Atlanta Girl Killed After Tree Falls on Family Home Amid Overnight Storm

ATLANTA, Ga. — A 10-year-old girl is dead and two family members are hospitalized after a massive tree collapsed onto their home in Atlanta’s Mozley Park neighborhood early Saturday morning.

Atlanta Fire Rescue crews were called to the 1400 block of Mims Street SW around 3:00 a.m., where they discovered a large tree had snapped and crushed a significant portion of the residence. Inside, they found A’erica Dixon, a fourth-grade student at KIPP WAYS Academy, fatally injured by the impact. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her mother and grandmother were also inside the home and sustained injuries. Both were transported to Grady Memorial Hospital by ambulance and are expected to survive.

“This is a sad occasion. It’s a tragedy,” said Anaré Holmes, spokesperson for Atlanta Fire Rescue. “There’s no other way to say it. Our hearts are with the family.”

Dixon’s 14-year-old sister, Akiylah Dixon, recounted the terrifying moment to reporters:

“The house just started shaking. Everything just crashed, and I just see my mama running through the hallway to get to my grandma,” she said, breaking down. “That wasn’t just my little sister. That was my best friend.”

Emergency crews, including firefighters, Atlanta police, and the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office, remained on-site for several hours as public works staff worked to cut and remove the fallen tree. The American Red Cross and local aid agencies are assisting the displaced family.

In a post on social media, Governor Brian Kemp expressed condolences, saying,

“We’re saddened by the tragic passing of this young girl as a result of last night’s storms. We ask that all Georgians join us in praying for her loved ones during this difficult time.”

Residents say the tree had long been a concern. According to neighbors, part of the same tree split and fell in August 2024, damaging a vehicle and power lines. After that incident, they say, the remaining section of the tree appeared hollow and dangerously overhanging the home. Though the city had recently marked trees at the adjacent property for removal, the tree responsible for Saturday’s collapse had not yet been addressed.

Community members are now demanding answers and action, as a family mourns the loss of a child taken far too soon.