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2 clusters · 2 sources · 15 days · First seen · Last updated

Georgia mother charged in toddler hot car death

Overview

On July 29, 2026, 29-year-old Deja Coleman was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and second-degree cruelty to children following the death of her 1-year-old son in a locked vehicle. The incident occurred in the employee lot of Northside Gwinnett Hospital in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where temperatures inside the car reportedly reached as high as 117°F. Coleman, a hospital employee, told investigators she forgot to retrieve the infant while working an eight-hour shift.

By mid-August, the case moved to Gwinnett County Superior Court. While Coleman remains held without bond, a judge granted her permission to attend her son’s funeral in civilian clothes. Her attorney has argued that the death was a “devastating mistake” caused by sleep deprivation and the difficulties of managing multiple children, requesting that the murder charge be dismissed.

Entities

Deja Coleman · Northside Hospital Gwinnett · Tom Ford · Gwinnett County · Gwinnett County Police Department

Timeline

  1. 7 days ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Gwinnett County mother allowed to attend son's funeral amid murder charges

    A Georgia woman charged with second-degree murder in the hot car death of her 1-year-old son has been granted permission to attend the child's funeral while remaining in custody.

  2. 22 days ago

    [CRIME] 10 sources
    Georgia mother Deja Coleman charged with murder after toddler dies in hot car

    Georgia mother Deja Coleman was arrested and charged with murder after her 1‑year‑old son died in a hot car outside Northside Gwinnett Hospital; the car reached 117 °F.

Sources

fox5atlanta.com · sandrarose.com