Child dies after being left in Marietta car for 'extended period of time'

MARIETTA, Ga. - Cobb County police are investigating a death involving a child being left in the car in Marietta.

Police say a child was found in the car after 6:30 p.m. on Wanda Circle on Tuesday. Police suspected that the child had been in the car for an "extended period of time."

"It was a tragedy," said witness Amy Barnes. "People were screaming and then 911 was called and somebody was dragged out...a body was dragged out."

Barnes says people were sobbing as medics evaluated the child's condition. 

The child was rushed to the hospital by ambulance where they were pronounced dead.

Barnes also told FOX 5 that she heard that it was a hot car death. 

Investigators were seen speaking to two people at the home.

The temperatures on Tuesday hovered around the low 80s, but police did not say whether they thought the heat played any role in the child's death.

Cobb County police said they would release more information about the incident on Wednesday.

While Cobb County police have not confirmed whether heat played a role in this child's car-related death, it serves as a reminder for parents and guardians during these particularly hot summer months.

Hot car deaths

Pediatric hot car deaths are not that uncommon in the state of Georgia. In 2023, Ariel Osbey left her 14-month-old daughter in a car in Newton County. The child died of heat exhaustion, and the mom was charged with murder.

In 2022, eight-month-old Nova Grace Whatley-Trejo died in Snellville, three-year-old Kendrick Engram Jr. died in Columbus, a nine-month-old girl died in Macon, and a one-year-old girl died in Danielsville. The reported temperatures ranged from 87 to 95 degrees.

Recently, a Cobb County man convicted of murdering his two-year-old son by leaving him in a hot car in 2014, was released from prison.

Temperatures were in the mid-80s on June 18, 2014, when Justin Ross Harris pulled in for work at Home Depot, similar to the forecast reported on Tuesday.

Police said Harris told them that he forgot to drop his son off at daycare, and ended up leaving him in his car seat for several hours in the parking lot while he worked inside.

Learn more about the charges Harris faced, his trial, and why he was released early.