In November 2016, Ross Harris of Cobb County, Georgia, was found guilty of murdering his 22-month-old son Cooper Harris, by leaving him in his hot car for seven hours in June 2014. Cooper’s mother and now ex-wife of Ross Harris, Leanna Taylor Harris, testified that her husband “ruined her life” but he was “an involved father.” After the guilty conviction, Taylor wrote a note of warning to parents on Facebook: “You can convict every parent that this has ever happened to, and I can promise you 2 things…#1 it will never bring our children back and #2 it will not prevent this from happening in the future. Next summer, as this begins to happen over and over again, ask yourself, “what can be done?!” The problem is not the parent! The problem is a society that refuses to believe this can happen to them! Wake up! Accept it! And by accepting it you will be protecting your child!”
Dateline NBC will investigate the death of Cooper Harris which includes an interview with Dr. David Diamond who says what Harris experienced is called Forgotten Baby Syndrome. Dr. Diamond says, “It’s when normal, attentive parents lose awareness that their child is in the car.” Ross Harris is currently appealing his life sentence without parole. Dateline NBC airs Fridays at 10pm.
