Quinton Simon - update: Mother of missing Georgia toddler under fire as search enters fourth week

Seven days after he was reported missing, police said they were “saddened” to report on 12 October that they believed the 20-month-old was dead.

“The CCPD and the FBI have notified Quinton Simon’s family that we believe he is deceased,” a statement shared on Facebook said.

His mother, Leilani Simon, was named a prime suspect.

Officials held the first press conference on the case on 13 October, where they reiterated the belief that Quinton is deceased.

“To the Chatham County community, our heart breaks along with yours trying to comprehend what we believe happened here. The FBI along with our law enforcement agencies have followed every lead, every tip and every piece of evidence to get to this point and we will continue to do so,” FBI Supervisor Senior Resident Agent Will Clarke said.

Officials did not disclose the nature of evidence suggesting Quinton is dead, or why Ms Simon is the main suspect.

Gino Spocchia has everything we know about the case:

The FBI is supporting the Chatham County Police Department in the investigation, with law enforcement spending 18 to 20 hours a day looking for the 20-month-old child, CNN reported.

Chatham County police said in an earlier statement that it had executed search warrants and continued to interview “those who might have information that could be helpful in the investigation” with the help of the FBI.

On Tuesday, the search zeroed in on the Waste Management landfill in Savannah, after evidence suggested Quinton had been disposed of in a dumpster.

The Independent’s Gustaf Kilander has more:

Quinton went missing on 5 October from his home in Savannah, a coastal city on the border between Georgia and South Carolina.

He was last seen at about 6am that day at an address in the 500 block of Buckhalter Road, and was reported missing at approximately 9.40am by his mother, who is now the prime suspect in the investigation.

Ms Simon told police her son was playing in a playpen when he was last seen, although earlier reports suggested Quinton had wandered off, CNN reported.

A dispatch call made by the emergency services reveals some details concerning what the authorities were told when Quinton’s mother called 911.

“Complainant advised her one-year-old son is missing,” the dispatcher said, WJCL reported. “She woke up, her door was open. Advised he’s unable to open a door. Thinks someone came in and took him.”

After Quinton was reported missing on 5 October, search warrants were carried out on a nearby pond, a backyard swimming pool and the Savannah house itself.

Those areas were re-canvassed on 10 October when the pool in the backyard of the home was drained.

While it was unclear if any evidence was found or removed from it, police announced on 11 October the discovery of evidence “that we believe will help move this case forward”. That evidence went under analysis, police said.

On 13 October, it was revealed that Quinton was believed dead. On Tuesday, police announced that Quinton is believed to have been buried in a landfill.

The Independent’s Gino Spocchia and Gustaf Kilander have more:

“We know that this is going to be a physically, mentally and emotionally gruelling task for our investigators and team,” Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley said during a press conference on Tuesday.

“We want justice for Quinton just like everyone else.”

The update comes days after police announced they believed Quinton is dead and his mother, Leilani Simon, is considered the prime suspect.

No arrests have been made in the case so far.

The Independent’s Gustaf Kilander has the story:

The toddler’s babysitter told WSAV that she was surprised to receive a message that she would not be needed to look after Quinton and his sibling on the da he went missing.

“I got a text this morning saying they would not be here, would not be babysitting them at 5.29 [a.m.],” Diana McCarta told the outlet.

She continued: “Which was kind of odd because I have them even when she (their mother) doesn’t work.”

“And then I get a text at 9am saying have I seen Quinton,” said Ms McCarta of her exchange with Quinton’s mother. “I immediately go to their house. I try to help them look, they didn’t want that. So, I’ve been just waiting around like everyone else.”

The Independent’s Gino Spocchia has more details:

The US Sun reports that Ms Simon was described as a “chronic, unrehabilitated substance abuser of cocaine and cannabis,” in custody court documents.

According to the outlet, she consumed illegal substances while she was pregnant and tested positive for cocaine at the time of one of her births.

Ms Simon’s mother, Billie Jo Howell, had custody of Quinton and one of his siblings. The minors have been removed from the home following Quinton’s disappearance.

FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Will Clarke said during a presser on Tuesday: “We, along with our law enforcement partners, go into this process with heavy hearts.

“We did not want to end up at this point. But the evidence has taken us here.”

Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley said he was unable to share what evidence led the authorities to the landfill.

“We’re not ready to charge anyone yet, we still have work to do,” he added. “We still have an investigation to do and we are not going to do anything preemptively that would harm future prosecution.”

“We’re in for the long haul,” Chief Hadley said.

The Independent’s Gustaf Kilander has more:

In a video obtained by WSAV last week, Billie Howell and Diana McCarta are reportedly seen engaging in a verbal dispute over the disappearance of Quinton.

The grandmother accused the babysitter of organising a memorial for Quinton in the video and exclaimed: “You’re awful to say you’re going to put up a memorial...My baby’s not dead.”

Ms McCarta responded by denying the memorial idea and calling Ms Howell a “liar”. Most of the comments made in the video are inaudible, however.

The babysitter claimed to the news station that she had previously alerted Georgia’s Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) about Quinton, and that the department had an open case.

Early into the search for Quinton, Chatham County police said they did not believe foul play was involved in his disappearance and that they hoped to find him alive, WJCL reported.

Despite that, police said they were “saddened” to report on 12 October that they believed the 20-month-old was dead and that his family had been informed.

In a statement that was shared on Facebook, police said. “The CCPD and the FBI have notified Quinton Simon’s family that we believe he is deceased”.

His mother, Ms Simon, was named a prime suspect. Quinton is believed to have been disposed of in a dumpster and then taken to the Waste Management landfill in Savannah.

The Independent’s Gino Spocchia and Gustaf Kilander have the story: