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Bond denied for father of missing toddler
The desperate and urgent search across metro Atlanta continues for two-year-old J'Asiah Mitchell. Officials are still draining a lake in East Point to continue the search as it nears 72 hours since he was last seen.
ATLANTA - The search continued Saturday for a 2-year-old DeKalb County boy who has disappeared.
At this time, efforts are being made to drain a pond near where the boy lived with his father, who has been arrested in connection to the boy's disappearance.
"The last person he was with was his daddy," Asia Mitchell, the boy's mother told FOX 5.
It was originally reported that J'Asiah Mitchell had been kidnapped just before 11:30 p.m. at an apartment complex on Flat Shoals Road in Panthersville.
His father, 23-year-old Artavious North, claimed that the boy was taken during an armed robbery. He told police that a car started following him and then swerved in front of him, forcing him to stop at the entrance of the apartment complex. He then claimed that the boy was taken from him at gunpoint. The DeKalb County Police Department immediately sent out an alert.
By Thursday afternoon, inconsistencies in the story became evident and the DCPD released a statement saying, "We are working through inconsistencies in the reporting of the alleged kidnapping. The investigation is fluid and evolving. We are working with federal state and local law enforcement partners to follow up on all available leads."
"There’s something more that’s going on than we know about right now," Private Investigator TJ Ward told FOX 5.
DCPD then turned the investigation over to the East Point Police Department. They did not say why, but North and his girlfriend live at the Elite at Lakeview apartment complex on Lakeview Place.
Just before midnight on Thursday, police announced that North was arrested and charged with making false statement and filing a false report. They also said the toddler had not been kidnapped, but his location was still unknown.
On Friday, police turned their attention to nearby landfill in Griffin and began draining a pond near the apartment complex. Police haven't said specifically that they believe the boy is in the pond.
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Draining continues in search of boy
A pond is being drained in East Point after a 2-year-old boy disappeared earlier this week.
J'Asiah's mother, grandmother and grandfather gathered near the pond on Friday as the draining began.
On Saturday morning, it appeared that the pond was still mostly full.
"Finding a child, much less an adult, is a timing game," Ward said.
He told FOX 5 with the search for J’Asiah approaching the 72 hour-mark, every second, minute and hour that passes is all the more critical.
"The child may be in jeopardy, may not be breathing, or be put somewhere where his life may be in danger," he said. "So that’s the timing … being able to find him."
North was denied bond on Saturday.
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As of early Sunday morning, the pond was almost empty and there has been no sign of the toddler.
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Pond connected to missing boy almost empty
The pond that is being drained near an apartment complex where a 2-year-old boy disappeared was almost empty on Sunday morning.
Anyone who sees the boy should call 911. Anyone with information about the case should contact the East Point Police Department.