Father who killed his infant son, buried him in the woods pleads guilty

The Maryland father accused of fatally punching his son and burying the child in the woods has pleaded guilty in the infant’s death.

Antoine Petty, 33, of Upper Marlboro was convicted of first-degree child abuse resulting in death in the killing of 2-month-old Antoine Flemons, according to the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Petty assaulted the child to quiet the crying newborn on Sept. 21, causing the boy to become unresponsive, according to police charging papers.

When the child did not awaken, Petty and the infant’s mother left him in their car — a black hearse — for 24 hours before traveling to a nearby high school in Riverdale, Md., and burying him in a shallow grave in a wooded area, police said.

The child remained buried for almost a month until relatives reported him missing, police said. Authorities interviewed the child’s parents, who then led investigators to the burial location, police said.

Antoine Flemons was fatally beaten before he was buried in the woods. ( Prince George's County Police)

[Infant was punched, left in car for 24 hours before parents buried him, police say]

Petty is scheduled for sentencing in October, according to online court records. Prosecutors said they intend to ask for the maximum prison sentence of 40 years for Petty.

“His actions were so in­cred­ibly heinous that he deserves every day of that prison sentence,” said Gina Ford, a spokeswoman for the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office. “This was a defenseless 2-month-old child. . . . Rather than consoling his son he takes his son and beats him.”

“Antoine Petty is deeply remorseful for his actions in this case,” said Doug Irminger, the public defender representing Petty.

The child’s mother, Geneice Petty, 24, has been charged with being an accessory after the fact. She is awaiting trial.