Crime
Father acquitted of manslaughter in July death of adopted toddler
By: Scott McCabe
Examiner Staff Writer
December 17, 2008
A Loudoun County father was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter Wednesday in the death of his son who was left in the back of a sweltering sport utility vehicle for nine hours this summer.
Fairfax County Judge R. Terence Ney ruled that Miles Harrison’s conduct did not meet the
legal standard for manslaughter, which requires “negligence so gross, wanton and culpable as to show a callous disregard for human life.”
Harrison’s actions were “tragic” but the new father was “dutiful and devoted,” Ney said.
“The only atonement can take place in his heart and soul,” Ney said.
Harrison, 49, of Purcellville, testified that he forgot to drop off 21-month-old Chase at a day care center in Ashburn on July 8. He then left the toddler inside his GMC Yukon for nine hours while he went to work at the Project Solutions Group in Herndon.
At about 5 p.m., when a co-worker told Harrison that Chase was in the SUV, he ran from his work desk to the parking lot, threw open the car door and tried to revive his son. Chase was a Russian-born child who had been adopted by Harrison and his wife, Carol, only three months earlier.
That evening at the hospital, a Fairfax County detective and hospital employees overheard Harrison calling out with remorse.
“I want my son. I left my son, I left him in the car. Look at what I did. I left him in the car,” Harrison could be heard saying, according to court documents. “I can’t live like this. How did this happen. ... God take me. He should not have taken my son.”
Prosecutors argued that Harrison might not have wanted to harm his son but he wasn’t willing to take on the responsibilities of being a father.
The death of Chase, born Dmitry Yakolev, sparked strife between Russia and the United States over adoption regulations. The Russians opened an investigation into European Adoption Consultants Inc., the company Harrison and his wife used to bring Dmitry to Virginia.
Russian officials called on the United States to tighten its standards and banned two other unnamed international adoption agencies.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Fairfax County Judge R. Terence Ney ruled that Miles Harrison’s conduct did not meet the
legal standard for manslaughter, which requires “negligence so gross, wanton and culpable as to show a callous disregard for human life.”
Harrison’s actions were “tragic” but the new father was “dutiful and devoted,” Ney said.
“The only atonement can take place in his heart and soul,” Ney said.
Harrison, 49, of Purcellville, testified that he forgot to drop off 21-month-old Chase at a day care center in Ashburn on July 8. He then left the toddler inside his GMC Yukon for nine hours while he went to work at the Project Solutions Group in Herndon.
At about 5 p.m., when a co-worker told Harrison that Chase was in the SUV, he ran from his work desk to the parking lot, threw open the car door and tried to revive his son. Chase was a Russian-born child who had been adopted by Harrison and his wife, Carol, only three months earlier.
That evening at the hospital, a Fairfax County detective and hospital employees overheard Harrison calling out with remorse.
“I want my son. I left my son, I left him in the car. Look at what I did. I left him in the car,” Harrison could be heard saying, according to court documents. “I can’t live like this. How did this happen. ... God take me. He should not have taken my son.”
Prosecutors argued that Harrison might not have wanted to harm his son but he wasn’t willing to take on the responsibilities of being a father.
The death of Chase, born Dmitry Yakolev, sparked strife between Russia and the United States over adoption regulations. The Russians opened an investigation into European Adoption Consultants Inc., the company Harrison and his wife used to bring Dmitry to Virginia.
Russian officials called on the United States to tighten its standards and banned two other unnamed international adoption agencies.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
