A 6-year-old boy is OK after allegedly being left alone in a parked car four hours while his mom went to work.
The boy's mother, Mellisa Dianne Thornton, told College Park police she didn't realize the boy was in the car when she went to work Friday morning at Delta Air Lines at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Thornton, 32, of Union City, was initially charged with child cruelty, but that charge was dropped when the boy's aunt came forward with new information.
The boy's aunt, Lawanda Jean O'Bannon, told police she brought the car to Thornton at the parking lot, but neglected to tell the mother the boy was asleep in the back of the car. O'Bannon was arrested and charged with cruelty to children in the second degree, Lt. Bruce Braxton said.
A pilot spotted the boy in a vehicle parked in the employee parking lot just before noon and called police. Investigators believe the child had been in the car since around 6 or 7 a.m.
The boy was sweating and was thirsty, but was otherwise fine, police said. The child told police he's been left in the car before.
About the Author
