Police rescued two young children trapped inside a hot car outside of a Georgia mall last month, capturing the tense moments all on body-worn camera.
The video, released by the Cobb County Police Department, shows officers responding to a 911 call from a concerned citizen who spotted the children visibly distressed and crying inside the vehicle.
Newsweek has reached out to the Cobb County Police Department for more information via email Tuesday.
Why It Matters
An average of 37 children die each year in hot cars across the United States, according to data from the National Safety Council (NSC), with 39 dying in 2024.
In recent years, police and child safety advocates have intensified their efforts to educate the public about the risks and encourage bystanders to intervene if they spot children left unattended in cars.
The latest incident highlights the dangers that excessive heat poses to children left inside vehicles, particularly during summer months.
What To Know
Cobb County police received a 911 call on June 4 from a person who noticed two young children alone and crying in a parked car outside Cumberland Mall.
Authorities reported that the car’s internal temperature had reached 117 degrees Fahrenheit at the time of the incident.
The officers are seen in the body-worn camera getting the call and driving to the parking lot, where an officer shatters a front window and unlocks the car before removing both children from the backseat.
🚨 Kids Locked in Hot Car: Body Camera Footage 🚨On June 4th, our officers saved two young children who were locked in a hot car at Cumberland Mall….
A man is seen being arrested in the video, later identified as J’quawn Dixon. Authorities have not said how or if Dixon is related to the children involved.
Dixon was charged with two counts of second-degree child cruelty and released the following day on an $11,220 bond, according to jail records, a report from Atlanta News First said.
Police credited the safe outcome in Cobb County to the bystander who called 911.
Law enforcement regularly urges anyone witnessing a child or pet left unattended in a vehicle, especially in hot weather, to contact emergency services immediately.
Many states, including Georgia, provide legal protections for bystanders who act in good faith to rescue children in such situations.
Cobb County Police Department
Even with outside temperatures as low as 70 degrees, a parked car’s interior can quickly rise to life-threatening levels, endangering infants and young children most acutely due to their reduced ability to regulate body temperature.
Nearly every state has experienced at least one death since 1998. In both 2018 and 2019, a record number of 53 children died after being left in a hot vehicle, according to NSC.
What People Are Saying
Cobb County Police Department statement on social media: “A big THANK YOU to the concerned citizens who called 911. Your quick action is the reason these kids are safe today. You saw something and did something, and that made all the difference.”
What Happens Next
Dixon is set to face the two counts of child cruelty at his next court appearance.
If convicted of second-degree child cruelty, he could face anywhere from a year to 10 years for each count, according to state law.