Monday, June 30, 2014

Statement Analysis: Leanna Harris



Cooper Harris, not yet 2 years old, is dead.

His father, Ross Harris, buckled him into the back of the car and drove to work, 'forgetting' his son was there.  When he came out, 7 hours later, the child was dead.  Harris screamed, "I killed our child!"

We noted that he used the pronoun, "our" in his cry.  The overwhelming number of biological parents use the pronoun "my", unless they have a reason to share responsibility or guilt.  We have seen "our" child when both parents are together, speaking as one, but in general, the word "my" is used.  (A couple who are discussing divorce may begin to use "our" in their language.)

We also noted he used the word "child" and not "son" in his cry.  The word "child" is often associated with risk, such as "child abuse" or "child molestation" in language.

These two indicators led us to believe that Harris' story was not genuine, thus, the analysis was posted.  The word "our" shows a need to 'share' something.

Was it guilt he was sharing?

Next, we learned that a police officer was skeptical about Harris, but held his tongue.  This further strengthened the opinion that his cry was disingenuous.

The next day we learned that Harris had gone out to the vehicle at lunch time, and that he had researched how long an animal would live in a hot car.

At the funeral, his wife spoke.  Leanna Harris said, ""Am I angry with Ross? Absolutely not. It has never crossed my mind. Ross is and was and will be, if we have more children, a wonderful father. Ross is a wonderful daddy and leader for our household. Cooper meant the world to him."

Leanna Ross also told police that she researched how long an animal (or a child?) would survive in a car. 

Was it guilt that Ross Harris was sharing when he said "our" child?

Police should be very interested in the quote above, spoken at the funeral of Cooper. 

She is not angry with her husband.  This, itself, is not expected.  Even the 'accident' of forgetting her son, should provoke anger.  
She says he is a "wonderful" father, with "wonderful" being hyperbole, somewhat (now) expected since leaving her son would be neglectful, to those around her.  Hyperbole in parenthood is often an indicator of abuse, especially when one calls oneself a "wonderful" parent. We saw this with Billie Jean Dunn.  She was not, in her language a "good" mother, but called herself a "wonderful" mother.  This is more common among substance abuse mothers who often call themselves "wonderful" in motherhood, particularly when entering rehabilitation services, during the intake process. 

He is a wonderful "father" and then a wonderful "daddy."
The "father" is in regards to having more children. 
The "daddy" is for "our" household. 
The change in her language is noted.  
Yet, the word that jumps out at me is the word "leader" in her statement. 

Every household has a leader, even when people say it is "50/50" simply because one or other will dominate when a disagreement arises.  

Look at the context:

Ross is a "leader" to "our family" spoken while at the funeral of her son.  If he was the "leader", she was the follower.  Leaders must be trusted to be followed.  

                                               What did Ross take the lead on?

Who is the "family", now that there is no children?

Did they not have a baby sitter and they felt that they had done sufficient internet research to know how long they could let Cooper sleep safely in the car, only to have it backfire?  This would be the most benevolent of excuses. 
Cooper deserved a shot at life

Or, was there more to this?  

Insurance policy?  

Remember Justin DiPietro?  He bought insurance against one of his two children, and, surprise, surprise, 6 weeks later, she went missing.  

Did Justin "Ross" Harris take the "lead" and want to start with a clean slate (no kids) since he was not earning much money for the family?  Did they decide  to "place him in Heaven" so as to "spare" him the troubles of this world?  We've heard this before, too. 

Whatever it is, the above statement should be of great interest to the police in investigating the death of little Cooper Harris.  I would not be surprised to learn of some severe mental health issues between these two.  

85 comments:

Ruby said...

From Press/ Mother of Cooper his Funeral, she speaking

Most disturbing: She also listed the things "she was happy her dead child" would "not" have to experience. He was approaching his 2nd birthday, she happy for her dead child, not to experience: a life comparative to her own past? or a future period?

During Cooper's eulogy, his mother was candid in her remarks.

"This is not where I expected to be today," said Leanna Harris.

Leanna talked about how much she had prayed for a child, and how she worried she would not be able to have one.

Then claimed that if given the opportunity, she would not bring Cooper back to, what she called, a broken world.

A strongly religious family, the Harris' believe Cooper is "in the lap of Jesus," as his grandfather put it.

During the eulogy, Leanna did not breakdown or succumb to tears, and credits God for giving her the strength to get through all that has happened.

She also listed the things she was happy her dead child would not have to experience.

They included, his first heartbreak, middle school and high school and burying other members of his family.

Cooper's mother concluded her remarks by telling those in attendance that she was not angry with her husband.

"Ross is, was and will be a wonderful daddy, if we have more children," said Leanna Harris.

2nd Article

And in an emotional speech Harris' wife Leanna took to the stage to defend her husband.

She asked the congregation: 'Am I angry with Ross? Absolutely not. It never ever has crossed my mind. Ross is and always will be, if we have more children, a wonderful daddy, a wonderful leader for our children.'

She added: 'Cooper meant the world to him, there was not a day go by that we did not say how blessed we were to have him in our lives.'

Leanna said she had felt compelled to speak in defense of her husband and remember Cooper.

She told him as he listened in: 'Ross I love you, I am doing this for you okay.

'I should be crumpled in a heap of snot and tears into the dirt, but The Lord is holding me up...he is holding Ross up.'

Leanna also recalled bringing 6lbs 8oz Cooper in to the world.

'He was perfect,' she said, adding, 'He changed my life and he changed Ross' life.'

She also recalled how Cooper had struggled to sleep in the two nights before his death and had spent the night sleeping in between her and Ross in their bed.

She remembers waking and looking at him. 'I will cherish that moment forever.'

Her chosen word of Cooper not sleeping, Struggled. He was or she and Ross were, contemplating their son's demise? Or to them, it was their decision he was not be of their or hers?, broken world. They spared him? by ending his life? the dying in a hot car, their alibi? he was dead the am of? or prior? to father driving to work?

Where did these words come from? crumpled heap of snot, tears into the dirt, she wrote them? or it was her projecting? she speaking to who? off the cuff? followed with but, the lord..

I should be crumpled in a heap of snot and tears into the dirt, but The Lord is holding me up.. he is holding Ross up'

Very odd words coming from a mother that lost her innocent son to a horrific painful death, accident and or incident.
Press to leak she too searched online, death heat in a car, how long. Her words are of a pact, her husband and their religious beliefs, decided his end? the rest was scripted, a way out, that they chose him to be a statistic (pulled his COD from the news/net/kids left in cars death) to cover up their own doings? decided together?

Beyond disturbing.

S + K Mum said...

There's definately more to this.
I wonder if there was communication between the two parents that day.....even a text asking how the father got on dropping cooper off at day care, the usual kind of parent chit-chat and interest. And if the daycare have passed any concerns about cooper to LE. On a previous thread I mentioned perhaps the hot car was to hide anything else that was maybe wrong with Cooper at the time - their internet history will be interesting. It is very disturbing.

S + K Mum said...

Obv he didn't go to daycare that day but as a comparison to other days regarding parents texting/ calling each other

john said...

OT. Oscar depresire cannot jump bail.

trustmeigetit said...





The fact that both parents researched that prove to me that this was anything but an accident.

It horrifies me what that little boy went through.



It also seems that mom and dad do not seem to think that.. If it was an accident, I would expect to see them talk of the horror. It is more like this was a good thing. It was not. That little boy suffered. That haunts me. If it was my old child, I don’t think I could go on much less talk about it like it’s a good thing that he does not have to know heartbreak. The pain he would have experienced was more than any heartbreak.



It sounds like mom needs to be in jail right next to dad.





And for the comments (prior posts) about what wonderful parents they were… remember Angela Steinfurth (spelling?) she put on a nice front of the loving parent. Was even captured in the neighbors home security video system being sweet and loving and then beat her child so bad she was nearly dead… then allowed her boyfriend to kill the little girl to save herself from having to face charges of child abuse by taking her in.



Evil can and does happen in people that put on a good front to the world.


Unknown said...

The mother Leanna's bizarre comments sound strikingly similar to this woman I went to church with, who is believed to have munchausen's syndrome.

She was married to my mom's best friend's, son. They married because she got pregnant, and then she got pregnant repeatedly, despite their poor financial situation, and supposedly suffering major complications with each pregnancy. Each child was also supposedly stricken with major health problems, (the symptoms of which only manifested in her presence) and their youngest child, Dominic, died at 10 weeks old. It was ruled SIDS, but the father believed she was responsible.

She said the same kind of things after his death. That 'she knows Dominic is being held by Jesus, and she is so lucky to know he died without sin, and he will never know heartbreak, or experience illness, or be poisoned by evil in the world', etc.

She too gave Dom's eulogy without shedding a tear. It was bizarre, and uncomfortable for everyone, so I can only imagine those attending Copper's funeral felt the same way.


Anonymous said...

I'm so glad I'm a mediocre parent. It seems like wonderful parents end up with dead babies and kids :/ (that was sarcasm for those who missed it).
I wonder at the mother saying she's 'doing this' for her husband, what is 'this'? Is it the funeral? Speaking in public? Defending her husband's parenting? This is a word denoting closeness to the subject. Why?
I also notice that the mother, in defense of the 'wonderful father' didn't say that this is an accident that took coopers poor little life. Neither did the father on the phone. The only thing the father apologized for (that I've read) is because he couldn't be at the funeral service.
I kind of wonder if the mother really did research the topic of children left in cars, it almost feels like a cover up move for her husband. Could the husband be that much more important than her own flesh and blood? Is she only defending her leader?
Personally id be calling for blood if that happened to one of my babies, accident or not.

Anonymous said...

I am disgusted that the mom said unquoted: if given the opportunity, she would not bring Cooper back to, what she called, a broken world.

That is strange. When my mom died from cancer a few years ago, I wanted to trade places with her and bring her back. I feel that the mom's feelings are unnatural and reek with premeditation and happy that the plan was successful. Her speech is like a CEO talking about a business deal at a board meeting that had some up and downs but went well!

Anonymous said...

Also is it strange that almost everything she says is framed in the negative?

"This is NOT..."
"I would NOT bring Cooper back..."
"Happy about things he would NOT have to experience"
"NOT angry with husband"
"NEVER crossed her mind"
"NOT a day go by that we did NOT say how blessed"
NOT sleeping well two nights

Anonymous said...

Also I noticed it is easy for the mom to reference Cooper in the past tense. Is this common for a parent that has recently lost a child in an accident?

spanks butt cheeks!MMMMMMMM said...

I slap elf's wibbley wobbly ass MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Unknown said...

I agree, for her to say that she would not bring him back if she could, is SO unthinkable!

Any mother who's baby died in an accident would give their own life if they could just go back and prevent it. They would go over in their head 1000 different ways they could have saved him... (if only I drove him to daycare myself, if only I took the day off work, if only we never moved or changed jobs, etc).

For her to say she wouldn't bring him back, is basically to say she is glad he is gone. It's heartbreaking to even type those words!

Is it possible that BOTH of these people are mentally ill? (Hard to believe)

Are they driven by some sort of cult-ish religious beliefs?

Maybe just plain evil, and found a partner as messed up as themselves?

Anonymous said...

Peter,

Again, thank you for keeping on top of this story. Leaving a child in a hot car all day is, in some ways, a perfect murder. People, including jurors, often tend to be sympathetic to the parent and forget that some parents really do kill their kids.

A public spotlight on suspicious cases is a reminder to LE that "eyes" are on them and we expect to see justice carried out.

Here's part of the warrant released this weekend:
===
On 06/18/14 at 1624 hrs Pct 3 officers responded to 2955 Akers Mill Rd, Atlanta GA regarding a person down call. When the officers arrived on scene they discovered that Cooper Harris 08-02-12 was deceased.

The CAP unit was contacted and responded to the scene regarding a homicide investigation. 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....

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.

When someone came to assist Justin he stopped providing medical attention to the child and started making calls on his cell phone. EMS responded to the scene. It was obvious that the child was deceased.

Justin stated that he went to work that morning and forgot to drop the child off at day care. Justin left his residence, took the child to Chic-fil-A in Vinings and then went to work. The child was left in the vehicle since approximately 0930 hrs this morning until he was discovered by Justin at around 1620 hrs when he was driving to meet up with some friends.

The temperature was in the 90's for most of the day. During an interview with Justin, He stated that he recently researched, through the internet, child deaths inside vehicles and what temperature it needs to be for that to occur. Justin stated that he was fearful that this could happen.

http://www.wbir.com/story/news/crime/2014/06/30/cooper-harris-mom-also-researched-hot-car-deaths/11750623/
===

I believe there is yet another warrant that includes the mother's statement about her Internet search on how death occurs in a hot car but it's not available online at the moment.

Question: How much, if any, weight or consideration would SA give when the speaker is extremely religious as is in this case?

Unknown said...

Lol, elf...

Cheers to us 'ok' moms...we may not be 'wonderful', but we keep our kids alive!

Anonymous said...

S + K Mum,

I'm also waiting to see phone and data logs.

Was there any texts or calls between the parents? The mother stated that Cooper had "struggled" (I wish I knew if she actually used that word) with sleep the two previous nights.

I would expect her to have asked the dad if Cooper was tired or cranky when dropped at daycare...

JenB said...

Yes! This is something I have wondered. Especially as concerned as they [supposedly] were about hot car deaths, did they not once text/call/email/IM to say, "How did the drop off go?" Not even once? Seems like that is the #1 easiest way to prevent such accidents.

The dad's reported phone call with the mom as others were still giving CPR to Cooper, where he merely shouted that he'd killed their son, makes me think that was an agreed-upon message between them. I can't imagine giving my husband such news over the phone and in such a brutal way, nor can I imagine him doing so to me.

Statement Analysis Blog said...

Jen,

good moms are often too tired to praise themselves!

Hopefully, their husbands will not only praise them, but give them rewarding time off too!

I think motherhood, in general, is set to make a major comeback in culture.

Peter

rob said...

After hearing the mothers statements, now I'm feeling something is up with her also. I appreciate everyones comments above, and agree with you all.
Something ain't right here, and if she did google that information, then I think she was probably in on the death. What mother wouldn't want their son back, and be crying to God to restore him to her. Being able to stand and talk about the baby and her husband, barely a week later, and hold back tears, and not have a total breakdown, I just don't buy it.

Anonymous said...

The wonderful mother says she would not bring Cooper back, but that the father would be a great dad if they have more kids in the future. In the future, what about this evil world will change for the better?

This was def. not an accident. They both should be operated on to not have more kids.

I believe the gov't should stay out of a person's choices, but some instances make me so mad!

Anonymous said...

There are lots of smart people here. Question: Would a coroner be able to tell if Cooper died from being left in the car, or if he struggled to get out from under one of his parents while they slept?

Rest in peace, little baby.

sha said...

What kind of parent wouldn't want their child back?

Lucy said...

Yes. He died of hyperthermia, not suffocation.

Lucy said...

This makes sense as to why he drove somewhere else for the baby to be "discovered" dead: He is a 911 dispatcher and knew that his 911 call would be scrutinized and that statement analysis would be applied. Therefore he needed to find someone else to make the call. He, meanwhile, was not calling 911 OR trying to give aid to his son, but instead called his wife to yell that he'd "killed our son!" Meaning that he fully accepted that his son was dead at that time. What parent wouldn't be performing CPR and holding out hope for recovery at that point?

trustmeigetit said...





OT

Irene Tyler (Myra Lewis’s aunt) still posting lots of happy family pics to include daddy dearest. There is one from Saturday that has daddy, aunt and I think some of Myra’s sisters and grandmother. Most have big ole happy smiles.

And also posted a lovely comment Saturday thanking the lord for “showing favor to her and her family”. Really? Don’t you have a kidnapped niece?

This family appears to have just moved on. Celebrating and taking pics of everyone smiling.

Makes me sick!

S + K Mum said...

Could Cooper's mother be simply brainwashed and controlled by her husband? 'struggled' 'leader' some odd choices of words.

trustmeigetit said...





Have any of you parents every researched ways your child could die?



I have never done this.

Now, I have done research on CPR since I took a class before my son was born. I have looked up parenting tips, fun things to keep my son entertained, places to go and even discipline tips.

But ways he could die… NEVER…...

Even to then look that up and try to excuse it as what you were scared of. Only to have it happen shortly after to me sounds like 2 people who did not think that through in their plan very well. Not only would that make the normal person more aware and concerned, I also find issue with the fact that this was either a normal routine for dad and thus I don’t see the forgetting. Or if it was NOT routine… then mom would be asking how it went.

I was the one that normally took my child to day care. But the off days when dad did, I was always asking how it went. How was his morning etc. We always communicated about how the morning went and how our son was doing. He is not in day care now but I still do the same when I am at work if him and dad are home. I text in the morning and ask how they are doing. My son never leaves my thoughts.

S + K Mum said...

I don't think I would be able to get those words out, I don't think I would accept what had happened right away. You would be in total shock and disbelief.

Juliette said...

trustmeigetit said...




Have any of you parents every researched ways your child could die?



I have never done this.

Now, I have done research on CPR since I took a class before my son was born. I have looked up parenting tips, fun things to keep my son entertained, places to go and even discipline tips.

But ways he could die… NEVER…...
*****************

My exact thought. Everything about researching what kills a child then does kill this child should be seen as what it is, a plan.

S + K Mum said...

No, never! I didn't even look up the internet when doing a first aid course.....injury photos made me feel ill ! If my kids get a rash I may look at photos to compare before deciding on a doctors appt.
Everyone knows kids/ pets die in cars. How researching that will prevent someone 'accidentally' leaving a child/ pet in the car is a mystery!

polo said...

Peter:
I know from reading your website that you are in a good relationship with God and Jesus. I am too, but still not worthy of all the blessings I receivd.
My point is that we take comfort when the Lord takes a loved one, to heaven,who has lived a full life. But, I have never heard that reaction from a spiritual person when they lose a child. They are crying, "Why! Lord! Why!" It can shake their faith for a long time.
Peter, would your faith hold you up during the initial hours of losing a child? I know this is personal, but anyone can offer their input as well.

JenB said...

I have researched hot car deaths to write about it for work. I don't think there is anything off about looking up statistics, ways to prevent, how quickly temps rise in cars even on mild days, etc. What I think is odd is the phrasing -- and maybe it's been misreported: Essentially, "how hot does it have to be for a child to die?" That is weird. If they were not specifically trying to find out how long they *could* leave their kid in the car, it demonstrates really poor online search skills. And I think people of their age, who are reasonably tech savvy, have better search skills than that.

Re: the religious aspect, I just had a thought. Among certain very conservative groups (and as far as I know the Harrises aren't anything wacky, but I haven't seen much about their denomination or level of involvement) there is a lot of talk about how the marriage must be the top priority, even after you have kids. The marriage relationship MUST come first. [I agree marriage has to be a priority even just for the sake of the kids, but my kids didn't ask to be here so in my head their needs come first until they are grown.]

I am wondering if on the "religious" grounds of maintaining their marriage's first place status (and to keep their covenant before God, obviously very important...) they decided this was what needed to be done.

"And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It's better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell." -- Matthew 18:9

Unknown said...

Hi Peter-

I couldn't agree more. I stay at home with my son Garrett. He is 4yo, and he's a ball of energy! I love watching him learn how the world works. It's adorable, and EXHAUSTING!

This morning's lesson learned: Pouring orange juice into your cocoa puffs does NOT taste good, no matter how much you like them seperately! lol

Ruby said...

Leanna talked about how much she had prayed for a child, and how she worried she would not be able to have one. Then claimed that if given the opportunity, she would not bring Cooper back to, what she called, a broken world.

Leanna talked about, this then is surmise of her words, she had prayed for a child? how she was worried she would not be able to have one: fertility issues?
she to have Cooper, then came, buyers remorse?

Are they in debt with fertility bills? that his/her employer would not cover? or he was to them collateral, an investment? with a payout? They wanting to buy a house, Cooper's person, money, cost to keep him, he prevented them from, their wished future? His tuition 9800.00 a year, daycare, full time, monthly rates listed on the site, his age group. This their choice, he in daycare, not his.

She followed up with, as it fits her illogical, she if given the opportunity would not bring Cooper back. Broken world or no broken world. Her said, not quoted, given the opportunity, she would not want Cooper back, bring him back, meaning alive ? whole as he was prior to June 18th.

She would not bring him back, she has this power? or this is her own confession that she had the power to take him out of this world? their world, her and her husbands.

Home Depot provided the family a 10k grant, the public to come forth, donating 20k+, a horrific tragedy, how he died. And yet the mother can stand in front of all, and say she if given the opportunity, she would not bring Cooper back. The $, accepted and expected? her wish is for the public to pay it forward, pay HD back? as it's in his Obit.

No empathy for Cooper, he died in vain, she of apathy, Cooper the victim, not her, not her spouse. Her to have the power to return him, her innocent son, her decided, she would decline.

The Obit of Cooper, In lieu of flowers, the family would like to give back to a very special fund that has chosen to support us during this tragic time. Please make donations to the Homer Fund.

The Homer fund is funded by HD employees, the charity is paid into by HD employees, upon hard times, this charity aids employees. The family and or Leanna's want to give back, they are not giving back, they want the public to give back, reimburse, as it's written, no flowers for Cooper. Please make donations to the Homer fund.

This all rotates around money. Money within their felt lacking livelihood. His employment, his employer, they lacking funds for them to move on, buying a house? so they created their own vested, upon the life of their son, his death purposeful.

They to find a house they wanted, more than they loved their son? his death, he was sacrificed, the $, their plan, the death benefits to provide for them?

Dad had to have knowledge of his benefits provided as a full time employee. HD website, Full time Employees benefits include: Life Insurance, adjacent to, separate benefit, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
Eligible dependents, may also be covered under most plans.

In their premeditation, searches online, evidence collected, Cooper would have been covered? the parents to prosper: Accidental, sudden death, this why she is " of zero" empathy, their plan foiled, they are to gain nothing but 3 hots and a cot, (one or both)she to be free for now.

Anonymous said...

I'm also of the opinion she sounds too forgiving, too understanding too fast. It would take a long time for me to forgive my spouse, and I don't know if I could. Forgiveness would be the basic definition of the word, I would NOT be singing his praise talking about future children. Poor lil guy, seems like the only people acting as adovocates to get justice for him are the police and strangers. His momma, his family, and all 250 attendees at his funeral clapped in support of that crazy b*tch and the man charged with murdering him.
I think his age can qualify this as a death penalty case. I hope that is a consideration. Sometimes it gets to me when I think how unfair life can be to a baby. One baby is born to parents that love and nurture him, he's fed and well cared for, with parents that stimulate his mind with books and toys. Another baby is born, by no fault of his own, to this man. so sad.

NVmomma73

QChick said...

I am thinking along the lines of JenB as well. Especially since the mom said her hubs was the family leader. Cooper may have been taking a little too much of mom's attention away from Lord and Master.

BostonLady said...

The husband and wife are both involved in Cooper's death. Neither has reacted as expected. The "leader" statement is creepy. And what is she doing for him??

As I stated yesterday, I hope we get to see the phone calls/texts that day between the two of them. I doubt it they went all day without some communication.

This is tragic and disturbing. Cooper suffered. This is a horrible way to die. Perhaps they should leave the parents in a car to suffer the same fate?

trustmeigetit said...

This case is starting to remind me of Casey Anthony.

Now if only they had obtained the foxfire searches before trial…… since she searched “full proof suffocation” she would be in jail today I think.

Searching to make sure you are doing things safely is a far cry from searching how something can cause death.


Now, I have to admit, I have had some searches that I have done in regards to cases we talk about here that could be seen as questionable….but those again could be easily explained since I could say look at the website I was in prior which was talking about that. I was looking to see if that was valid or correct etc.

It comes down again to context.

They claim they were worried about their child dying in this manner. Then days later (I am assuming it was days before by the way it has been reported but that could be wrong) your child dies in this manner. Your mind should have been more worried about this fate. Not forgetful. FAIL

And again, it’s not like the average person needs to know the exact temps a child could die or how long….. You just know it is not safe. I would not leave my son in the car even for 5 mins. The simple fact that I am sure it is warm enough out that just getting into the car before the AC kicks on it is uncomfortable hot would be enough to know it’s too hot to leave anyone in the car for any length of time.



Rose said...

I have never been comfortable with the notion that all these babies baking in a car deaths are accidental. I think some are, but I think that an equal number of them are intentional. It is an "easy" passive way to kill your child without getting in trouble for it.

Anon "I' said...

The "is, was, and will be a wonderful daddy" part bothers me a lot. IS and, at the same time, WAS?

Anon "I"

Anon "I" said...

Was he struggling the two nights before, by any chance, if they had also left him in the car those two days before he died? Do we know for sure that he was in daycare in those two days? Just questions that come to mind.... IMHO

Anon "I"

Unknown said...

Hi Trustmeigetit,

I also find their research strange.

I am a worry wort, and we spend a lot of time at the lake/pool during summer, so my current worries are about water safety. I recently learned about 'secondary drowning' on FB, and then I researched how to PREVENT it.

(FYI- Don't allow toddlers/young kids to submerge their head where they could possibly inhale water, and if water is accidentally inhaled, monitor them closely and DO NOT allow them to sleep until you can obtain medical help to ascertain whether their lungs are clear.)

What Cooper's parents did with their searches would be akin to researching how much water has to go into the lungs to cause drowning, or what other conditions would make drowning more probable.

They researched how hot the car temperature needs to be, how long it takes the child (animal) to die in the car. Those searches are not about preventing, they are about causing.

Also, they should have been overly vigilant after their 'research', and really who needs to know 'how hot, and how long'! They knew it was deadly, by their own admission of why they were looking it up, so DON'T do it at all! There's no need to calculate a range of time and temps, just DON'T do it!

I'm so disturbed by this case, that I'm ranting, lol!

Sella35 said...

”First of all Ross, I love you and I’m doing this for you, OK?"....... I think this is a creepy statement for the mom to say. Okay not creepy as much as cryptic...reminds me of the I love you CA from the CA case.

What is THIS? I wonder if she might be trying to accept responsibility for one of the searches, thinking if they both searched for hot car animal deaths, then the focus would not be on him, maybe a possibility.

trustmeigetit said...

" given the opportunity would not bring Cooper back"

That comment says so much. She's not a grieving mother. The rest of us in her shoes....assuming it was an accident.....would say we would do ANYTHING to get our child back.

ima.grandma said...

My searching of the case took me to this site:
http://myth-one.com/memorial.htm
It is a site dedicated to children who are murdered by their Christian parents. The below is an excerpt referencing Andrea Yates. The site contains much info on this topic.

In their innocent years, implied none of her children were sufficiently old or educated to recognize sinful actions. That is, they had no law. If they were to die before ever knowingly committing a sin, it is taught that their "souls" go immediately to heaven and live with God for eternity. Ask any Christian clergyman for verification that the children's souls are presently in heaven. That is exactly what I did. I emailed the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association asking where the five murdered children were. They responded that they did not know where the remains of the children were, then continued to state:

What is more important, however, is where the souls of these children are. God, in His mercy and love, watches over little children who are taken by death, and they go to be with Him in heaven.

They confirm Mrs. Yates statement that, "God would take them up," and assert that the children's souls are presently in heaven with God! Thus Mrs. Yates achieved her goal! Would all five have gone to heaven and averted an eternity in the fires of hell if allowed to live past their innocent years?

Jo said...

The child was left in the vehicle since approximately 0930 hrs this morning until he was discovered by Justin at around 1620 hrs when he was driving to meet up with some friends.

If he was not planning to pick up, when was mother expected to pick up from daycare? Did daycare have their schedule for the day? Most times the daycare should know who will be in attendance and what times in order to staff accordingly.

Anonymous said...

Cooper's obituary is kinda weird too

Tania Cadogan said...


"This is not where I expected to be today," said Leanna Harris.


My response would be to ask "Where did you think you would be today?"

The suspcious lil hobs in me is saying i bet she expected to be in jail right now and not at her son's funeral.

It is concerning and telling that rather than think on the positivein relation to her son, she speaks only of the negative.
Even to saying he turned their lives upside down.
This is subtle demeaning at a new level, parents think about all the positives their child brought into their lives, their laughter, their personality, their first word, their first step.
Here we have her saying she is glad he is gone and doesn't have to face the milestones we look forward to the child experiencing.

When she told her husband she was doing this for him, what was it she was doing for him?
Covering for him?

I also can't get over the fact he called his wife to tell her their child was dead.
Something so up close and personal should have been told face to face or a police officer breaking the news, to be there to offer physical support and comfort and if needs be bring her to where her child is or her husband.

Instead it feels like they made the plan, he did the deed and he was calling her to say i did it , he's dead.

Their whole language and behavior is off and deeply concerning.

I can see this as an altruisitc killing, their child was sick or had health issues such as autism, being so religious perhaps as he reached the terrible two's and started to learn who he was, he was no longer perfect, he was instead destined for hell and the only way to save his soul was to kill him before the devil got hold of him.

ima.grandma said...

Ruby, your comment reminded me that all Accidental Death and Disbursement policies I've ever known about pay Double Dollars. Your words also caused me to think about the Home Depot aspect of negligence on their part. Perhaps he was not as happy with his employer as their charitable acts imply. Maybe he was having problems at work either in performance or promotion. Revenge could play a part.

I have thought all along that he threw his phone into the car at lunch. He could have had it on vibrate as he didn't want to answer the daycare. The notifications would have been a reminder of his evil act; thus, I believe he went to toss the phone in the car until the end of the day. The media makes it appear the visit out to his car consisted of walking to the car, opening the door, throwing something in, closing the door and walking away. I also read the car seat was strapped into the middle section of the back seat making it even easier for him to see Cooper and the car seat.

I remain curious as to whether Leanna has a job and where she was that day. I am also waiting to read the phone transcript details. From their apparent stupidity so far, I doubt they covered their tracks well.

jo said...

Agree Hobs. Even if it had been an car accident that killed the son and father was laid up in hospital and could not attend the funeral, the mother should make the funeral about the child and not her husband. I also believe she thought she would be in jail with him and not able to participate in the funeral.

ima.grandma said...

For all who are searching for information on this tragic event.

https://www.facebook.com/cooperharrisdiscussion

Anonymous said...

Here's another report about the funeral that contains some more statements from the mom:

http://www.hlntv.com/article/2014/06/30/georgia-toddler-hot-car-cooper-harris-leanna-funeral

Sugacat said...

I find her saying that her husband was a fabulous father after supposedly neglecting his son in a hot car all day to die awful. If my husband did that too my son I can assure you I would not be saying how wonderful he is. I may say I know it was an accident and I am seeking to forgive him for that act. However I don't think I could.

ima.grandma said...

I'm sorry, earlier I gave the wrong link regarding children murdered by Christian parents. The correct link is:

http://myth-one.com/chapter_1.htm

I apologize for so many entries today.

Anonymous said...

Hi-

I can't find an actual copy of the original statement, only misc. news links that contain bits and pieces..

Can someone please post a link to where they are getting this information?

Unknown said...

Amazingly, here is another case I just saw on the yahoo news feed of a nanny leaving a 3yo and a 1mo in a van on a 90 degree day, while she went tanning. The baby's screams resulted in cops being called, and the officer claims that he could feel the heat radiating from the older child through his vest:

https://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/nanny-leaves-young-kids-hot-car-tanning-185000452.html

So sad said...

This is heartbreaking... Beautiful baby boy... Sicko parents!

Unknown said...

Leanna's quotes:

"I miss him with all of my heart. Would I bring him back? No. To bring him back into this broken world would be selfish," she said. "Am I angry with God? No. This is part of His plan for Ross and I. Is this our purpose, I'm still waiting on the Lord to reveal that to me. Am I angry with Ross? Absolutely not. It has never crossed my mind. Ross is and was and will be, if we have more children, a wonderful father. Ross is a wonderful daddy and leader for our children [there is loud clapping at this last statement]. Cooper meant the world to him. There was not a day that went by that we did not say how blessed we were able to have him in our lives."

"Any of that time that I spend doing over and over and over, I would never trade that. Cooper's last two nights at home, he had trouble sleeping," she said, calling it unusual. During the last two nights, "he slept in between me and Ross snuggling in between both of us. I remember turning over in the middle of the night, his mouth was open and his full toddler lips just breathing right into my face. I will cherish that moment forever. Some of you might wonder how I'm even standing here today. I wonder that myself and I asked myself that question over and over the last week," she said.

"He was perfect -- he was and he is perfect. He changed mine and Ross' life. I've talked to you about the magnitude in which he changed it. As children do, he turned our lives upside down," she said. She described cleaning, changing diapers, dinner time, bath time, and finally what she called "mommy time" and said she wouldn't trade it for the world.  

"First of all, Ross I love you and I'm doing this for you, OK. This is not where I expected to be here today. Two years ago when we welcomed a 6-pound, 8-ounce perfect baby into the world, this never crossed my mind. A lot of you know how much I prayed for a child and how much I worried about never being able to have a child," Leanna Harris said, adding that it happened in God's time.


-These quotes from Leanna are actually more disturbing than the paraphrasing of the reporters! I am pressed for time, and at a loss for where to even begin. There are so many red flags, but one thing that really stands out is the line she says about the last two nights Cooper slept AT HOME.

Where else did he sleep between 'at home' and his death? Is she speaking of 'eternal sleep/rest'? Could they have even been strapping him into the car to sleep at night, so they would not be disturbed?

It's a very strange wording unless there was another place he regularly spent nights, other than at his home.


Unknown said...

Sorry, these a posted in reverse order.

Jo said...

I had a college professor years ago that taught a Religion Study class. (comparison of different religions) She had lost her 2 year old son to drowning in their pool many years prior. She told us how upsetting it was to have people say it was God's will or plan. She refused to believe that God would ever plan to take the life of a child, especially not in a horrible way.
Making this God's plan or God's will is just a way to put blame somewhere else.

Anonymous said...

that is sooooooo freaky that she says she wouldn't bring him back. who has a baby just to kill them so they can go to heaven?

if this made sense to christianity why aren't more christians pro abortion? even more effectient soul to heaven plan.

I don't think that was their reason, I think it was their justification. I think they must have another reason.

Anonymous said...

Peter:
What about the whole, "I'm doing this for you, Ross"? That seemed out of place. Doing what for him? Why? Why then? Like, I"m holding up my end of our horrible bargain?

Anonymous said...

Peter:
Leanna is actually quoted somewhere saying that Cooper has been spared the sickness (or something) of our world.
What if, the father wanted to test their faith ala the father (Abraham?) in the Bible who went to kill his child, only to have God spare him? Like a sick spiritual test?

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure I believe that she searched for the temp online. I mean if the dad searched why would she also search? she doesn't sound like the type to double check her husabands work, I suspect she's taking credit for it -- but it was the husband who did the search. that doesn't mean she wasn't in on plan tho.

Anon "I" said...

If the boy was in the car, why did no one see or hear him? All the Home Depots that I have gone to have parking out front, but of course, I am not an employee and don't know where the workers park. But still, no one walked past the car on a smoke or lunch break, a corporate meeting elsewhere, anything? Even if the father parked out back, delivery trucks would have come and gone during the day. Does he park in the same place every day? I wonder if he tossed his phone in the car because it was on silent/vibrate and had been buzzing itself off the rails all morning with calls from the daycare. If no one heard crying, did they do any kind of tox screen on him to see if they drugged him first?

Anon "I"

Anonymous said...

Anonymous @6:20pm,

The mom searched (paraphrased a bit) child deaths in hot cars and how they occur, while the dad searched for what temperature causes death in a hot car.

It's in the latest warrant and hopefully will be online in the next day or so.

Maybe said...

I believe my faith would hold up, as I trust that I would see them again and that God knows what He is doing. Even with that, I would still be a crying blubbering mess, and I would bring them back if I could. I would miss them so much and have such a whole in my life without them.
I wouldn't lose my faith in God, but I wouldn't be alright and acting normal.

Anonymous said...

ah - thanks anon 7:11,

-from anon 6:20

that does make a difference

Anonymous said...

Exactly Jen.

I recently saw about secondary drowning also, and read/looked up some articles about it.

I think the huge difference here is, me, you, and most all the other parents who've researched that (or any other topic), are now better informed, educated, etc. We now know what to look for to PREVENT secondary drowning.

Anonymous said...

The comment made by the mother that her son turned her life upside down that Hobnob mentioned reminded me of a weird comment BDunn made at the funeral of Hailey. I can't remember it exactly but basicly it showed her ass. It was a glimpse of the real feelings she had toward her pretty daughter... I wonder if she mentioned his fussiness the nights before he died because she didn't wanna deal with a fussy baby anymore and now she wouldn't have to that's why she wasn't crying. ....
my dad told me once "believe what people say about themselves. they know better than you." I remembered him telling me that when I read she said," I'm not a grieving mother." wow thats deep. She straight out, no pulling punches says I'm NOT grieving my son." then goes so far as "I wouldn't bring him back." aye carumba, she can wrap that in Jesus and try to pretty it up as best she can but it doesn't change it is a cold blooded thing to say about your son. It would hurt me if my mom said it about me....


nvmomma73

Anonymous said...

I was just thinking about this earlier, even though I hadn't read these statements yet.

When a child dies, it does become a "selfish" time for the parents. They want their child back, no matter what, they'd give anything. Even for their child to not have had to experience death, and for their child to be able to experience the rest of their LIFE, most every parent would rather themself had been taken/died instead. I've NEVER heard a parent say they wouldn't want their child back. I've never seen a mother be so "ok" with her childs death, and be ok with the person who ultimately caused the death, accident or not.

Anonymous said...

wouldn't bring cooper back to a broken world.... but if we can have more kids that would be great!!!
???????

mammy said...

I have two kids and I have taken care of many others...I'm 52 ,,and I still take care of kids and in all these years I have never forgotten not one time they were in the car. How does anyone forget a child??? How

Anonymous said...

If you've ever experienced heat exhaustion or heat stroke, you don't want it to happen ever again and it takes a while for your body to recover. My heart goes out to little Cooper. His parents should know that he suffered horribly, and all alone. It is unimaginable that they could knowingly leave him alone to die in such awful agony.

I wonder if they were angry at him because they lost a couple of night's sleep? Or did they discover that Cooper had some type of medical condition that they did not want to deal with?

--Shenanigan

Anonymous said...

Early on, the police said, "Let us do our job." And I think that's exactly what is happening - the police are doing their job and have covered a lot of bases that are not discussed as much, such as:

No word on whether the daycare center tried to call because of the absence. Isn't it reasonable to assume that the daycare made an attempt to contact the parents, because if they hadn't, then this fact would have been mentioned by someone as something that might have prevented this.

That thought leads me to wonder if there is some story about one or both parents' phones to "explain" why they would not get such a call, and whether or not Ross Harris left his phone in the car at least until lunch.

No one has said anything about any contact the parents had with the day care center or with each other.

No one has said what he took to the car at lunch, but the police must know.

No word at all from any of the co-workers on how Ross Harris was during that day. Certainly they have been interviewed.

No word from any family members. Usually by now you hear from the parents of suspects and their spouses.

No word about whether he parked in an unusual spot from where he normally parked.

Nothing about whether he and Cooper often went out to breakfast. Nothing explaining why his work day appeared to start late and end early.

No release of the videos that show him returning to the car at lunch, or of him with Cooper at the restaurant and afterwards.

There must be a lot more to come out, otherwise he wouldn't still be held in jail. The police know when the toxicology results will be in.

But about Ross Harris's statement about choking, if he did say that - that seems to support the idea that he had just discovered that Cooper was in the car, and was so horrified when finding out, that in shock and desperation, he would have rather said something about choking than about the neglect of forgetting. Perhaps he was in such distress that he drove for two miles desperately in denial and horror. That choking story is one thing that seems spontaneous.

Also no details came out about what exactly happened that caused the officers to handcuff him. There were also no details on what caused the officers to question his story.

Maybe at best, at the funeral, Leanna was speaking to the huge media coverage against her husband. However as people pointed out, everything she said was about her and her husband. She does seem to refer to being stressed by having a child. But it is very hard to imagine that not one but two people would not send a lot of red flags to a lot of people if their thinking was going off the deep end. They would have to be in some kind of cult for both of them to start thinking alarmingly.

I can't even imagine having a huge funeral after a death due to negligence or forgetting a child in a hot car. You would think they would want to keep it just family and completely private, especially since the media is all over this story.

The mug shot expression does bother me because you would expect to see horror and shame and total despondency. I don't see that in the photo; I see fear of what may be to come as well as a lack of horror and grief over the loss of his only child.

I have looked into two other cases where this happened due to either thinking the other parent had taken the child in the house, or a change of routine and being consumed with work thoughts. Both families moved at least once to other parts of the country. It must have been too hard to be known by everyone in the community as the people whose child died in a car due to their error. The shame and remorse must be unbearable. And so far that is not something people can see in this case.

Elsie said...

My husband's grandmother lost her two year old son in an accident in 1952. He drowned in a tiny puddle of water in their garden.

To this day, she still can not talk about him without crying.

Anonymous said...

No
No
Absolutely not. All her answers regarding whether she blames her husband are sensitive. Are we suddenly forgetting SA??

Christina Heist said...

Please,sign and share: https://www.change.org/petitions/georgia-state-senate-and-jack-kingston-and-sanford-bishop-and-tom-price-and-gerald-greene-life-without-parole-sentence-for-justin-ross-harris

Anonymous said...

Please, like and share: https://www.facebook.com/justiceforlittlecooper?fref=nf

Anonymous said...

The child was seen at the restaurant that morning with his father so he wasn't killed in bed.

Anonymous said...

What time did Leanna try to pick up Conner from Day Care? Day care said she said he must of left him in the car. I don't even know why they used day care if she worked from home and they were worried about money.

Anonymous said...

It is quite unusual for a parent to eulogize their own child, particularly a young child. They are generally grieving far too deeply. Possible exception being after the child's long illness, which clearly wasn't the case here. Or was it planned?

Anonymous said...

She has got that minister & the whole church fooled. They are applauding and protecting a child murderer.

Anonymous said...

http://archive.cincinnati.com/article/20080822/NEWS0107/808220336/-Just-tragic-mistake-

Richee said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
foodnerd said...

Quoting analysis: "She also recalled how Cooper had struggled to sleep in the two nights before his death and had spent the night sleeping in between her and Ross in their bed."
~~

So how many times did they try to smother the poor kid in the bed, in hopes of it looking as if one rolled over on him while asleep and didn't wake up until it was too late? But he probably yelled and struggled, and they were afraid of him having multiple bruises when they examined his body.