08-28-2014, 10:46 AM
It's interesting how these cases are handled in different states.
![[Image: 140730151350-01-benjamin-seitz-story-top.jpg]](http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140730151350-01-benjamin-seitz-story-top.jpg)
The Connecticut medical examiner has ruled the death of a 15-month-old boy who was left in his father's car in July a homicide. Despite the medical examiner's ruling, the decision about whether to press criminal charges is made by the state's attorney, said CNN Legal Analyst Paul Callan.
"The use of the word 'homicide' in an autopsy report, though often seen in connection with criminal cases, does not necessarily mean that criminal charges will be lodged against the father," Callan said.
"In legal parlance, the term means that death was caused by another human being rather than by strictly natural causes," he added.
The cause of Benjamin Seitz's death (RIP) was hyperthermia because of environmental exposure, the state medical examiner said on Wednesday.
On July 7, Kyle Seitz was supposed to drop his son off at day care in Ridgefield, Connecticut, but the drop-off never occurred.
Seitz drove to work, and at the end of the day he went to pick Ben up at day care, only to realize he was not there. That was when Seitz found his son in the car. He rushed the child to the hospital, but Ben had died.
No criminal charges have been announced in the boy's death, but state prosecutors said Wednesday that the criminal investigation is "ongoing."
"The autopsy report is one factor to be considered by the state's attorney in the evaluation of the incident once the investigation is complete," a statement released by State's Attorney Stephen J. Sedensky said.
Full story: http://us.cnn.com/2014/08/21/justice/chi...hpt=ju_mid
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I'd be shocked if Justin Ross Cooper's attorney doesn't use this case to support his client's claim that he left his son Cooper in the car the whole work day by accident and that there was no intent involved in Cooper's homicide -- the cases are almost identical in circumstances.
Well, except AFAIK, Seitz didn't look up information about hot car deaths, child free living, and wasn't juggling multiple sext partners before and during his son's death.
The Connecticut medical examiner has ruled the death of a 15-month-old boy who was left in his father's car in July a homicide. Despite the medical examiner's ruling, the decision about whether to press criminal charges is made by the state's attorney, said CNN Legal Analyst Paul Callan.
"The use of the word 'homicide' in an autopsy report, though often seen in connection with criminal cases, does not necessarily mean that criminal charges will be lodged against the father," Callan said.
"In legal parlance, the term means that death was caused by another human being rather than by strictly natural causes," he added.
The cause of Benjamin Seitz's death (RIP) was hyperthermia because of environmental exposure, the state medical examiner said on Wednesday.
On July 7, Kyle Seitz was supposed to drop his son off at day care in Ridgefield, Connecticut, but the drop-off never occurred.
Seitz drove to work, and at the end of the day he went to pick Ben up at day care, only to realize he was not there. That was when Seitz found his son in the car. He rushed the child to the hospital, but Ben had died.
No criminal charges have been announced in the boy's death, but state prosecutors said Wednesday that the criminal investigation is "ongoing."
"The autopsy report is one factor to be considered by the state's attorney in the evaluation of the incident once the investigation is complete," a statement released by State's Attorney Stephen J. Sedensky said.
Full story: http://us.cnn.com/2014/08/21/justice/chi...hpt=ju_mid
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I'd be shocked if Justin Ross Cooper's attorney doesn't use this case to support his client's claim that he left his son Cooper in the car the whole work day by accident and that there was no intent involved in Cooper's homicide -- the cases are almost identical in circumstances.
Well, except AFAIK, Seitz didn't look up information about hot car deaths, child free living, and wasn't juggling multiple sext partners before and during his son's death.