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JONESBORO, Ga. (AP) — Authorities in a suburb of Atlanta have discovered the body of a six-month-old infant, wrapped in a trash bag, who succumbed to blunt force trauma to the head. Initially, the father had reported the child as abducted during an armed robbery.

On Friday, both the father and the mother were denied bail and remain in custody, facing charges related to the tragic death of the child, identified as Nnakai Pratt.

Antonio Pearce informed Clayton County police that his son, Nnakai, was allegedly kidnapped by two armed assailants who also made off with $6,500 in cash and 3 pounds (1.36 kilograms) of marijuana while the child was in his car seat.

Pearce claimed the abduction occurred at an apartment he used as a stash house in Riverdale, located approximately 11 miles (18 kilometers) south of Atlanta. However, by late Tuesday, investigators discovered Nnakai’s body in the backyard of a neighboring house, just across a fence from the apartment complex.

Detective Chieyenne Reynolds from Clayton County told reporters on Friday that Pearce’s account of events had never seemed credible to the officers from the outset.

“He was caught in a lot of lies throughout his interview process,” Reynolds said, saying witness statements and evidence from Pearce’s phone led police to the child’s body. Police also say Pearce asked another man to hide a backpack with guns and drugs.

Police haven’t said when or where Nnakai died or why Pearce might have killed him.

Police arrested Pearce on Sunday, charging him with marijuana possession and traffic offenses. They later added a false statements charge. Wednesday, they charged Pearce with Nnakai’s murder, concealing a death, tampering with evidence, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, cruelty to a child and falsely reporting a crime. They added a family violence charge on Thursday.

Police have also arrested Nnakai’s mother, Necolette Pratt, charging her with child cruelty, concealing a death, obstruction of an officer, false statements and being a party to a crime. A warrant for her arrest says she told investigators that Pearce had previously shaken the baby, local news outlets report. The warrant states investigators also found Pratt’s story inconsistent.

No lawyers are listed for Pearce or Pratt in court records.

The infant was a twin, and his surviving sister has been placed in the custody of child welfare authorities.

More details could come out next month during preliminary hearings for the parents.

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