The Davidson County Grand Jury is expected to consider a homicide-related charge against Jason Andrew Copas, 30, of Woods Street in Old Hickory, who is accused of leaving his girlfriend’s 18-month-old daughter in a hot, unattended car while he went into an electronics store August 22. The outdoor temperature that day exceeded 100 degrees.
After spending more than one hour in the store on Old Hickory Boulevard in Hermitage, Copas returned to the car and saw that the child, Dezarea Marie Scott, was in medical distress. He drove her to Summit Medical Center, which quickly transferred her to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. Dezarea was diagnosed with heat stroke and hyperthermia. She died on August 27.
With the full autopsy report pending, Youth Services detectives obtained an arrest warrant August 30 charging Copas with aggravated child neglect. He was arrested on that charge September 4 and appeared in General Sessions Court for a preliminary hearing today. The case was bound over to the Davidson County Grand Jury. Copas’ bond was left unchanged at $500,000. He remains in the Metro Jail.
Jason Andrew Copas
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