ATL Airport Asks Public To Help Find A ‘Community Member’s’ Missing Son
While the Atlanta Police Department's Special Victims Unit is leading the search, authorities have not yet indicated if they suspect foul play.
Black News 
Atlanta Police and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport officials are seeking the public’s assistance in locating 16-year-old Benjamin Braithwaite.
Braithwaite was last seen on April 27 around 9:30 p.m. in the 4000 block of Regency Trace SW. The teen is described as 6-foot-5 and weighing 175 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing black jogging pants and Nike running shoes.
In a post on X, @ATLairport identified the teen as the son of a “valued member of the airport community.” In support of “one of our own,” the post urged the community to share Brathwaite’s description in hopes that he is found and safely returned home. While the Atlanta Police Department’s Special Victims Unit is leading the search, authorities have not yet indicated if they suspect foul play. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is urged to call 911 or contact the Special Victims Unit at 404-546-4260.
Though Braithwaite has yet to be found safely, Georgia authorities can celebrate other successes in cracking missing children’s cases. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit have successfully recovered 11 missing children during “Operation Coast to Coast.”
The coordinated effort, which spanned several weeks across multiple Georgia counties, targeted known trafficking corridors and high-risk areas where missing juveniles are frequently exploited. This operation is part of a broader state initiative to dismantle domestic minor sex trafficking networks by focusing on the recovery of endangered youth while simultaneously building criminal cases against their traffickers and “buyers.”
Attorney General Chris Carr expressed his pride in the operation’s success.
“Allowing our team to work with law enforcement from across the country to safely locate victims, dismantle trafficking networks, and hold predators accountable. I’m proud of our Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit for their tireless efforts over the past few days, but our work doesn’t stop here. We will keep fighting until every child is recovered and every trafficker is behind bars,” Carr said in a statement.
Carr emphasized that the state’s strategy has shifted toward treating recovered minors as victims of crime rather than delinquents, a move intended to break the cycle of re-victimization and encourage cooperation in the prosecution of those who profited from their exploitation. Since its inception in 2019, the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit has led to the rescue of over 100 children and the conviction of dozens of traffickers.
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