JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The father of a missing infant has been arrested, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Police said Dwayne Curtis Weedon has been located and arrested on several local arrest warrants that were outstanding.
On Wednesday, Dwayne Weedon made his first appearance in front of a Duval County Judge. Police had been searching for the 29-year-old for more than a month until he was arrested Tuesday.
Police say Weedon was the last person to see his son Nehemiah Weedon in October 2014. Police believe the baby is dead.
“First thing we want to do is interview him. If he will speak to you to determine the whereabouts of the child,” said Action News Jax Law and Safety Expert Dale Carson.
Police say Weedon got custody of the newborn from his baby’s mother Kristen Branch. Branch gave birth to Nehemiah while in jail in 2014. She handed Nehemiah over to Weedon, who at the time also had their 2 and 4-year-old children.
Police say Weedon was living at the Sulzbacher Center and that he had trouble taking care of the baby. Weedon told Branch he gave custody of the newborn to family members out of state in October 2014. That's the same story he told Branch when she got out of jail in November 2015. Police say she believed him and took the two other kids.
“Now we don’t know that for a fact, we know that simply because that’s what the mother of the missing child has said,” Carson said.
Police say they don’t believe Weedon’s story and they think that Nehemiah is likely dead. Still, the investigation to find the baby goes on, all while Weedon faces several unrelated felonies.
“It can be used by law enforcement as leverage. We’ll drop that charge against you because in the overall framework of things it’s not that significant in the face of having a missing child,” Carson said.
Action News Jax reached out to the Florida Department of Children and Families about the search for Nehemiah and received the following statement:
“We are deeply saddened whenever we hear about the possible death of a child.
"In cases regarding a child who is missing, law enforcement would handle the search for the child.
"The Florida Department of Children and Families investigates reports of abuse and neglect involving children.
"For us to be able to investigate, the child must first be located.”
Anyone who has any information in this case is asked to call JSO at 904-630-0500 or email
.
To remain anonymous and receive a possible reward up to $3,000 contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.
Cox Media Group
