GA - Suspicion over heat death of Cooper, 22 mo., Cobb County, June 2014, #6

[lillybell]

Has anyone spoke out about the family yet? Any neighbours, friends etc? We usually hear from someone who knew the family, wondering what they were like together. Was cooper a happy little tot? I wonder when the last time he was at nursery. When was cooper last seen, apart from family?

It's too much to think how little cooper suffered, I just couldn't imagine.
There are some evil people in this world and I hope he gets what he deserves. X

 

[SStarr33]

1st degree involves intent..premeditated. It does not affect the felony murder charge.

So LE does not think he did it on purpose?

 

[Lyra500]

GA is the land of the "to-go" cup. Even in better restaurants, you are offered one. Speculating due to experience- not only did he have a logoed to go cup in the car, it stared him in the face at his desk.

Perhaps he decided he had better put that cup back in the car after carrying it into the office...

Once again, if there is any CCTV footage to confirm that, I would think it was game over.

 

[Figuring]

The Blagg family on and on, I think I'm just going to ignore some discussions LOL

***i thought this would be a good time to say, in case anyone doesn't know, if you go to a user's profile, and right click on on the drop down "add user to list" you can put someone on "ignore". You won't see their posts, though you will see if someone quotes them...

Some (read: most) conversations on here "move on" better than others, so I want to ensure I am paying attention to those, eg., I'm totally over disputing if the car smelled, based not only on reason, but also what 2 LE officers said.

 

[Sincerely]

When the attempt to defend this man becomes exaggerated to the absurd, it makes me sad for this child. It's unfair, so unfair to that Baby, to the horrific, unimaginable pain he suffered.

If there are logical, honest points that defend the Dad, okay. But we all know the difference when sweeping exaggerations are posted as fact. It just morphs into a game. This is no game.

I can hardly think of the minutes ticking away in that car, and the fear and pain of that tiny little guy with no one to help him, just strapped there, helpless.

I agree 100%...[modsnip]. Cooper is the victim...Cooper is the victim...Cooper was the little helpless victim.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Lyra500]

So LE does not think he did it on purpose?

LE obviously think he did it on purpose if some of their comments are anything to go by.

However, thinking someone has done it on purpose and being confident you can gather the evidence to prove it in court are two entirely different things. If they have any doubt, then stepping the charge down to be confident that they can make their case at the first hearing and ensure this goes to trial would be a pragmatic choice.

:moo:

 

[oh_gal]

here's what could have been in the car ((WAG))

Wireless Spy Camera Detection Robot WiFi Iphone Ipad Android Remote Control Tank Car Real-time Video Camera: Amazon.co.uk: Toys & Games

real time remote video with sound upload possible to android phone

apologies I am sure there are other models -- am not too tech savvy

I thought this too!!! That he put some type of device in the car to "monitor" the situation...a camera like this, or a voice recorder, etc.

 

[popsicle]

So LE does not think he did it on purpose?

I have no idea what they think but I know they haven't completed their investigation yet.

 

[SStarr33]

LE obviously think he did it on purpose if some of their comments are anything to go by.

However, thinking someone has done it on purpose and being confident you can gather the evidence to prove it in court are two entirely different things. If they have any doubt, then stepping the charge down to be confident that they can make their case at the first hearing and ensure this goes to trial would be a pragmatic choice.

:moo:

Do you know if they can change it back to first degree after they complete their investigation?

 

[Karmady]

So LE does not think he did it on purpose?

I'm pretty sure that LE strongly believes he did it on purpose. Or at least one or two of them do. At this point, though, they either know or have been told that they can't prove it. jmo

 

[Cinnamon]

When someone is charged with murder, I give little credence when I hear the accused is beloved by family/friends. Most folks are loved by their families. I would hope that most folks are also loved by their friends, otherwise, they need to pick new friends.

Some perps are more gregarious and therefore have a large social circle, while other perps are less outgoing and have a small social circle.

Someone can know hundreds of people on a superficial level, and those hundreds of people may believe the person is a bag of chips & then some, because friendly folks have that effect on others. But that doesn't necessarily mean that those hundreds of people "know" the person behind the public façade.

A standing ovation for the accused by a few hundred attendees at a funeral means less than zero to me, in terms of how well RH is truly known by his community. The lack of any derogatory statements against RH by anyone in his past or current community or within his social circle also means little to me in terms of who RH may truly be, except that he's lucky to know people who don't speak ill of him.

It could be that he's truly an all-around great guy. It could be that he's cautious to not let others get to know the "real" RH and projects a false image of who he wants others to believe he is. IDK

Prisons are full of convicted felons (some who are perceived as all-around great guys and some who are murderers) who are loved by their family and friends.

:ditto: Great post, sorrell skye!

 

[Salem]

New thread here: [ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10687667#post10687667"]GA - Suspicion over heat death of Cooper, 22 mo., Cobb County, June 2014, #7 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]

Let's move it over. This one is closing in about 5 minutes.

Salem

 

[popsicle]

I thought this too!!! That he put some type of device in the car to "monitor" the situation...a camera like this, or a voice recorder, etc.

That is just the sickest thing I can even imagine coming out in this case.

 

[Karmady]

Do you know if they can change it back to first degree after they complete their investigation?

They can. But they've got a little conundrum, imo, with having charged first degree neglect right at first, then downgrading. It doesn't look good already and would look even worse unless they come up with a smoking gun of the most unequivocal kind. That said, the sentence for felony murder is life or the DP. That's it. So they don't have to re-upgrade to get the DP. Which, if you think about it, makes it kind of even more crazy that they charged so high right at first.

all jmo

 

[Bodhi]

I'm glad this baby was rescued! Who the hell thinks this is OK? =( There is an experience that will be burned into my brain forever. I was in the right place at the right time to help save a baby that was trapped in a hot car.

In 2005 I had recently graduated college and moved back to my hometown for the summer. My mom and I stopped for lunch and parked next to a car w/ the windows up and a baby in an infant seat. We lived in inland So. California at the time and it was the labor day weekend... super super hot! It was in the low 90's that day. I worked as a nanny at the time and had a habit of looking into carseats while walking by cars. It's just something I've always done just in case... but I never expected to see a baby! Luckily there was a fire station about 2 blocks away.

I asked my mom if it was a doll and she NO. I banged hard on the window and the baby didn't move. Her face was bright pink. My mom ran into the restaurant to see if she could find the owner and I called 911 on my cell phone. I said, "I need help for a baby that is locked in a car. I'm at Jack in the Box on Woodside and there is a baby in a car with the windows up. I banged on the windows and the baby could just be asleep but it did not move. I have no idea how long the car has been here."

They had the baby out of that car in about 1.5 minutes from the time I made the call. I could hear the fire engine sirens start up and the dispatcher asked for a description of the car. I swear before I could finish telling the lady the make, model, color and plate number, two fire engines came screaming down the street, and as the first was rolling to a stop in the road two guys jumped off the back and had the car window broken out. They didn't spare one second, didn't try to assess the situation, didn't attempt to locate the owner to find out if the car had only been sitting a minute or two or anything... they just took swift action and saved her life. The only question they asked me before the broke the window was when they were running up from the engine, "this car?" I said yes and it was done.

The baby was ultimately OK but they took her to the hospital because she was so lethargic, not very alert, and hot to the touch. They arrested the guy who was supposed to be taking care of her. He didn't hear my mom call for the owner of the car because he was in the bathroom reading the paper. He came waltzing out of the restaurant with his newspaper under his arm 15 minutes AFTER the baby was out with his paper irate that they broke his window out. It was estimated that the baby was in the car for 15-20 minutes prior to me arriving because he ate first. The police had assumed the car was abandoned at the restaurant because he didn't even respond when they went in the restroom to see if the driver was in there. WTF.

I will never forget that day. These stories hurt my heart so badly.

SuperTMO, you and your mother should be so proud of what you did for that baby! The outcome could have easily been very different.

These kind of incidents make me heartsick as well. Typically these incidents are truly horrible accidents--a loving, devoted parent who is distracted or whose routine has changed "spaces out" about the baby in the back. Those parents are devastated. My heart breaks for the child and for the parent; I count my lucky stars that I am not in their place.

In your case and a minority of others, the caregiver leaves the child in the carseat through ignorance, indifference, or intent. And then I am incensed! Sadly, I think Cooper's death falls into this category.

 

[Lyra500]

Do you know if they can change it back to first degree after they complete their investigation?

I am afraid I do not know enough about the US legal system to answer that.

However, I would think that if they uncover significant evidence pointing to premeditation during their investigation, it would be most unfair and rather odd if they were not allowed to present it in court and apply for the charge to be amended accordingly.

 

[princesslisa]

He would have been charged imo. Because of the short amount of time between him interacting with Cooper and then forgetting about Cooper. And from what I have seen the jury usually finds them guilty. The judge is usually very lenient because they show remorse and the burden they will carry the rest of their life. jmo

I see what you're saying, but I found this info - it's a bit dated (2007) but I think it's interesting:

Since 1998, charges were filed in 49 percent of cases. In those that have been decided, 81 percent resulted in convictions or guilty pleas, and half of those brought jail sentences - the median sentence being two years. Parents were only slightly less likely to be charged and convicted than others, but the median sentence was much higher - 54 months.

In cases involving paid caregivers, 84 percent were charged, with 96 percent of those convicted. But while they are jailed at about the same rate as parents, the median sentence in those cases was just 12 months.

Women were jailed more often and for longer periods than men. But when the AP compared mothers and fathers, the sentencing gap was even wider.

Mothers were jailed 59 percent of the time, compared to 47 percent for fathers. And the median sentence was three years for dads, but five for moms.

A 53% chance of getting off completely with an average sentence of 3 years if he was charged - I can see where he could think this was a good route to go, if he was committed to murdering his son.

 

[MyBelle]

Sorry for double posting, but I forgot something I wanted to ask. I thought I'd read all of the posts and links, but haven't seen this on any of the links. Has it been stated in MSM that he was diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, or is another case of psychic evaluations? TIA

Too bad a psychic didn't step in and prevent Cooper's murder, imo.

Does the personality disorder of a man who allows his own child to bake to death actually need to be diagnosed by a physician? I think such a diagnosis would not assist the defense.

JMO

 

[quesarita]

But they have few really true long term friends and their wives say after the divorce "you didn't really know him".

Exactly - the wives may say that AFTER the divorce. Prior to, they can be completely taken in and in denial for years, partly because there is a sense of shame that reinforces the denial every time you start to realize what your spouse may truly be like. IME