The Justin Ross Harris trial is back underway this week following a several day hiatus because of Hurricane Matthew, which bombarded the small coastal Georgia town.
On Thursday, the prosecution and defense questioned current and former employees at Little Apron Academy where Harris’ son attended daycare. The daycare center is for employees of the Home Depot, where Harris worked as a web developer.
Harris is charged with the murder of his 22-month-old Cooper, who was left to die in a hot SUV on June 18, 2014. The defense maintains it was a tragic accident.
Here are some key takeaways from Thursday’s court proceedings.
1. A change in routine
According to the teachers at Little Apron Academy, Harris usually dropped off his son between 8:30 and 8:45 a.m. on his way to work. The former Home Depot web developer was also frequently late, teacher Keyatta Patrick testified, but on those days would notify the school by 8:40 a.m.
At 8:55 a.m. on June 18, Harris and his son were leaving Chick-fil-A. He never called Little Apron to tell them he was running late or to alert them Cooper that had already eaten breakfast, as he typically did before, said teacher Azure Hawkins.
2. ‘Confused and frantic’
In testimony that contradicted earlier accounts from law enforcement, former Little Apron employee Michelle Gray said Cooper's mother, Leanna Taylor, was surprised at not finding her son in his classroom.
“Well, that’s weird, that’s Cooper’s mom,” Gray testified, recalling her thoughts. “What are you doing here?” Gray said she asked Taylor. “Cooper’s not here.”
“(Leanna) was confused, she was frantic,” Gray testified.
That account appears to conflict with what lead detective Phil Stoddard has said about Leanna, who is now divorced from Harris. Stoddard said that she appeared calm upon learning Cooper was not at daycare that afternoon and told a Little Apron employee that Harris must have left their child in his car.
3. ‘I didn’t pick up the phone’
Gray also said that Cobb police apparently believed Harris called her after he discovered Cooper’s body. According to telephone records, Harris called the phone in Gray’s room at Little Apron and had a six-minute conversation. She was adamant she did not talk with him on the phone that day.
“I was frustrated, because I know I didn’t pick up the phone,” Gray said.
Investigators also asked Gray if she was involved with Harris, which she denied, even after police threatened her with a criminal charge of making a false statement.
4. ‘An affable child’
Current and former Little Apron employees described Cooper’s personality.
“Cooper was an affable child. He was a talker, calm nature, very easy to get along, just a normal soon-to-be two-year-old,” daycare director Melony Gibson said.
“Cooper was a fun loving child, I was with cooper from the infant room, I was able to see his growth from not walking and crawling on the floor to walking, I was able to see him to begin talking,” said Patrick, a teacher.
He started talking more in late May and the early part of June, Patrick said.
“I was very excited,” she said.
The trial will resume today.
You can follow minute-to-minute coverage of the trial at AJC.com. Also learn the latest developments in the case on Twitter at @AJCBreakdown. AJC reporters Christian Boone (@reporterJCB) and Bill Rankin (@ajccourts) will be in Brunswick for the duration of the trial.
Harris is also the subject of the second season of the AJC's podcast series "Breakdown," which will follow the trial's developments.
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