Hot car death: Snellville police release video showing arrest of 8-month-old's father

SNELLVILLE, Ga. - Police said newly released body cam video shows a 20-year-old father being arrested and never mentioning to officers his baby girl was still outside in a hot car.

Davied Japez McCorry Whatley was arrested on an outstanding warrant for a probation violation during a visit to the Snellville Police Department on Tuesday. He was there to pick up a gun police had in their possession. 

He was booked into the Gwinnett County Jail.

20-year-old Davied Japez McCorry Whatley

Later that night, police said a woman brought her 8-month-old granddaughter to the Piedmont Eastside Emergency Room. The baby girl, Whatley's daughter, Nova Grace Whatley-Trejo, was pronounced dead.

The grandmother told hospital staff that the girl had been left in Whatley's car after a traffic stop. Investigators said, at some point, Whatley told the child's grandmother the infant was in the car.

When police were notified about the death, offciers found Whatley's car parked near the dumpsters at the Snellville City Hall.

Nova Grace Whatley-Trejo (Courtesy of the family)

Investigators said Whatley was recorded the entire time from when he walked into the police department to when he was booked at the jail. At no point did he mention his daughter had been left in the vehicle.

Whatley was released on bond related to his initial arrest for a probation violation, but law enforcement took him into custody Wednesday on second-degree murder charges. The GBI said he will be booked in Gwinnett County Jail, again, on Wednesday afternoon. 

The Snellville Police Department has called the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate the death and act as the primary investigating agency.

Police said it's standard to conduct a background check for anyone picking up a firearm at the police department.