it’s down a hill, does it have to be handicap accessible?”

All these issues are things the organizers will have to consider, Tumlin said.

Bourgeois said the group is still in the early stages and is focusing on the symbolism of the park.

“We all wish that we could have been there that day to save him from the horrible death that baby Cooper had suffered,” Bourgeois said. “We are moms and couldn’t imagine anything like that happening to any of our children.”

 ::snipping3::

To donate to the fund, visit www.gofundme.com/Justice-for-Baby-Cooper.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/mother-hot-car-death-treated-victim/story?id=24926189
Mother in Hot Car Death Being Treated as a 'Victim'
August 11, 2014
The mother of a Georgia boy who died in a hot-car tragedy in June may be legally cleared in the case, her lawyer said.

Cobb County’s District Attorney sent Leanna Harris a victim impact statement, identifying her as a victim in the case of 22-month-old Cooper -- and requiring her to detail how the loss has affected her.

In that document, Harris described the amount of grief the death of her son has caused as “indefinable ... and that not a moment goes by when she doesn’t think about him, or what their future would have held.”

Her attorney, Lawrence Zimmerman, said the statement showed that she is not suspected in Cooper’s death.

“She went from having what she believes is a beautiful, loving family to nothing,” Zimmerman said. “How would anybody deal with that? I don’t know how she stands up every day.”

Cooper died after being locked inside his father’s SUV for nearly seven hours on a 90-degree day. Justin Ross Harris, Cooper’s father, is charged with murder and child cruelty. He has pleaded not guilty.

Leanna Harris has not been charged with any crime, but prosecutors questioned her reaction on the day of her son’s passing.

“She didn’t show any emotion when we notified her of Cooper’s death,” Detective Phil Stoddard said in court last month.

In the victim impact statement, Harris wrote that she now lives “a tortured existence.”

She lost her job and is now receiving counseling for depression, she wrote.

“On that form [where] it asks relation to victim, she wrote ‘self,’" Zimmerman said. "That’s because she’s considered a victim under Georgia law, and by them sending it to her, I think they’re alluding to the fact that she really is the victim."

She described her husband as a “wonderful father ... [that] would never have knowingly allowed any harm to come to our son.”

She continues to stand by her husband -- sitting in court during his last appearance, when he was denied bond. His trial date still is pending.
More...

Absolutely and flamom, I agree with you.  It's too painful to read how this precious child suffered.

 ::justice2nj2::

http://abcnews.go.com/US/hot-car-dad-justin-harris-indicted-sons-murder/story?id=25247004
'Hot Car Dad' Justin Harris Indicted for Son's Murder
September 4, 2014

The Georgia dad who left his son to die in a scorching SUV this summer was indicted today and charged with the boy's murder.

Justin Harris, 33, will be tried for malice murder among other charges, the court said. He could face the death penalty, a judge said earlier this year.

Harris faces eight counts: malice murder, two counts of felony murder, cruelty to children in the 1st and 2nd degree, criminal attempt to commit a felony and two counts of dissemination of harmful material to minors.

Harris' 22-month-old son died on June 18 inside a hot car parked outside Home Depot, where Harris worked. The indictment said Harris left his son in the locked vehicle "with malice aforethought" and caused the boy "cruel and excessive physical pain."

Harris, who pleaded not guilty, has claimed the death was an accident, and that he forgot to drop his son off at daycare, a day when the temperature reached 90 degrees in Atlanta.

Prosecution argued that because Harris returned to his car once during the day, to drop something off after lunch, he must have known the boy was inside. They suggested Harris was eager to live a childless life, and wanted his son dead.

Police also discovered Harris had been sexting multiple women before his son's death. One of the females was under 18, prompting the charge of disseminating harmful material to minors.
 ::snipping3::

http://www.khou.com/story/news/2014/09/22/mom-in-fatal-georgia-hot-car-death-case-passes-polygraph/16056177/
Mom in fatal Georgia hot car death case passes polygraph
September 22, 2014


MARIETTA, Ga. -- Attorneys for Leanna Harris tell WXIA-TV she took and passed a polygraph test after her husband, Justin Ross Harris, was charged with murder in their son's death.

Attorney Lawrence Zimmerman released a written statement saying, "My firm retained a licensed veteran polygrpaher and former law enforcement officer with decades of experience conducting polygraphs. On July 16th, 2014, he conducted a polygraph on my client, Leanna Harris."

Zimmerman included the results of the test:

POLYGRAPH QUESTIONS FORMULATED AND ASKED ON TEST:
Prior to June 18th, did you know that your husband would leave your son in that vehicle?
(Answer: No)
More...

http://www.11alive.com/story/news/local/2014/12/30/ross-harris-evidence-hot-car-death-trial-cobb-county/21034691/
Evidence released against dad in hot car death
December 30, 2014

(http://i.imgur.com/mSSR4gj.jpg) (http://imgur.com/mSSR4gj)
Cooper Harris(Photo: Special to 11Alive News)

MARIETTA, Ga. (WXIA) -- The murder trial of Ross Harris, charged with killing his 22-month-old son, Cooper, by leaving him in a hot car in Cobb County, is scheduled to begin Monday, Jan. 12.

And prosecutors have disclosed all of their evidence to Harris's attorney, as required by law.

But even though the prosecutors, from the Cobb County District Attorney's Office, released everything they believe they have against Harris, Harris and his attorney continue to insist Cooper's death was an accident, and that there is nothing in the state's evidence that can prove otherwise.

The core of the evidence is centered on the prosecution's contention that Harris murdered Cooper by purposely leaving him in a hot car this past June.

Prosecutors have said they believe Harris had decided he wanted to live a child-free life.

They provided Harris's attorney with more than 120 computer discs containing videos, photos, Harris's cell phone records, the contents of his home computer hard drives, his emails, and interviews with seemingly everyone who came into contact with Harris that day -- witnesses, co-workers, friends.
The evidence list makes it clear prosecutors have constructed a timeline, tracking Harris's every move, every conversation --

-Before he left Cooper in the car strapped in his car seat, in the parking lot at work

-While Cooper was dying in that hot car, when, prosecutors say, Harris, who is married, was in his office sexting with others

-After Cooper died and Harris drove away with his body still in the car seat, and got out of the car a few minutes later as witnesses watched him reacting to Cooper's death

Harris's attorney, Maddox Kilgore, declined to comment about the state's evidence, which he first saw earlier this month.

But Kilgore has said repeatedly that there is no hard evidence that Harris purposely killed Cooper, it is all circumstantial, and that Cooper's death was a horrible, tragic accident.

There are still several, major defense motions pending that seek to throw out some of the evidence and reduce the charges.

One of the motions addresses Harris's sexting that day. Prosecutors say Harris was sexting with a minor girl, in addition to women. Kilgore wants Harris to have a separate trial on those charges, while the prosecution wants those charges included in the murder trial to show what Harris was doing after leaving Cooper in the car.

Also, the state is waiting for Kilgore to disclose what he might use in the trial.

There is no indication, yet, whether the two sides might end up reaching a plea deal, to avoid a trial altogether.

The 8 counts against Harris:

Count 1 Malice Murder

Count 2 Felony Murder

Count 3 Felony Murder

Count 4 Cruelty to Children in the First Degree

Count 5 Cruelty to Children in the Second Degree

Count 6 Criminal Attempt to Commit a Felony

Count 7 Dissemination of Pornography to Minors

Count 8 Dissemination of Pornography to Minors