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Name:
Fernandez, Miguel Alejandro
Date of Booking:
05/07/2026
Reason(s) For Booking:
Reckless Conduct
Cruelty to Child-2nd Degree-Criminal Negligence/Cause Excessive Physical/Mental Pain
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
On May 7th, 2026, at approximately 0713 hours. I responded to 65 Gilreath Rd in reference to a juvenile complaint.
Upon arrival, I spoke with the complainant, Ms. [WITNESS #1]. [WITNESS #1] stated that when she arrived at work at the incident location, she observed a small juvenile, later identified as [REDACTED BY AGENCY], walking in the back parking lot in the rain with a black dog. [WITNESS #1] stated she found him wearing only a diaper. [WITNESS #1] brought [REDACTED BY AGENCY] inside the building to wait for law enforcement to arrive. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] was not injured and required no medical attention.
Sgt. Wilson later located [REDACTED BY AGENCY]’s residence at [REDACTED] and spoke with his father, Mr. Miguel Fernandez, regarding this incident. Upon the conclusion of the investigation, Miguel was arrested without incident and transported to the Bartow County Jail, where arrest warrants were issued for Cruelty to Children 2nd Degree and Reckless Conduct.
[End of Narrative]
All information is sourced directly from the official, public court database. Case history is organized and curated by The Georgia Gazette staff. The “What this means:” explanations are written by AI and reviewed by our staff before publishing.
Court records are subject to change at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Gazette is not responsible for errors or omissions. Nothing here is legal advice. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Case History:
5/13/26
CRIMINAL CHARGES DISMISSED — MIGUEL ALEJANDRO FERNANDEZ
What this means: The Bartow County Superior Court dismissed all criminal charges against Miguel Alejandro Fernandez in case SUD2026000394. The two charges — Cruelty to Children in the Second Degree and Reckless Conduct — were both dropped by the Cherokee Judicial Circuit’s Assistant District Attorney, Panaehe Nti-Kairo, who signed the dismissal order.
The dismissal document explains the circumstances behind the decision. According to the filing, Fernandez’s wife left their Bartow County home at approximately 6:20 a.m. on May 7, 2026, waking Fernandez before she left and telling him their 22-month-old toddler was asleep in another room. Fernandez then fell back asleep. While he was asleep, the toddler opened a door and wandered away from the home. A bystander discovered the child in a parking lot and contacted law enforcement. Fernandez was subsequently arrested after his wife reportedly notified deputies that the child had escaped from the home.
The prosecutor concluded there was insufficient evidence to prove criminal negligence or gross negligence as required under Georgia law for either charge. The filing notes that Fernandez’s actions — briefly falling back asleep after being told the child was asleep — did not rise to the level of criminal conduct. The prosecutor acknowledged that while the situation was concerning, the behavior was described as neither criminally negligent nor grossly negligent. With the dismissal entered, all charges against Miguel Alejandro Fernandez in this case are resolved and no longer pending.
