Police accuse the mother’s boyfriend of falsely reporting 2-year-old Messiah Harris missing before investigators discovered the child’s body nearby.
MARIETTA, Ga. — A 23-year-old Kennesaw man has been charged with two felonies after Marietta police said he falsely reported 2-year-old Messiah Harris missing and later placed the child’s body in woods behind the apartment complex where the boy lived.
Dairon Keith, the boyfriend of Messiah’s mother, is charged with concealing the death of another person and making false statements, according to police. Investigators have not accused Keith of causing the toddler’s death, and authorities have not announced a cause or manner of death. The medical examiner is working with investigators to determine how Messiah died and establish a more precise timeline.
Police said Keith called 911 shortly before 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, to report Messiah missing from the Briggs at Powers Park apartment complex near Franklin Gateway. The initial account given to officers was that the child had last been seen at about 1:30 p.m. while under a caregiver’s supervision. Messiah’s mother was not at the apartment when the child was reported missing.
Officers who arrived at the complex soon became concerned about inconsistencies in the information they were receiving. Marietta Police Department spokesperson Chuck McPhilamy said statements made during the initial response did not make sense or remain consistent as investigators tried to determine where the child had gone. The concerns led police to intensify their investigation while a large search for the toddler was underway.
Multiple law enforcement agencies joined the search. At about 7:20 p.m., authorities found Messiah dead in a wooded area behind the apartment complex. Police said preliminary evidence indicated the child’s body had been there for a considerable amount of time and that he was likely already dead when the missing-child report was made.
Detectives worked through the night and later accused Keith of lying to Cobb County 911 dispatchers and responding officers. Police allege he placed Messiah’s body in the woods behind the apartment complex and loosely covered it with dirt and vegetation. Authorities have not publicly detailed all of the statements they allege were false or explained what investigators believe happened before the child’s body was placed there.
Keith was arrested and booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center. Local authorities said he was being held without bond after the charges were filed. The charges announced so far concern the alleged concealment of Messiah’s death and false statements made during the investigation. They do not establish that Keith caused the boy’s death, and the investigation into how Messiah died remains open.
Neighbors described a large law enforcement response at the apartment complex as officers searched buildings, wooded areas and other parts of the property. Some residents said they initially believed police were conducting an urgent search for a missing child and were devastated when they learned that Messiah had been found dead. Stuffed animals were later placed near the child’s apartment as residents reacted to the death.
A neighbor, Matt Ducre, told WSB-TV that Messiah lived with his mother, her boyfriend and other young children. Ducre said he had seen Messiah with the boyfriend the evening before the boy was reported missing. Other residents told local news outlets that the normally quiet apartment community was overwhelmed by officers and investigators during the hourslong search.
Police have emphasized that significant questions remain unanswered. Investigators have not disclosed evidence establishing how Messiah died, and no public finding has identified who, if anyone, was responsible for causing his death. Authorities said additional charges could be considered depending on the findings of the continuing police investigation and the medical examiner’s examination.
The investigation remained active Saturday night, Aug. 8. Keith faces the two announced felony charges while detectives and the medical examiner continue working to determine the circumstances and timeline of Messiah’s death.
Author note: Last updated August 8, 2026.