Police said the children were outside a Mableton gas station while their parents played slot machines inside.
COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Two parents were arrested after police said they left four young children in a hot car for about two hours while gambling inside a Mableton gas station.
Tyshun Lockhart and Jaysonee Worthen were taken into custody at the Texaco on Mableton Parkway after someone reported children crying alone in a vehicle near a gas pump. Police said all four children are under 5 years old, including a 4-month-old baby.
Investigators said the parents were inside the store using slot machines while the children remained in the car without air conditioning. Outside temperatures reached about 80 degrees, police said. A witness told 911 dispatchers that the mother went out to the car, gave the baby a pacifier and then returned inside the gas station.
The call brought officers to the Texaco after the children were heard crying. Police have not said whether any of the children needed medical treatment after officers arrived. The condition of the children was not released, and officials did not say who took custody of them after the arrests.
Gas station customer Metzger Zuniga said the case showed a clear danger to the children. “It’s dangerous, and it’s irresponsible,” Zuniga said. Another customer, James Meyers, said the scene was upsetting because the children appeared to have been left behind while adults focused on gambling.
Lockhart and Worthen each face several felony counts of cruelty to children, police said. Authorities have not released a court date or further details about bond. The case remains in the early stages as investigators review the 911 call, witness accounts and what happened inside and outside the store.
The arrests followed the report from a bystander who noticed the children alone in the vehicle. As of May 21, police had not announced any additional charges.
Author note: Last updated May 21, 2026.