A tragic incident in Georgia has led to criminal charges against a mother after her 7-month-old baby died from being left in a hot vehicle while she was at work.

On November 3, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), following a request from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, apprehended 22-year-old Nyla Simmons without any resistance.

Simmons is accused of leaving her infant unattended in a car on October 15 at the Kia Automotive dealership on Ledo Road in Lee County, where she was employed.

The child was later declared dead at the Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Dougherty County. An obituary sourced by People Magazine confirmed the identity of the young victim as Novanni Truvan Simmons.

Lee County Coroner Hill Mackey mentioned that the official cause of death has not yet been determined, noting that autopsy results can take some time. The infant’s body was sent for examination on October 17.

“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, all of that, to come in and see what happened,” Fowler stated.

GBI’s release stated Simmons was charged with one count of second-degree cruelty to children and one count of second-degree murder.

AccuWeather reported the temperatures in Albany reached 90 degrees on October 17.

The investigation active and ongoing, according to GBI.

If anyone has any information regarding this case, they are encouraged to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Americus, Georgia, at 229-931-2439, or the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in Leesburg, Georgia, at 229-759-6012.

Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the “See Something, Send Something” mobile app.

Upon completion of the investigation, the case information will be given to the Southwestern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

Meanwhile, Simmons remains behind bars without bail. Check back for updates.

[Feature Photo via Wilkinson County Memorial Chapel]