The Candid Review: A Blog About Appeals

In a tragic case of either accident or foul play, a young toddler perished from heat stroke after being left in a hot car for hours. As a federal appeals lawyer explains, the boy’s father has been charged in the case.

How Events Apparently Unfolded

A young father, Justin Ross Harris, left for his job at Home Depot in Atlanta where he worked as a web developer. According to police, Harris had his 22-month-old son in the back seat fastened into his car seat. Mr. Harris was apparently supposed to drop the boy off at daycare but for some reason never did. As a Georgia appeals lawyer can discuss, inquiry will focus on whether Harris’s actions were an accident or whether he left the child in the car deliberately or recklessly. In any event, Harris claims he did not realize his son was still in the vehicle until he left work several hours later. Temperatures during the day topped 92 degrees. The boy was unresponsive when his father tried to come to his aid, and he appears to have died from heat stroke.

The Charges Filed and How Police Will Likely Investigate

Police moved quickly and arrested Mr. Harris for felony murder and child endangerment. Harris’s supporters claim he made a tragic but innocent mistake and feel he has suffered enough. Police disagree and stand by the charges filed. Police executed a search warrant, but it is not known yet what that search yielded. It was apparently enough to cause police to arrest Mr. Harris. They may have searched files on Harris’s computer.

Cooper Harris’s death from heat stroke in a locked car was the second such death in the U.S. in the same week.

At Brownstone Law, you can entrust your legal matter to an experienced appeals lawyer and legal team who will review your case and help you understand the best legal option available to you. To schedule an appointment, call 855.776.2773.