Police were told initially that an incident occurred around 11:23 p.m. Thursday at the Aspen Woods Apartments located at 3379 Flat Shoals Road in Decatur. Artavious North, 23, told family members “a car started trailing him as he left the complex.” North is the father of 2-year-old J’asiah Mitchell.
North allegedly reported to the police that his 2-year-old boy, was kidnapped from his DeKalb County apartment complex during what North described as “an armed robbery.” According to a statement made to police by the toddler’s grandmother, North told her that a “car swerved in front of him as he was trying to leave out the entrance of the apartment complex, people jumped out with guns asked him for something. He didn’t have it, so they took my grandson.”
North has been arrested and taken into custody by the DeKalb County Police late Thursday evening and is alleged to have made false statements and filing a false report of a crime.
The DeKalb County police investigators issued an unambiguous press release late Thursday, disclosing “there was no armed robbery nor kidnapping in DeKalb County.” DeKalb authorities informed that “the lead investigating agency in the case will now be the East Point Police Department.”
What has happened to 2-year-old J’asiah Mitchell is unknown. The arrest of the toddler adds additional unknowns to the matter.
The toddler’s mother, Asia Mitchell, told FOX 5’s Christopher King that “The last person he was with was his daddy.” Mitchell re-stated the explanation of the kidnapping conveyed to her by the father.
As reported, “By Thursday afternoon, inconsistencies in that story became apparent.” Police are working through “inconsistencies in the reporting of the alleged kidnapping. The investigation is fluid and evolving.” Police are working with federal state and local law enforcement partners to follow up on all available leads. As reported, the toddler’s mother and grandmother pleaded for J’Asiah Mitchell’s safe return.