A Georgia hospital employee is facing serious criminal charges after her 1-year-old son was found dead inside a locked vehicle parked outside her workplace in Gwinnett County.
Lawrenceville police arrested 29-year-old Deja Coleman following the heartbreaking discovery at Northside Hospital Gwinnett on Wednesday, July 29. She has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree cruelty to children.
Investigators said Coleman arrived at the hospital’s employee parking lot at approximately 6:55 a.m. and went inside to begin her shift. The toddler allegedly remained strapped inside his car seat for nearly nine hours.
At around 3:50 p.m., another hospital employee reportedly noticed the child slumped over in the back seat and called 911. Officers broke a window to enter the locked vehicle and attempted to help the boy, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police revealed that a temperature reading taken inside the vehicle approximately one hour after the window was broken still registered a staggering 117 degrees.
According to investigators, Coleman had dropped off her two older children at daycare earlier that morning. Police said her usual routine involved taking the older children inside first before returning to the vehicle for the baby. Authorities allege that she forgot to make that final trip and later drove to work with the toddler still inside the car.
Lawrenceville Police Capt. Dena Pauly said Coleman appeared devastated after officers informed her of her son’s death. Her two surviving children were placed in their father’s custody following the incident.
The tragedy has renewed warnings about the deadly speed at which temperatures can rise inside parked vehicles. Police encouraged overwhelmed parents and caregivers to slow down, seek assistance and establish reminders that can help prevent a child from accidentally being left behind.
Coleman was booked into the Gwinnett County Detention Center. The charges remain allegations, and she is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
