RIVERDALE, GA – Shock and grief gripped a Clayton County community after a 6-month-old baby reported missing earlier this week was found dead near his father’s apartment late Tuesday night, according to local authorities.
The discovery came just days after the child’s father, Antonio Pearce, told police his son, Nnakai Pratt, was abducted during an armed robbery Sunday morning. Pearce claimed multiple individuals stole his child, who was in a car seat carrier, and fled from his residence in an unknown direction. This initial report prompted an urgent search and a wide-reaching investigation.
However, as officers continued their investigation, inconsistencies began to emerge in Pearce’s account, leading detectives to suspect foul play. Authorities grew increasingly skeptical after interviews and evidence failed to corroborate Pearce’s story. By Monday, police said the sequence of events described by Pearce did not align with physical evidence found at the scene.
Late Tuesday, officers searching the immediate area around Pearce’s apartment complex located Nnakai’s body. The Clayton County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the child’s remains were not found in a dumpster, contrary to some early reports. Officials said an autopsy is scheduled to determine the cause and manner of death.
Police took Pearce into custody on unrelated charges, including distribution of marijuana and a violation relating to child restraints. He remained in the Clayton County Jail as of Wednesday with no bond set. Authorities have identified Pearce as a suspect in connection to his son’s disappearance but have not filed additional charges in relation to the boy’s death as of Wednesday.
Over the course of the investigation, detectives executed multiple search warrants at Pearce’s apartment and nearby wooded areas, as well as locations viewed as relevant to the case. In the process, investigators also secured a vehicle parked near Pearce’s home for further examination.
The community has been deeply unsettled by the tragedy. Neighbors described the heartbreak and unease that swept through the area as the search unfolded and news of the child’s death spread. Residents expressed renewed fears and a desire to hold their own children close.
Officials report that Nnakai had a twin sibling who remains unharmed and is currently in the care of their mother.
As of Wednesday, authorities continue to investigate the circumstances leading to Nnakai’s death. The medical examiner’s office is expected to release further findings following the autopsy. Police have not ruled out additional charges pending the outcome of their investigation.