Messiah Harris was just weeks away from his third birthday when authorities say his mother's boyfriend concealed the toddler's death in the woods behind their Georgia apartment complex before falsely reporting him missing.
Dairon Keith, 23, is charged with concealing the death of another and making false statements to law enforcement in connection with Messiah's death, Marietta police said. The boy was found dead behind the apartment complex at 8 Ridge Run in Marietta, Ga., on Friday.
Background
Keith reported Messiah missing around 2 p.m., telling authorities the toddler was last seen approximately 30 minutes earlier, according to a police press release. Officers recovered the boy's body about five hours later in a wooded area behind the apartment complex where they lived with his mother and other siblings.
"He was holding him and saying he was fixing to be three," next-door neighbor Matt Ducre told WSB-TV. "That's what he said that morning, 'He's going to be three.'"
Ducre recalled seeing Keith with Messiah in the days before the discovery. The neighbor said the 2-year-old appeared healthy and happy during their last interaction.
"He seemed fine. He was playing around like a normal baby," Ducre told the local ABC affiliate.
The Investigation
Police say inconsistencies in Keith's statements led investigators to believe he was lying about the circumstances surrounding Messiah's disappearance. Authorities allege Keith carried the toddler's body into the woods and concealed the remains under dirt and loose vegetation.
"Preliminary indications are that his body had been in the woods for a considerable amount of time," Marietta police said in an email to Law&Crime.
A medical examiner is conducting an autopsy to determine Messiah's cause and manner of death, which could result in additional charges against Keith. The Cobb County Medical Examiner's Office has not yet released findings from the examination.
Police have not mentioned Messiah's mother in their public statements regarding the case.
Keith was arrested and transported to the Cobb County Jail, where he is being held without bond on the current charges. His next court date has not been listed in available court records.
Key Takeaways
- Dairon Keith, 23, faces charges of concealing a death and making false statements to police
- The victim, 2-year-old Messiah Harris, was found dead behind his family's apartment complex in Marietta, Georgia
- Police allege the boy's body had been concealed "for a considerable amount of time" before being reported missing
- Keith claimed Messiah was last seen about 30 minutes before he called 911
- A medical examiner's autopsy could lead to additional charges
- Keith is held without bond at Cobb County Jail; no upcoming court date listed
What's Next
The Cobb County Medical Examiner's Office is expected to release Messiah Harris' autopsy results in the coming weeks. Those findings could prompt prosecutors to upgrade charges against Keith to include homicide-related counts. Defense attorneys have not yet entered appearances in the case, and it remains unclear whether Keith has retained counsel or will be appointed a public defender.