Crime
Body of missing 6-month-old Nnakai Pratt found near Riverdale apartment complex
CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — The search for 6-month-old Nnakai Pratt, who was reported missing three days ago, ended tragically on Tuesday evening when authorities discovered the infant’s body near an apartment complex in Clayton County.
The grim discovery came 84 hours after the baby’s father, Antonio Pearce, claimed his son had been abducted during an alleged armed robbery.
Clayton County police confirmed that Nnakai’s twin sibling remains safe and in the care of their mother, who investigators say is not believed to be involved in the case.
Investigators returned to the Valley Hill Road apartment complex shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday to conduct another extensive search, after spending much of the day reviewing evidence and retracing previous search efforts.
By 6:30 p.m., officers established a perimeter with crime scene tape near a dumpster and the wooded area adjacent to the complex.
A few hours later, around 7 p.m., police confirmed the heartbreaking discovery of baby Nnakai’s body.
Authorities have not yet disclosed how or where the infant was found, citing the ongoing investigation.
Clayton County Police confirmed Monday that Antonio Pearce, the child’s father, is now the primary suspect in his son’s disappearance and death.
Pearce was arrested earlier this week on unrelated charges, including possession of marijuana and multiple traffic violations.
Pearce initially told officers that he and his infant son were the victims of an armed robbery at the apartment complex around 8 a.m. Sunday.
According to his account, assailants robbed him at gunpoint, stealing his belongings and allegedly taking the baby from a car seat before fleeing the scene.
However, police said inconsistencies in Pearce’s statements, combined with evidence suggesting possible foul play, led investigators to doubt his version of events.
Detectives subsequently shifted the focus of the investigation from a kidnapping case to a potential criminal homicide.
Court records show that Pearce has a prior criminal history, including charges of simple battery and cruelty to children filed in 2022. Authorities have not confirmed whether those charges involved his own children.
For two days, search teams — including K-9 units and cadaver dogs — scoured wooded areas, dumpsters, and drainage systems near Valley Hill Road but initially found no sign of the missing child.
Clayton County Police have not yet announced whether additional charges will be filed against Pearce in connection with Nnakai’s death.
He remains in custody and is expected to make his first court appearance on Wednesday.
“This is a devastating loss for everyone involved,” a police spokesperson said Tuesday evening. “Our detectives have worked tirelessly on this case from the moment the call came in, and our thoughts are with Nnakai’s family during this unimaginable time.”
The Clayton County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy to determine the baby’s official cause and manner of death.
MT. JULIET, Tenn. — Authorities have identified two victims killed during an active shooter incident at Cedar Creek Marina in Mt. Juliet late Friday night.
The suspect, identified as Gary Haley, a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history, is deceased following an officer-involved shooting, officials confirmed.
Mount Juliet Police officers were dispatched at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday to the Cedar Creek Marina, located in the 9000 block of Saundersville Road, after receiving reports of a man threatening another individual on the docks.
Due to the active shooter report, a shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding area as a precaution.
Upon arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound.
The victim was later identified as Robby Brogdon, who was transported to a local hospital for emergency medical treatment.
Despite life-saving efforts, Brogdon later succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators determined that the suspected shooter had retreated to a boat within the marina and had barricaded himself inside.
The standoff continued for several hours as officers secured the scene and attempted to resolve the situation safely.
At approximately 1:00 a.m. Saturday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) reported that the suspect engaged responding officers and fired shots at them under circumstances that remain under investigation. Officers returned fire.
The suspect, Gary Haley, was later found deceased aboard the vessel.
During the course of the response, officers also discovered a second adult male victim, Nathan Jones, who had been shot by the suspect.
Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has assumed responsibility for the investigation, which includes a homicide, an attempted homicide, and an officer-involved shooting.
TBI agents are actively conducting interviews, collecting evidence, and working to establish a comprehensive timeline of events.
Upon completion of the investigation, findings will be submitted to 15th Judicial District Attorney General Jason Lawson for review.
Authorities stated that additional information will be released as it becomes available.