Overview

• Cobb County officers shattered a window to rescue two children abandoned in a car that reached 117°F outside Cumberland Mall on June 4.
• Bodycam footage released this week shows the children crying in the backseat for about 41 minutes before a bystander’s 911 call prompted the emergency response.
• The children’s guardian, J’quawn Dixon, was arrested on two counts of second-degree child cruelty and released on a $10,000 bond.
• Prosecutors say Dixon caused “cruel or excessive physical or mental pain” by leaving the children unattended in extreme heat.
• National Safety Council data indicate an average of 37 hot-car deaths annually, underscoring calls for Good Samaritan protections and public education.