Shocking Bodycam Footage Exposes Terrifying Rescue of Overheated Children Trapped in 117-Degree Car — Man Arrested in Shocking Negligence
Bodycam Footage Captures Harrowing Rescue of Children Trapped in 117°F Car — Man Faces Felony Charges
In a deeply disturbing incident that could have ended in unthinkable tragedy, two young children were rescued from the brink of heatstroke after being left alone in a locked car that had turned into a furnace under the Georgia sun. The vehicle’s internal temperature had soared to a deadly 117 degrees Fahrenheit when deputies arrived — all thanks to the swift, life-saving call from concerned citizens who refused to ignore the sound of crying children.
The children were pulled to safety just in time by heroic law enforcement officers, and now, the man believed to have left them in such danger is facing serious felony charges.
Children Found Struggling in 117°F Car as Driver Allegedly Shopped
The terrifying ordeal took place on June 4 in the parking lot outside Dick’s Sporting Goods at Cumberland Mall in Cobb County, Georgia. Deputies were dispatched after a 911 caller alerted authorities to the sound of children crying from inside a parked car.
“I am standing outside of the Dick’s at Cumberland Mall and there are two children in a car by themselves — small kids crying,” the caller told dispatchers, as reported by Fox 5 Atlanta. “The windows are cracked, but I don’t think that’s right. We just came out of Dick’s and I heard kids crying.”
Officers from the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office responded immediately and discovered a boy and a girl, both visibly distressed, slumped in the back seat of a locked car. Though the windows had been slightly cracked, the extreme heat inside had quickly turned lethal. Deputies used a handheld thermometer to measure the interior temperature — it read 117°F.
The children appeared overheated, dazed, and on the verge of collapse. Seconds mattered.
Bodycam Footage Reveals Desperate Fight to Save Overheated Children
Bodycam footage released by the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office showed the intense and emotional rescue unfold in real time. In the video, deputies are seen breaking the front passenger window and carefully pulling the children from the back seat.
One officer, his voice calm but urgent, can be heard reassuring the young boy: “It’s OK… Oh, you’re hot.” The children were flushed, sweating profusely, and clearly overwhelmed by the heat.
Thanks to the fast intervention, EMS determined that the children did not require hospitalization — a miraculous outcome considering how quickly heatstroke can turn fatal in children. Experts say that a child’s body temperature can rise three to five times faster than an adult’s, putting them at extreme risk in just minutes.
Roughly 41 minutes after the initial rescue, the driver of the vehicle returned from shopping inside the mall.
Children’s Safety Compromised: Driver Arrested and Charged with Cruelty
The driver was identified as 27-year-old J’quawn Dixon of Snellville, Georgia. He was immediately taken into custody at the scene. Authorities allege that Dixon left the children in the hot car while he ran errands inside the mall — an act they’ve labeled as both reckless and criminal.
Dixon now faces two counts of second-degree cruelty to children — felony charges that cite the infliction of “cruel or excessive physical or mental pain.” He was booked into the Cobb County Jail and released the next day after posting a $10,000 bond.
The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office did not mince words in their public statement, praising the bystanders who acted with urgency: “A big THANK YOU to the concerned citizens who called 911 … You saw something and did something.”
Their vigilance likely saved two young lives.
Children in Hot Cars: A Deadly and Preventable Crisis
This horrifying case once again highlights the grave danger of leaving children unattended in vehicles — even for a short time. According to the National Safety Council, the interior of a parked car can heat up by nearly 20 degrees in just 10 minutes, even if the windows are cracked.
Heatstroke remains one of the leading causes of non-crash-related deaths among children. Dozens of young lives are lost each year to such preventable tragedies, and hundreds more are traumatized or suffer permanent damage.
The children rescued in this incident are incredibly fortunate to be alive. Their survival was not a matter of chance but of action — taken by strangers who listened, looked, and chose to intervene.
As of now, authorities have not disclosed updates regarding the children’s custody or long-term care. The case remains under investigation.
This heartbreaking yet powerful rescue serves as both a warning and an inspiration. It is a reminder that vigilance, compassion, and courage from ordinary citizens — coupled with the unwavering commitment of law enforcement — can make the difference between life and death.
Let this be the message: Never leave a child in a vehicle. Not for a minute. Not for any reason. Their lives are too precious — and one bad decision can lead to irreversible consequences.
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