A young mother in Georgia is facing serious criminal charges following the tragic death of her 7-month-old son, who was left inside a hot car while she was at work.
Charges Filed in Infant's Tragic Death
Nyla Simmons, 22, was formally charged on November 3 with Second-Degree Cruelty to Children and Second-Degree Murder in connection with the incident that occurred on October 16. According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, Simmons left her infant son in her vehicle before beginning her shift at the Kia automotive dealership in Albany, located approximately 80 miles outside Columbus.
The heartbreaking discovery came when Simmons realized she had left her child in the car. She immediately rushed the infant five miles to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, but medical professionals pronounced the baby dead upon arrival.
Investigation and Legal Proceedings
Authorities were called to the hospital to investigate the infant's death. Weather records from AccuWeather indicated temperatures reached as high as 90 degrees Fahrenheit on that fateful day, creating dangerously hot conditions inside the vehicle.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation took Simmons into custody at the Lee County Sheriff's Office on November 3 without incident. She is currently being held at the Lee County Jail and could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted of the charges.
Lee County Coroner Hill Mackey confirmed to WALB that the infant's body was sent for autopsy on October 17. However, the official cause of death remains pending as investigations continue.
Complex Investigation Process
Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler explained that deaths involving children often require extensive investigation. "People get upset because they think after the autopsy, you should have an answer," Fowler stated. "If there is not any trauma to the child or injuries to the child, then a lot of time, you got to wait on toxicology and the histology, all of that, to come in and see what happened."
Before this tragedy, Simmons appeared to be a devoted mother of two who regularly shared photos and updates about her baby boy and his older sister on social media. In the weeks preceding her son's death, she had posted pictures of her children enjoying a pumpkin patch outing.
Shortly before her arrest, Simmons expressed gratitude on Facebook to those who had offered support, writing: "Thank you to everyone who reached out with genuine love and support. Even if I didn't respond, please know that I saw it, felt it, and truly appreciated it. Your kindness has meant more than words can say."
