Girl, 4, Left in Hot Car in Marietta

A 4-year-old girl was left in a car for a half-hour on a 90-degree day and her father allegedly did nothing when strangers tried to remove his daughter from the vehicle.
 
The car was turned off and all windows were "completely closed" when Jonathan Gomez Mercado and his brother went inside BarbersRUs on Windy Hill Road about 5 p.m. Aug. 10, according to an arrest warrant.

At one point, Mercado's daughter honked the horn because she was becoming overheated, according to the warrant.

"The accused did not respond despite being in position to see his vehicle while others tried to remove the child from the car after she honked the horn," according to the warrant. "The witness asked the patrons of the store if anyone owned the vehicle or was responsible for the child, but the accused did not respond."

It was not until a tow truck driver removed the child from the vehicle that Mercado "acknowledged his daughter," according to the warrant.

Mercado was arrested on one count of contributing to the deprivation of a minor and the Division of Family and Children's Services was contacted about his conduct, according to the warrant.

He was released Sunday from the Cobb County Adult Detention Center on $1,000 bond.