An East Point man stands accused of the unthinkable crime of murdering his young son, according to a grand jury indictment handed down in Fulton County. Reports from FOX 5 Atlanta confirm that Artavious North faces charges including murder, felony murder, first-degree cruelty to children, concealing the death of another, and abandonment of a dead body, in the case of two-year-old J'Asiah Mitchell.
In a twist of tragic events, North had originally reported his son being kidnapped on the night of August 16, 2023, spinning a tale of armed robbers swooping in to take the toddler away. Yet, investigators quickly began to suspect his story, eventually uncovering the child's remains on August 23 at the East Point Transfer Station, a trash facility, detailing that the body had braved the elements for several days before being found. North was taken into custody upon discovery of the inconsistencies in his account and has been held at the Fulton County Jail since.
As detailed by 11Alive, the indictment on May 17 lays out a grim timeline for the once-missing toddler. After fabricating robbery and kidnapping, North's tales unravelled, leading police from the envisioned crime scene in Decatur to an East Point residence, and eventually to the landfill in Griffin where J'Asiah's body was discovered. Despite a previous denial of bond, North's history includes being wanted in Carroll County for an unrelated crime.
The community's heartache was palpable as they remembered the young boy described as having a "big, beautiful smile" with “joyous energy.” J'Asiah, who loved his scooter and to dance, was commemorated in September with a church packed with friends and loved ones. "He's a very sweet baby. He's a good baby, he's very smart," his mother had lovingly recounted to 11Alive. The funeral was marked by the release of doves and the comforting presence of Paw Patrol characters, with donations to support the family facilitated by Willie Watkins Funeral Home.
