Left inset: Antonio Pierce (Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office). Right inset: Nnakai Pratt (Georgia Bureau of Investigation). Background: An apartment building on the 100 block of Valley Hill Road in Clayton County, Ga., where Antonio Pearce claims his son Nnakai Pratt was abducted (WAGA).
Police in Georgia say a father’s story about his 6-month-old son being abducted on Sunday while he was robbed at gunpoint is “highly questionable.” Instead, cops think the dad had something to do with the infant’s disappearance — and he is considered a suspect.
“As the investigation into the missing child advanced, detectives became suspicious due to inconsistent testimony along with physical evidence that points to the existence of foul play,” wrote the Clayton County Police Department in a press release on Monday.
Antonio Pearce, of Riverdale, allegedly called cops on Sunday at around 8:18 a.m. and claimed his son Nnakai Pratt had been taken during an armed robbery. He said the boy was in a car seat carrier and taken by multiple suspects, who then fled “in an unknown direction,” according to the CCPD release.
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Pearce’s story allegedly unraveled while he was being questioned by police and he was taken into custody for unrelated charges, including marijuana distribution and a child restraint violation.
“At this moment, the facts surrounding the disappearance of baby Nnakai Pratt are highly questionable, and CCPD Detectives have deemed Nnakai Pratt’s father to be a suspect in his sudden disappearance,” the CCPD release says.
Searches have been conducted at Pearce’s apartment complex and in nearby wooded areas, yet they’ve revealed “no findings,” according to cops. K-9 search and rescue teams have been deployed, to no avail.
“Several search warrants have been served at locations CCPD Detectives believe are relevant to this case,” CCPD officials allege. “However, those did not yield baby Pratt’s location either.”
Nnakai, who was still missing as of Tuesday afternoon, reportedly has a twin sibling who is safe and with their mother. A car near Pearce’s home has been taken away by police and is being probed by investigators.
“I’ve seen them out here just searching,” neighbor Meshia Sikes told local Fox affiliate WAGA.
“They’re actively going into the bushes. I’ve seen them looking into the trash can down there,” Sikes said. “This is also disturbing to have and keep waking up, to see we’re still looking for a 6-month baby that can’t fend for himself.”
Tracy Karch, another neighbor, told WAGA, “For such a little child, helpless, I don’t think there’s going to be a good end to this. Everyone knows it.”
A woman who is connected to Pearce was reportedly taken into custody and questioned over Nnakai’s disappearance, but has not been arrested or charged. Pearce is being held without bond for the unrelated charges.
