Police Recover Body Believed to Be Lil Jon's Son in Georgia Pond
Milton police said divers recovered a body believed to be Nathan Smith from a pond on Feb. 6; medical examiner will confirm identity.
Overview
The Milton Police Department said Cherokee County Fire Department divers located and recovered a body believed to be Nathan Smith from a pond in Mayfield Park near his Milton residence on Feb. 6, 2025.
Nathan Smith, 27, who performed as DJ Young Slade and was the son of Jonathan Smith, known professionally as Lil Jon, had been reported missing after he ran barefoot from his home on Feb. 3, 2025, according to an initial missing-person poster.
Jonathan Smith, known professionally as Lil Jon, said in a statement posted to Instagram on Feb. 6 that he and Nathan's mother, Nicole Smith, were "heartbroken," the statement said.
The search that began on Feb. 3 lasted three days and involved Milton police and Cherokee County Fire Department divers, and Milton is about 30 miles (48 km) north of Atlanta, officials said.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office will perform testing to confirm the identity and determine the cause of death, and the Milton Police Criminal Investigations Division said it will continue to treat the case as an open and active investigation.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this as straightforward, factual reporting with minimal editorializing. They rely on official statements (police, medical examiner) and family quotes without evaluative language, mark emotive content clearly as source quotes, and avoid speculation—e.g., police's "no indication of foul play" and Lil Jon's direct statements are presented as source content.
Sources (4)
FAQ
Nathan Smith, 27, is the son of rapper Jonathan Smith, known professionally as Lil Jon, and performed as DJ Young Slade. He was a music producer, artist, engineer, and NYU graduate.[1]
Nathan Smith was reported missing on February 3, 2025, after running barefoot from his home in Milton, Georgia, under unusual circumstances.[1]
Divers from the Cherokee County Fire Department recovered a body believed to be Nathan Smith from a pond in Mayfield Park near his Milton residence on February 6, 2025, at about 11:53 a.m.[1]
The case remains open and active, with no indication of foul play. The Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office will confirm identity and determine cause of death.[1]
Lil Jon and Nathan's mother Nicole expressed being heartbroken, describing Nathan as kind, caring, talented, and loving his family deeply in an Instagram statement.[1]
History
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