LEESBURG, GA – A 22-year-old Georgia woman faces murder charges after authorities say she left her 7-month-old infant in a vehicle at a car dealership where she worked, leading to the child’s death.
Nyla Simmons was arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on November 3 and charged with one count of second-degree murder and one count of second-degree cruelty to children. She is being held without bail in Lee County.
The incident occurred on October 15 when Simmons allegedly left her son, Novanni Truvan Simmons, inside a vehicle at a Kia dealership on Ledo Road in Lee County while she worked. The infant was transported to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Dougherty County two days later, on October 17, where he died.
Weather records from AccuWeather show temperatures in Albany reached 90 degrees on October 17. Authorities have not disclosed how long the child was left in the vehicle or the specific timeline of events between October 15 and his death two days later.
Lee County Coroner Hill Mackey explained the delay in determining the exact cause of death, stating: “People get upset because they think after the autopsy you should have an answer; if there is not any trauma to the child or injuries to the child, then a lot of time, you have to wait on [toxicology] and the histology.”
The child’s body was sent for autopsy shortly after his death. Investigators are awaiting toxicology and histology results to confirm the official cause of death, though authorities have indicated heat exposure is suspected.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation took the lead on the case several weeks after the child’s death. The delay between the incident and Simmons’ arrest was necessary to gather evidence and complete preliminary autopsy findings.
Hot car deaths remain a persistent danger, particularly in southern states where temperatures can remain dangerously high well into fall. According to safety advocates, the interior temperature of a vehicle can rise to deadly levels within minutes, even on days that may not feel excessively hot to adults.
The case remains under active investigation as authorities await final autopsy results. Simmons has not entered a plea, and no trial date has been set.
The incident marks another tragic case in a series of hot car deaths that occur across the United States each year, prompting continued calls for public awareness about the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles.
