Prosecutors laid out their case against the father accused of leaving his little boy in a hot car to die. INSIDE EDITION has the details and examples on how you can prevent leaving your kids in a hot car.
The father accused of deliberately leaving his baby son in a hot car was sexting with women while the child was dying in his car, according to prosecutors.
Thirty-three-year-old Ross Harris listened as police made shocking new revelations about the case.
Prosecutors asked, "Were photos being sent back and forth between these women and the defendant during this day while the child was out in the car?"
An officer on the stand replied, "Yes, there were photos of women's breasts sent to him."
Prosecutors claim Ross was unhappy in his marriage and wanted to be free, saying, "He planned on showing he wanted to live a child-free life and there is evidence to suggest that based on his internet searches."
He has pled not guilty to felony murder and claims he accidentally left his son in the car. But police say he showed little emotion after the child's death.
A police officer on the stand said, "Evidence is showing us right now that he has got this whole second life that he is living with alternate personalities and alternate personas."
There was also testimony that the car reeked of death. The police officer on the stand said, "There was foul odor. It smelled like decomposition or death."
While Ross Harris allegedly knowingly left little Cooper to die, the issue of hot car deaths is getting national attention. There are several new gadgets that can prevent accidental hot car deaths.
A sensor placed in a baby seat sounds a loud alarm if the parent leaves a child behind.
Russ Rusakov president of Suddenly Safe and Secure showed INSIDE EDITION’s Megan Alexander how it works, saying, “Once a child is placed in a safety seat it's activated. You take the key fob. You can walk away and it should alarm you immediately.”
Alexander said, “It's vibrating and an alarm is going off! That's hard to miss!”
He replied, “It will continue until you remove the baby from the car.”
An 11-year-old kid came up with a device made from rubber bands and duct tape called the EZ Babysaver. Boy inventor Andrew Pelham of Nashville demonstrated how it works.
He said, “When you are strapping your child in the car, you simply take the EZ Babysaver and attach it to the handle of your car. You then get in your car, drive around to wherever you need to go. However, when you get out of the car you see 'Oh! My kid's still in the car.' The EZ Babysaver stops you in your tracks and makes you think about the child that you have in your car.”
Another method some people are recommending is to take off your left shoe while you drive and place it next to the baby seat. When you get out of the car you remember you need your shoe and your child.
Of course, none of these devices would have prevented what prosecutors say happened to little Cooper Harris.
