Police searching for custodial father of baby "believed to be dead" (Jacksonville, Florida)

I fail to see how Daddy was the best choice for custody of a newborn, given that he was homeless and had a criminal history. This is what happens when fathers rights are supreme over the best interests of a baby.

Dad is identified as DWAYNE WEEDON.

See the Killer Dads and Custody list for Florida.

http://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/news/local/jso-hold-news-briefing-sunday-evening-current-inve/np2pD/

Posted: 5:01 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016

Jacksonville baby believed to be dead, police searching for father

Police believe Nehemiah is dead and have been unable to locate his father Dwayne Weedon, who claims he gave the baby to out-of-state relatives.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Police believe a missing Jacksonville baby is dead and are searching for the father.

Dwayne Weedon, 29, got custody of a newborn and two other children while their mother was in jail in 2014.

JSO said Weedon claims he gave custody of newborn Nehemiah Weedon to family members out of state in Oct. 2014.

Police have not been able to locate Nehemiah and believe he is dead.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office released information about the case at a press conference Sunday.

Officials said Kristen Branch gave Weedon custody of their two other children, 2 and 4, when she was jailed for forgery, fraud and narcotics charges in March 2014.

Weedon was homeless and lived at Sulzbacher Center with their two children, according to police.

Branch gave birth to Nehemiah at UF Health while in custody in Aug. 2014. Weedon took custody of Nehemiah a few days after he was born and returned to Sulzbacher Center with all three children, according to police.

Branch was sentenced in Sept. 2014 and began to serve time at Florida State Prison.

According to authorities, Weedon told a Sulzbacher caseworker in Oct. 2014 that he was having trouble taking care of Nehemiah and decided to give an out-of-state relative custody of the child.

Weedon was asked to leave the Sulzbacher Center in Dec. 2014 due to behavioral issues, authorities said. He took his two children to 'places unknown,' according to police.

When Branch was released from prison in Nov. 2015, police said Weedon gave Branch the two children. Police said Branch did not question Weedon when he told her Nehemiah was with family that live out of state.

Branch went to live with family in St. Johns County after her release. Her family became concerned about the circumstances surrounding the transfer of custody of Nehemiah and contacted St. Johns County deputies.

The case was turned over to JSO and they began to investigate on Jan. 1, 2016.

Officers have not been able to get in contact with Weedon. Branch said she last talked with Weedon on Dec. 21, 2015.

They've contacted many of Weedon's out-of-state family members, who live in various states from the East Coast to the Central United States, and have been unable to locate anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Nehemiah.

Police said they believe Nehemiah has been dead since Weedon claimed he was handed over to family in Oct. 2014.

JSO is seeking any information regarding the whereabouts of Nehemiah and Dwayne Weedon.

Police said Weedon may be in the Jacksonville area. Weedon frequented the Baymeadows, Southside and Springfield areas in Jacksonville.

Police are asking anyone who may have seen him and Nehemiah to contact authorities at 904-630-0500.

Weedon has unrelated warrants for credit card fraud and dealing in stolen property, according to JSO.