A Gwinnett County judge in Georgia granted a $5,000 bond to an Atlanta mother who allegedly left her toddler inside a hot car while she worked at a nearby hospital.
On Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Tamela Adkins ordered 29-year-old Deja Coleman to wear an ankle monitor and remain under house arrest as conditions of her potential release.
Coleman is currently facing second-degree murder and second-degree cruelty to children charges in connection with the death of her son, 16-month-old Daniel Coleman.
As Criminal Enterprise reported, investigators said Coleman, a CNA at Northside Hospital Gwinnett, arrived for work at 6:55 a.m. on July 29, leaving her son inside the vehicle. Nearly nine hours later, another hospital employee spotted the child unresponsive and called 911.
Despite life-saving measures by first responders, Daniel was pronounced dead at the scene.
Coleman told investigators she dropped off her two older children, ages 6 and 4, at the Starlight Academy Daycare that morning, then drove to work without realizing Daniel remained in the vehicle.
FOX 5 Atlanta reports that Coleman said she always took the older children inside first, since one of them is autistic, before going back to the car for the 1-year-old.
Police spokesperson Capt. Dena Pauly previously stated that Coleman “forgot to make that second trip.”
During Wednesday’s hearing, the prosecution opposed her release, arguing that Coleman left the child in the vehicle for her entire work shift.
The state contended that Coleman is also a flight risk who could compromise the investigation by influencing witnesses, including co-workers and her own children.
The state alleged that during jail calls, Coleman explicitly told the people watching her other children to block law enforcement from interviewing her 4-year-old son.
“She is a danger to the community, particularly her children, and a risk of intimidating witnesses, particularly her children,” assistant district attorney Megan Matteucci said.
The defense argued that Coleman would not be a flight risk, given her ties to Georgia and support from loved ones. They also argued that the incident happened due to sleep deprivation and exhaustion, and did not amount to murder.
“It was not violent and it was not intentional,” defense attorney Trinity Hundredmark stated at the hearing.
“I have yet to talk to anybody that has said Deja has been anything but a wonderful, devoted mother.”
Prosecutors clarified that while they are not claiming the killing was intentional, they maintain that Coleman’s criminal negligence directly caused the toddler’s death.
Judge Adkins ordered that upon release, Coleman must remain under home confinement unless she has approved legal visits or medical appointments.
Coleman’s surviving children will remain in her home. However, the judge ruled that she is banned from driving them anywhere.
According to court documents, Coleman, a domestic abuse survivor, had been living with her children in a transitional housing program when the incident occurred. Adkins stated that Coleman must remain at the same residence.
Coleman was released from jail Wednesday evening.
The National Safety Council, reports that 23 children have died in hot cars in the U.S., in 2026 alone.
Check back for updates.
[Featured image via Lawrenceville PD]
