Search expands for missing DeKalb 2-year-old after not being found in drained pond, landfill!
Now over 95 hours after J’Asiah Mitchell went missing, his family is banding together Sunday night as they are currently searching four different spots.
East Point Police said in a release Friday that they were “actively searching” for a missing 2-year-old who was first reported kidnapped Wednesday night in DeKalb County.
Now over 95 hours after J’Asiah Mitchell went missing, his family is banding together Sunday night as they are currently searching four different spots in hopes that they will find their beloved little boy.
On Friday afternoon, authorities started draining a pond at the Elite at Lakeview Apartments in East Point. However, on Sunday afternoon, family confirmed to 11Alive that the boy had not been found inside the pond after it was drained by officials. It’s the same apartment complex that J’Asiah was staying with his dad.
Draining efforts started around 4 p.m. As of 9 p.m. Friday, water was receding but the pond was not yet empty. In an update on Sunday around 6 p.m., the pond had been drained but there was no sign of J’Asiah.
On Friday night, the father of J’Asiah, Artavious North, was arrested and charged with false statements and false report of a crime after DeKalb County Police determined no kidnapping had occurred. According to East Point Police, the department’s detectives are now “actively searching for the missing two-year-old.”
Authorities were also searching for J’Asiah at a landfill in Griffin, but 11Alive learned late Sunday afternoon that the search had turned out unsuccessful.
“We are following all leads as it pertains to this case. As this case develops we will keep you advised. We are asking anyone with information about this case to contact the East Point Police Department,” a statement said.
Previous search efforts had been going on at the complex Thursday. Earlier in the day, they stressed there was no specific information to believe J’Asiah would be found in the pond – just that they’re exhausting all efforts.
Thursday, 11Alive crews were at the complex while authorities — including Georgia DNR game wardens, K-9 officers, drones and police — were seen searching near the woods and the pond.
In an update Thursday night, at least a dozen investigators and East Point’s crime scene unit at J’Asiah’s father’s apartment complex – a separate location from the earlier search. Investigators were seen bringing out bags of evidence and then placing them in a police vehicle
Earlier in the day Friday , 11Alive’s Cody Alcorn spoke to Asia Mitchell, J’Asiah’s mother, from Carrollton, who was in East Point as authorities searched for her 2-year-old son.
“He’s a very sweet baby. He’s a good baby, he’s very smart,” she described, adding that she just wants to be reunited with J’Asiah. “Just try your best to bring my baby back home safe and just pray that he’s OK.”
Late on Thursday night, police said in addition to there being no kidnapping, there was also no armed robbery, which police said J’Asiah’s 23-year-old father also falsely reported in connection to J’Asiah’s disappearance.
J’Asiah has now been missing for over 95 hours as of 7 p.m. on Sunday night.
