Georgia Mother Sentenced to 20 Years After Leaving 1-Year-Old in Hot Car With 107-Degree Body Temperature
NEWTON COUNTY, GEORGIA — A Georgia mother will spend 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to murder in the second degree for the tragic death of her 1-year-old daughter, who died after being left in a hot car for more than five hours while the mother cleaned a house nearby.
31-year-old Ariel Osbey admitted responsibility in court for the October 2023 death of her daughter, Imani Osbey, whose internal body temperature reached 107 degrees when she was found unresponsive, according to the Alcovy Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.
Left Alone in Sweltering Heat
Investigators say on October 10, 2023, Osbey left her daughter inside a rear-facing car seat while she worked as a house cleaner in Newton County. Temperatures that day soared as the child remained trapped in the parked car for nearly five hours with no ventilation.
When Osbey returned to her vehicle after finishing work, she began driving away — but quickly realized that something was wrong. Authorities say she pulled over near Georgia State Route 162 and Rocky Plains Road and dialed 911 after discovering her daughter was not breathing.
Responding deputies found the inside of the vehicle “extremely hot” with hot air still blowing through the vents. On the floor, they discovered the toddler’s damp hoodie, evidence suggesting the child had overheated to a fatal degree.
Imani was rushed to Piedmont Newton Hospital, where doctors recorded her body temperature at 107 degrees Fahrenheit before pronouncing her dead from hyperthermia.
Mother’s False Story Unravels
Initially, Osbey told deputies her daughter had been “sick” and that she noticed something was wrong only after driving away from home. But the account quickly fell apart when investigators obtained surveillance footage from the home she was cleaning.
“The same camera, which, like most surveillance cameras, is motion-activated, did not show the defendant coming out of the house to check on Imani at all,” the DA’s office said.
Authorities determined Osbey never brought her child inside and never checked on her during those five hours — directly contradicting her claims.
She later admitted to lying and pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree and making a false statement.
Judge Rejects Plea for Probation
Prosecutors sought a lengthy prison term, while Osbey’s defense attorneys asked for a probation-only sentence. The judge rejected that request and imposed a 20-year prison term followed by 15 years of probation.
Upon her release, Osbey will be barred from having unsupervised contact with anyone under 16 and must undergo mental health treatment.
“This was a preventable tragedy,” said Alcovy Judicial Circuit District Attorney Randy McGinley. “A beautiful little girl lost her life in unbearable circumstances, and it should serve as a warning that even a few minutes in a hot car can be fatal.”
A Pattern of Hot-Car Tragedies
Imani’s case is one of several hot-car deaths that have shaken Georgia and other southern states in recent years. Experts say internal car temperatures can climb to over 130 degrees in under 20 minutes, even with windows cracked open.
Child safety groups continue to urge parents to use backseat reminders or car seat alarms to prevent such devastating mistakes.
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