GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County mother is facing felony charges after police say she left her three-month-old son alone in a hot car for 45 minutes on a summer afternoon.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
According to warrants, 34-year-old Casey Turner left the child inside a vehicle Sunday at a shopping center on Hamilton Mill Parkway near Dacula. Police said the engine was off and the windows were up.
Authorities said temperatures were around 90 degrees when a passerby heard the baby crying and called 911.
“I can’t imagine it happening to me or any other mom that I know,” said Stacy Jones, a local mother.
Gwinnett County firefighters responded to the call at 3:16 p.m. and removed the baby from the vehicle about five minutes later.
Crews evaluated the infant for signs of heat-related illness before releasing him to another parent at the scene.
Police later arrested Turner and charged her with felony child cruelty.
“For Gwinnett, we respond with EMTs and paramedics. All of our firefighters are dually trained,” said Capt. Ryan McGiboney with Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s widow sues his mother over pre-nup
- ‘No arrest:’ Family frustrated weeks after teen’s killing in Atlanta
- Metro Atlanta superior court judge facing official charges of misconduct from state commission
According to federal data, 31 children died in hot cars across the United States last year.
McGiboney said common assumptions about leaving a child in a vehicle for a short period can have dangerous consequences.
“I’m only going to be in here for a second. I’ll park the car in a shaded area. The reality is that doesn’t stop the heat from rising in the car,” McGiboney said.
Jones said the incident serves as a reminder for parents and community members to stay alert and look out for children who may be in danger.
“If you’re leaving them alone in the car, that’s not being responsible parents. Especially in this heat,” Jones said. “I need to be more mindful of looking out for others that do it, though.”
Authorities said the baby was not seriously injured.
Turner remains in the Gwinnett County Jail without bond.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2026 Cox Media Group
