The little toddler from Georgia, Quinton Simon, who went missing a week ago, is presumed dead and the main leading suspect is his mother.
“We are saddened to report that CCPD and the FBI have notified Quinton Simon’s family that we believe he is deceased,” the Chatham County Police Department announced.
The CCPD added, “Leilani Simon, Quinton’s mother, is listed as the prime suspect in the toddler’s disappearance and death.”
Simon, 22, reported Quinton missing last Wednesday at 9 a.m., three hours after he was last seen in his home.
Leilani shared the home with her boyfriend as well as Quinton, Quinton’s 3-year-old brother and Leilani’s parents, who have custody of the two children.
CCPD said, “at this time we have not arrested Simon, due to needing to collect more evidence. We can’t disclose any further details other than this right now.”
The Chatham County Police Department broke the news just hours after it brought search dogs to the family’s Savannah home for “gathering and analyzing evidence.”
Police announced the search for Quinton turned into a criminal investigation on Tuesday.
Leilani told 911 that she believed someone took her son from the home sometime before 9 a.m. after she woke up to an open door. She also told investigators her boyfriend had gotten up around 6 a.m. and saw the boy in his playpen. Three hours later, she called 911 to report him missing.
At 5:30 a.m. that day, however, she texted Quinton’s babysitter to cancel plans for the day.
In an interview with police, Leilani’s mother said she doesn’t know if she can trust her daughter.
“She hasn’t always done the right thing,” mother Billie Jo Howell said.
Police will hold a press conference Thursday to provide further details.
“We know that thousands of people around the world will be heartbroken by this news, and we share your sorrow,” the county police said.
So far, police do have a video of Quinton’s babysitter Diana McCarta in a heated argument with his grandmother Billie Jo Howell.
The footage shows Quinton’s grandmother telling McCarta, “This is my baby, not yours.”
The confrontation, which starts in the babysitter’s living room, eventually makes its way outside as the two women yell over each other. A substantial amount of the exchange is unintelligible because of that, but it is clear each is accusing the other of lying.
“My baby’s not dead,” the grandmother could be heard saying, upset over an alleged memorial she accused the babysitter of putting up.
At one point, the grandmother seems to accuse the babysitter of having the access and opportunity to have taken the toddler.
“Do you got Quinton? Do you have Quinton?” the grandmother could be heard yelling.
“I don’t have Quinton,” the babysitter responds.
“You’re the only one that can go in to my house,” the grandmother says as she walks away.
Quinton’s babysitter reported to the police she was told the night before his disappearance that her services would not be needed that day.
Chief Hadley said, “Investigators were back out at the toddler’s Buckhalter Road home, where he lives with his mother, her boyfriend, his grandparents, and two other children. Investigators plan to search the home and property again using K-9s. Earlier this week, firefighters were called in to help drain the backyard pool at the home. Investigators had reached out to the child’s biological father, but do not consider him a suspect.”
The chief expects to hold a press conference at 1 p.m. on Thursday to give an update on the case.
