A hospital worker faces charges of second-degree murder and second-degree child cruelty after her one-year-old son was found dead inside a parked car during a hot day in Lawrenceville, Georgia.
The minor, identified as Daniel, allegedly remained strapped to his child seat for more than eight hours while his mother, Deja Coleman, 29, worked at Northside Gwinnett Hospital, authorities reported.
When emergency crews arrived at the scene, the child was no longer responding. Despite attempts to revive him, he was declared dead.
The child remained inside the vehicle for more than eight hours.
According to the Lawrenceville Police investigation, Coleman arrived at the hospital around 6:55 a.m. on July 29, after dropping her two older children off at daycare, as part of what she described as her usual routine.
Investigators maintain that the woman forgot that her youngest son was still restrained in a child seat facing the rear of the vehicle.
The child remained inside the car until shortly before 4:00 p.m., when another hospital employee observed the minor motionless inside the vehicle and alerted emergency services.
The rescuers broke one of the windows to access the car and began resuscitation maneuvers, but the minor did not survive.
The temperature inside the vehicle reached 117°F
Authorities reported that approximately one hour after the rescue they measured a temperature of 117 degrees Fahrenheit inside the car, even though a window had already been destroyed during the intervention of emergency teams.
The maximum outdoor temperature recorded that day was approximately 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
After identifying that the vehicle belonged to Coleman, the agents located her inside the hospital, informed her about what happened and later took her to be formally questioned.
The mother assured that she forgot the minor
After the initial investigation, police arrested Coleman and transported her to the Gwinnett County Detention Center.
The authorities clarified that they do not accuse her of having intentionally caused the death of her son, although they consider that the evidence obtained justifies the criminal charges filed.
During a news conference, Capt. Dena Pauly explained that Coleman claimed to have forgotten that the child was still inside the car.
“She forgot,” said the official, referring to the explanation offered by the mother, whom she described as “devastated” by what happened.
Coleman's two other children were left in the care of their father. According to the Police, one of them has special medical needs, which is why the woman used to take that minor to daycare first.
Heat deaths inside vehicles continue to be a risk in the United States
The authorities recalled that the deaths of children from heat stroke inside vehicles continue to be one of the most preventable tragedies in the United States.
Specialists point out that the temperature inside a parked car can rise rapidly to lethal levels, especially for babies and young children, whose bodies heat up more quickly than those of an adult.
According to data cited by authorities, 17 pediatric deaths related to hot vehicles have been recorded in the United States so far this year. During 2025, 34 cases were reported, including two that occurred in Georgia.
Captain Pauly took advantage of the case to appeal to the population.
"Slow down. Slow down. If you need help, seek it. Make sure you get enough sleep and take care of yourselves so you can take care of your children," he said.
The investigation remains open and authorities indicated that they do not rule out filing additional charges as the process progresses. Meanwhile, Coleman remains detained pending the development of the case in the Georgia courts.
