A Georgia mother facing a murder charge after her 1-year-old son died inside a hot car is asking for a chance to attend his funeral. Her attorney made the unusual request in court as prosecutors prepared to move forward with the case.
Deja Coleman, 29, is charged with second-degree murder and cruelty to children, as reported by Court TV. Her son was found unresponsive in the back seat of her car at Northside Gwinnett Hospital. Coleman allegedly told police she had gone to work at 6:55 a.m. and the child was discovered around 3:50 p.m.
The case took an unexpected turn during Tuesday’s preliminary hearing. Coleman’s attorney Tom Ford asked prosecutors to reduce the murder charge temporarily so she could attend the funeral scheduled for Saturday. The proposal was rejected.
Asking to drop charges just for the weekend is a bold legal move
A passerby noticed the child inside the vehicle and immediately called police. Officers broke a window to remove him. However, they were unable to revive him. At a news conference, Lawrenceville Police Department Sgt. Dena Pauly said Coleman appeared “devastated” after officers told her what had happened.
Coleman allegedly told investigators that she had taken her other two children to daycare before going to work. Sadly, a Pennsylvania mother faced a similar tragedy after leaving her three children home alone.
Prosecutors arrived at the hearing with a witness prepared to testify. Ford instead asked them to dismiss the second-degree murder charge and allow a voluntary manslaughter case to proceed.
He said Coleman could then receive bond and attend the funeral under deputy supervision. The murder charge could potentially be pursued again afterward.
Prosecutors rejected the proposal and argued that the discussion was inappropriate for the cameras. Ford then waived the preliminary hearing entirely. Unfortunately, we’ve also seen a parent’s failure to address a safety risk for their children in a recent Wisconsin story.
Under Georgia law, defendants cannot present an affirmative defense during a preliminary hearing. They can only cross-examine prosecution witnesses. Ford said he wanted scientific testimony about the circumstances surrounding the incident. He argued that the event needed to be explained through science.
In an interview with WANF, Ford said Coleman was sleep-deprived when she forgot her son. He said she had been caring for three children while living in a protective shelter after leaving an abusive relationship.
Ford also confirmed that he filed a motion seeking to modify Coleman’s bond. No hearing has been scheduled yet.
The case now leaves Coleman facing a murder charge while her request for temporary release remains unresolved.
Published: Aug 13, 2026 05:00 am