A Georgia father is under investigation after giving police a suspicious account of an alleged robbery. Antonio Pearce told police that he was robbed at gunpoint, and in addition to taking his valuables, the robbers also took his infant son. Police immediately raised an eyebrow about the likelihood of his testimony being true. However, they initially had no solid leads, and didn’t find the baby’s body for several days. Sadly, the baby was found dead, and Pearce is now in jail on unrelated charges.
Six-month-old Nnakai Pratt, was allegedly kidnapped on October 12, 2025, shortly after 8 a.m., the Clayton County Police Department noted in a bulletin. At the time, he was taken by “unknown suspects, in an unknown direction.”
On October 13, CCPD shared an update about the case. In the update, the department shared that Pearce claimed he was the victim of a robbery. Pearce told police “he was robbed at gunpoint for his valuables, and as the assailants left the location, they took his 6-month-old baby, Nnakai Pratt, from the car seat carrier he was in and fled in an unknown direction.”
Detectives quickly began to doubt what they’d been told, calling Pearce’s story “highly questionable.” They soon “deemed Nnakai Pratt’s father to be a suspect in his sudden disappearance.” Police also pointed out “inconsistent testimony along with physical evidence that points to the existence of foul play.”
The update also revealed that Pearce had been arrested on charges unrelated to the disappearance of his son on October 13.
Pearce was charged with making false statements to police, illegal child restraint, possession of marijuana, and two charges of driving on a suspended or revoked license, according to records People magazine reviewed. He is being held without bond at the Clayton County Jail.
A search began for Nnakai shortly after he was reported missing. Police used K-9 and cadaver dogs to search the immediate area near the home he went missing from before expanding their search to a broader area, CCPD reported. Their searches yielded no results.
Investigators returned to the apartment complex shortly before 4 p.m. on October 14, to continue their search, FOX5 Atlanta reported. They had spent most of the day going through evidence to determine the best place to continue their search. Around 6:30 p.m., police put up crime scene tape around a dumpster near the complex as well as the adjacent woods.
The Clayton County Police confirmed the discovery of Nnakai Pratt’s body by 7 p.m.
“Honestly, I thought it was the worse situation. I was just praying that it wasn’t. I’m messed up about it,” neighbor Deondre Carpenter told FOX5 Atlanta.
According to the news outlet, Nnakai’s twin sibling remains in the custody of their mother. Police do not believe Nnakai’s mother is connected to the case.
However, another woman was brought in for questioning, WSB-TV reported. She told the outlet that she had been dating Pearce, but didn’t know he had children. Police removed a vehicle from near the home while they were on the scene on October 12.
“She’s in the same residence as him, so they should have confiscated the vehicle yesterday,” neighbor Chanetta Harris said. “They gave her too much time to clean it.”
Pearce has yet to be formally charged in relation to the disappearance or death of Nnakai.
