Nehemiah's Weedon's mother, Kristin Branch, was an inmate while pregnant with him. After she gave birth, she turned the child over to Dwayne Weedon, his biological father. Weedon was homeless, along with the couple's two older children, ages 2 and 4. In October 2014, Weedon told a case worker that he had made arrangements with an out-of-town relative to take custody of Nehemiah. When Branch was released from prison in November, 2015, police said Weedon gave Branch the two older children, but told her Nehemiah was living with family out of state. Branch went to live with family in St. Johns County after her release and they became concerned about the circumstances surrounding the transfer of custody of Nehemiah. They contacted St. Johns County deputies and the case was turned over to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office on January 1, 2016. They were unable to locate Weedon or Nehemiah at that time. Weedon was wanted on several outstanding warrants and was arrested in February for burglary with a weapon and later sentenced to 35 years on charges unrelated to Nehemiah's disappearance. Police said they believe Nehemiah has been dead since Weedon claimed he was handed over to family in October, 2014.