While questions remains about 22-month-old Cooper Harris' death, one positive has emerged from the tragedy that first captured the nation's attention one year ago today.
The number of reported cases of children perishing in hot cars has declined declined sharply in the year since Ross Harris discovered the body of his only child, strapped into the car seat where he had been placed some seven hours earlier.
Cobb County police say Harris intended to kill his son, though the former Home Depot IT specialist said he believed he had dropped Cooper off at day care before reporting to work. Harris’ murder trial is expected to begin sometime in 2016.
Jannette Fennell, president and founder of KidsAndCars.org, said 31 children died in hot cars in 2014, down 13 from the year before. So far in 2015, there have been four such deaths compared to 8 this time a year ago.
“We’ve seen people get more involved. If they see a child locked in a car they’re more likely to call 911 now,” said Fennell, whose organization aims to educate parents about the dangers of leaving children inside automobiles.
But the attention brought by the Harris case has been a double-edge sword, said Lyn Balfour, an advocate for KidsAndCars.org. Her 9-month-old son died 8 years ago after she accidentally left him in the car while at work.
“Most people have made up their mind that he is guilty,” said Balfour, acquitted of a second-degree murder charge by a Virginia jury. “It makes it harder to say to people that this could happen to anyone.”
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