A 22-year-old American mother faces second-degree murder charges after her seven-month-old baby died from being left in a hot car outside the Georgia car dealership where she worked. The baby, identified as Novanni Truvan Simmons, was rushed to an Albany hospital but was pronounced dead. The mother, Nyla Simmons, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and cruelty to children. She is currently held without bond at Lee County Jail.
The tragic incident occurred when Simmons allegedly left her baby in the car at the start of her work shift. She later discovered the child unresponsive and rushed the baby to the hospital. The day of the incident, temperatures in Albany reportedly reached 31C. The duration of time the child spent unattended in the car remains unknown.
A post-mortem examination was conducted, but the official cause of death is pending further investigation. Coroner Michael Fowler stated that additional analysis, including toxicology reports, is needed for a conclusive determination. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is actively involved in the case, identifying Simmons as a suspect through interviews and evidence collection.
In a separate incident, a 38-year-old father, Christopher Scholtes, faced a tragic turn of events after his two-year-old daughter, Parker, died in a hot car where he had left her to sleep with the air conditioning on. Scholtes pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and child abuse but was found dead at home before turning himself in as part of a plea deal. The car had been parked in direct sunlight, and temperatures in the area reached 43C that day, leading to the child’s tragic death.
Scholtes’ case highlights the dangers of leaving children unattended in hot cars and the devastating consequences that can result. The authorities continue to investigate both cases to determine the full circumstances surrounding the tragic deaths.