A 1-year-old boy was found dead inside a locked car in Lawrenceville, and his mother now faces murder and child-cruelty charges in a case unfolding at a Gwinnett hospital. Police have not publicly explained what led to the child’s death or how long he had been inside the vehicle.
Officers went to Northside Gwinnett Hospital on Wednesday after receiving a report about an unresponsive child in a locked vehicle, according to Atlanta News First. The vehicle was located in the hospital’s employee parking lot, where officers tried to save the boy before finding him deceased in his car seat.
Mother Booked On Two Felony Charges
Lawrenceville police identified the child’s mother as 29-year-old Deja Coleman and said she was charged with second-degree murder and second-degree cruelty to children. Coleman was taken to the Gwinnett County Detention Center, according to the initial report.
What The Charges Mean Under Georgia Law
Georgia law defines second-degree murder as causing a person’s death while committing second-degree cruelty to children, regardless of malice, and provides for a prison sentence of 10 to 30 years upon conviction, according to Georgia’s murder statute. The cruelty charge involves allegations that criminal negligence caused a child cruel or excessive physical or mental pain, as outlined in Georgia’s child-cruelty statute.
The circumstances surrounding the death remain under investigation, and police have not said whether heat, a medical emergency or another factor played a role. Atlanta News First reported that the case was still developing as authorities prepared to release more information.
