# Georgia mother charged in toddler hot car death

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/georgia-mother-charged-in-toddler-hot-car-death
> Updated: 2026-08-14T00:00:00.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2.

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.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-14: 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 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gwinnett-county-mother-allowed-to-attend-sons-funeral-amid-murder-charges

### 2026-07-30: 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.

10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/deja-coleman-arrested-after-toddler-dies-in-hot-car-at-georgia-hospital

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Cite as: Georgia mother charged in toddler hot car death. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/georgia-mother-charged-in-toddler-hot-car-death