Kemp honors Good Samaritans, officers who saved children from hot car

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and first lady Marty Kemp honored Good Samaritans and Cobb County officers who helped rescue two children who officials say were trapped in a hot car in the Cumberland Mall's parking lot.

The officers' body cameras caught the moment officers were able to get the children out of the vehicle.

The backstory:

Authorities say the incident started around 1 p.m. on June 4, when a shopper called 911 to report what she saw.

"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 911 operators. "The windows are cracked, but I don't think that's right. We just came out of Dick's and I heard kids crying."

The responding officers quickly broke the car's front window and opened the door, letting the children out.

An infrared thermometer used by law enforcement showed the temperature inside the car reached up to 117 degrees, officials said.

About half an hour after the rescue, officers arrested J’quawn Dixon and charged him with second-degree cruelty to children.

An arrest warrant states that Dixon "with criminal negligence caused a child under the age of 18 cruel or excessive physical or mental pain," by leaving the child inside a vehicle without air conditioning for 41 minutes."

Dixon was taken into custody and booked into the Cobb County Jail. His bond was set at $10,000. He was released the next day.

What we know:

On Tuesday, the Kemps met with the Good Samaritans who called and the officers who responded to the scene to present them with official commendations.

 The Cobb County Police Department shared photos of the ceremony on its Facebook page.

What you can do:

"This moment was a powerful reminder that when citizens and officers join forces, lives are saved," the department wrote on Facebook.