Deja Coleman Views 17-Month-Old Son's Remains in Shackles Before Funeral

Q: Why was a grieving mother forced to view her son's remains in shackles hours before her family could gather for his funeral?

She was taken in shackles hours before the funeral because she was in jail on a second-degree murder charge and the sheriff’s office controlled the terms of her temporary furlough. A judge approved her transport to see or attend her son’s funeral, but the court order left security arrangements — including timing, clothing, restraints and deputy supervision — to Gwinnett County deputies. In practice, deputies brought Deja Coleman to the mortuary at about 6 a.m. for a private 45-minute viewing, then returned her to jail well before the 1 p.m. service. She was dressed in jail clothing and restrained at the wrists and ankles. Her attorney, Tom Ford, had asked that she be allowed to mourn with family and, if possible, without handcuffs, but those requests were not guaranteed under the order. The sheriff’s office has not publicly explained why she was taken so early or why she was not kept for the funeral itself, saying it could not discuss transport details because of security and operational concerns. That means the public reason is not a judicial ban on her presence at the service, but a law-enforcement decision made within the discretion granted by the court. Her family and funeral home staff said they expected she would attend the actual service and were upset to learn she had already been brought back to jail. Coleman’s attorney later said she told him she was grateful deputies allowed her to see her son at all, despite the restraints and timing.

3 articles · Updated · FOX 5 Atlanta · Aug 14

6 a.m. Saturday, deputies brought 29-year-old Deja Coleman to a northwest Atlanta mortuary for a 45-minute private viewing of her 17-month-old son Daniel, seven hours before his 1 p.m. funeral.
A judge had allowed Coleman to attend after she was charged with second-degree murder in Daniel's July 29 hot-car death, but she was transported in jail clothing with handcuffs and ankle restraints and returned to jail before relatives arrived.
Family members said they were frustrated she missed the service itself, though her attorney said Coleman later told him she was grateful deputies let her see her son and the funeral setup.
The sheriff's office declined to discuss transport specifics for security reasons, while Coleman's lawyer continues to argue the death was a tragic mistake rather than murder.
Coleman waived her preliminary hearing this week, sending the case to Gwinnett County Superior Court, where she is due back Sept. 9 for a bond hearing.