Justin Ross Harris, who was accused of killing his 22-month-old son, Cooper, by leaving him in a hot car last June, has been charged with murder.
READ: DAD WHO DELIBERATLY LEFT SON TO DIE IN HOT CAR MAY FACE EXECUTION
On Thursday, a grand jury indicted 33-year-old Harris on charges including malice murder, felony murder and cruelty to children.
They have said that Harris acted “with malice aforethought” and caused the boy “cruel and excessive physical pain.”
He could face the death sentence if convicted.
READ: FATHER OF HOT CAR DEATH TODDLER WAS SEXTING TEENAGER ON DAY SON DIED
The allegations surrounding the case have shocked the country since Cooper, just 22 months old, died on June 18.
The little boy died inside an SUV parked outside Home Depot when temperatures reached 90 degrees in Atlanta, America.
Harris told investigators that he was supposed to drop his son off at daycare but forgot about the boy until after he left work seven hours later.
However prosecutors later discovered that Harris had returned to his car at least once that day - and had even researched how to kill a child in a hot car on the internet.
READ: POLICE DEFEND MURDER CHARGE DECISION FOR DAD WHO LEFT HIS TODDLER IN HOT CAR FOR SEVEN HOURS
They also allege that Harris was sexting with six women, some of whom were underage, at the time of his son's death.
Harris, meanwhile, says that he’d looked into hot vehicle deaths because he feared for Cooper’s safety, and that he simply forgot his son was in the backseat of the SUV after the two went to breakfast at a Chic-fil-A before Harris was supposed to drop him off at day care.
He has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody at this time.