<p>^I was pretty phobic about not leaving them in the car. One of the best ideas I heard the other day was to leave your shoes in the back with the child. As soon as you get out of the car you would realize you are not wearing shoes and have to go back for them. Although I could see having to wear socks if you were wearing stockings so as not to snag them on the pedals, etc. Once S was old enough to talk I didn’t have to worry as much since he never shut up! ;)</p>
<p>Great idea, but I think it’s illegal in some states to drive without shoes. It would work to put one’s LEFT shoe in the back with the baby and just drive with your right one, though! Of course, this assumes one is driving an automatic transmission.</p>
<p>^^^^I think the shoe thing is a great idea. Or your wallet or purse.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I think $25K is probably pretty typical as an employer-sponsored amount for dependents. For them to change the amount and voluntarily contribute more would certainly have raised eyebrows. He was only a toddler.</p>
<p>It will be interesting to see what comes out about the boy’s medical history. It is hard for me to imagine a “normally” developing child at least moving his head and using his hands in the car. Even if we are to believe that the father could not smell or hear him, surely he would notice some movement out of his peripheral vision during the act of driving and then getting out of the car.</p>
<p>The employer policy was 2K. There were 2 policies. 25K is a lot of money for a guy who works at Home Depot and has an unemployed wife, a baby, and a pile of bills. How they ever thought they could get away with it is another story, though.</p>
<p>Actually, $25K on a kid is a pretty big amount. Most employer policies provide $2K, $5K, or $10K. And it’s cheap as dirt, since so few child policies get paid out.</p>
<p>“Leanna Harris is a 30-year-old dietitian licensed in Georgia and Alabama, records show. She’s lived in Georgia since 2012.
While CNN affiliates report that she worked out of her Marietta home, she is employed by DaVita Inc., a Demopolis, Alabama-based health care firm.”</p>
<p>The mom has a job.</p>
<p>Yeah, I’ve seen that reported both ways. One story said that at some point she worked as a dietician out of her home for DaVita. Still, a dietician working at home, whether she was or wasn’t, is not usually much of a job in terms of income, really. And, they had financial problems according to police. She is licensed is all we know for sure. Also, unclear to me is why you take a toddler to daycare if you have money problems and a stay-at-home parent. That makes no sense.</p>
<p>“I was not impressed with the defense attorney at this hearing. He was a bit of a whiner and did not argue very effectively. I wonder if he will be the main guy.”</p>
<p>Here is somethings off the internet about the lawyer:</p>
<p>" In 2011, Maddox won a rare “not guilty by reason of insanity” jury verdict in Cobb County where his client was charged with murder by stabbing his mother 120 times. Maddox has lectured on the subject of mental health defenses, being asked to address a statewide conference of defense attorneys on the subject. Much of his expertise is devoted to appellate practice before the Georgia Court of Appeals and Georgia Supreme Court, where Maddox has successfully won new trials for his clients."</p>
<p>also they specialize in :
"Sexual Offenses, Child Molestation & Pornography</p>
<p>No arrest is more frightening or embarrassing than one for child molestation, pornography, or any sexual offense. Just like Law & Order SVU…most metro area counties such as Cobb, Cherokee and Fulton have special investigators and prosecutors dedicated to prosecuting only sex crimes against women and children. Because these investigators and prosecutors are often the most experienced and best trained, you need seasoned legal representation when facing a child-related or sexually-based criminal charge.</p>
<p>Not only are the criminal penalties unimaginably harsh, but the public scorn and humiliation can be just as devastating. An arrest for child molestation or child pornography will likely make the news. That’s why the philosophy in challenging any child or sexually related charge is tenacity with discretion. With Kilgore & Rodriguez, you are guaranteed the experience and skills needed to defend against these serious charges, but with an understanding that your privacy and reputation need defending too.</p>
<p>Hmm… any ideas on what they are going to use as the defense?</p>
<p>This case is so heinous that I don’t think it matters much what they proffer as a defense. No way either of these parents have impaired mental capacity and I do not think they wiIl go down that road. The advertisement for that defense firm makes me sick I am an attorney and am well aware that everyone is entitled to a defense under the law, but I could never, ever defend these sorts of people. Or maybe I could and then intentionally do a horrible job to make sure they get convicted.</p>
<p>@HarvestMoon1, you know they are innocent until proven guilty. Accusation does not equal guilt.</p>
<p>not that I think it would fly, but maybe he’ll claim he is a sex addict and was so consumed with his sexting he didn’t notice he left his child in the car? </p>
<p>I predict that he will say that when he put the lightbulbs in the car he saw his child’s dead body and went into some kind of state of shock and denial, which caused him to behave oddly. Only when he reached that parking lot was he able to acknowledge that his son was dead, yadda, yadda.</p>
<p>Instead of, ya know, he bought the lightbulbs so that he could have an excuse to go to the car and check to see whether the kid was dead yet, or whether he had to wait longer to “discover” it to be sure.</p>
<p>^^^^ OMG. If that is true. I just can’t even imagine how he could act normally the rest of the day if he saw his son dead or suffering in the car. That would just personify evil.</p>
<p>He may not have been acting normally. I find it hard to believe that he regularly spent the workday sexting. Maybe that was a way for him to deal with the anxiety he must have been feeling, if he did deliberately kill his son? </p>
<p>If he did what he’s accused of, I guess that is the definition of a sociopath. </p>
<p>The wife chewing gum all day in court - unbelievable.</p>
<p>Chewing gum AND acting completely bored out of her mind.</p>
<p>Just wait until they start pointing fingers at the other one as the “master mind” behind the whole thing.</p>
<p>Was anyone else very bothered by the friend/business partner on the stand, the one who drove Harris back to the car after lunch and who waited at the movies for him? I am sure he knew nothing, but what bothered me was his demeanor on the stand; he just seemed so…what’s the right description…bored? put out? “why are we even here? What’s the big deal?” about the whole thing. It was maddening to me. </p>
<p>^^^^^Well, apparently their supporters are absolutely incensed that LE would even consider that the parents would do such a thing, so perhaps the demeanor is not boredom but rather hostility towards LE.</p>
<p>I can only hope their supporters are maybe a little less supportive after learning all that was revealed during that hearing. I would hope they can at least ask some hard questions of themselves about their loyalties.</p>
<p>The supporters are less supportive. Also, crowdfunding. Ugh.</p>
<p><a href=“Supporters abandon dad charged in tot's hot-car death”>http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/06/27/boy-dies-hot-car-father-charged/11472849/</a></p>