NEW ORLEANS — Danny Platt said he was under a lot of pressure. He apparently owed his estranged wife $4,000 in overdue child support.
But there were no signs of stress when the 22-year-old, accused of killing his 2-year-old son over the child-support debt, went to pick up his little boy for a weekend visit, his mother said Sunday.
Police said Platt made up a story about his son being kidnapped by three men armed with AK-47 rifles Friday night.
Platt eventually confessed to the killing, telling authorities he “would kill either his wife or his child before he paid child support,” Police Superintendent Warren Riley said Saturday.
Later, he led police to the boy’s body. He has been booked on a charged of first-degree murder.
Daniella Powell said her son’s body was found in a plastic bag at a park.
She said Platt had taken the boy trick-or-treating on Halloween but acknowledged they hadn’t spoken for a couple of months. However, she didn’t think it was odd that Platt wanted to spend the weekend with his son.
Ja’Shawn was excited about seeing his father, she said.
“He went to the door and said ‘Daddy’ when he came to pick him up,” she said.
