Prosecutors in Georgia will not seek the death penalty against a 33-year-old father who they say left his toddler son in a hot car for seven hours, the Associated Press reported.
Justin Ross Harris, 33, was indicted earlier this month on crimes that include murder, cruelty to children, and dissemination of harmful material to minors. His 22-month-old son Cooper died in June after he was strapped into a carseat and left for seven hours inside a car during 80-degree temperatures.
Prosecutors believe Harris left the boy in the car intentionally to rid himself of the child. Harris told authorities he forgot to take his son to daycare and left him in the car while he went to work. He has pleaded not guilty.
In a bail hearing, prosecutors presented evidence that Harris had spent the hours his son was dying sexting up to six women and a 16-year-old girl. His Google search history included "how to survive in prison," and he visited a Reddit page called "child free," prosecutors said.