The father of a Georgia toddler who died in a hot car researched such deaths, a warrant released by police Saturday showed.

Cooper Mills Harris, 22 months, died in the back seat of the family SUV and was pronounced dead June 18 in a shopping-center parking lot in Cobb County. He was buried Saturday. The child had been left in the vehicle for more than seven hours while his father went to work at a Home Depot's corporate office.

Justin “Ross” Harris said he had feared his son would be left in a vehicle, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

“During an interview with Justin, He stated that he recently researched, through the internet, child deaths inside vehicles and what temperature it needs to be for that to occur,” according to search-warrant affidavits cited by the newspaper. “Justin stated that he was fearful that this could happen.”

About 250 people attended the boy’s funeral Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Ala., the newspaper said, and Harris telephoned to speak. “[Cooper] never did anything to anyone,” he said. “I’m just sorry I can’t be there.”

Cooper’s mother, Leanna Harris, said she’s not angry with her husband. “Ross was and is a wonderful father,” she said.