Quinton Simon - update: Mother of missing Georgia toddler under fire as search enters fourth week
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The search for missing toddler Quinton Simon has entered its fourth week in Savannah, Georgia.
The 20-month-old vanished on 5 October and is now presumed dead and buried in a landfill, Georgia authorities said. His mother, 22-year-old Leilani Simon, is considered the prime suspect in the case but has not been arrested or charged.
Speaking to WTOC on Monday for her first interview since Quinton was reported missing, Ms Simon complained that she has been a victim of “devastating harassment” by protesters camped outside her home.
“I’ve been here every day since this. I’m not running and I’m not hiding,” Ms Simon told the outlet. “And if something does come up that I am at fault, I will take myself to that police station.”
Curiously - given investigators’ confidence that Quinton is dead due to actions of his mother - Ms Simon said she hopes the boy is found “happy and alive”.
Investigators renewed their dedication to finding Quinton’s body in a statement on Wednesday, marking three weeks since he disappeared.
Quinton’s body believed to be in landfill
Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley told a press briefing that Quinton’s body is believed to have been taken to the landfill after being placed in a dumpster at some point after he vanished on 5 October.
“We know that this is going to be a physically, mentally and emotionally gruelling task for our investigators and team,” Mr Hadley said of the narrowed search.
“We want justice for Quinton just like everyone else.”
FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Will Clarke said during the press conference that “we, along with our law enforcement partners, go into this process with heavy hearts”.
The Independent’s Gustaf Kilander has more:
Missing toddler Quinton Simon believed to be buried in landfill, police say
‘We know that this is going to be a physically, mentally and emotionally gruelling task for our investigators and team’
Quinton’s mother and grandmother seen at bar amid landfill search
On the first day of the FBI search for Quinton’s remains in a landfill in Savannah, local news station WSAV first reported that Leilani Simon, now the prime suspect in the investigation, and her mother Billie Jo Howell were seen drinking at Sting Ray’s, a bar in the neighbouring Tybee Island.
When contacted by The Independent about the incident on 18 October, a staff member at the bar said: “They were here, they drank, they left.”
The Independent’s Andrea blanco has more:
Quinton Simon’s mother ‘downed tequila shots’ at bar amid landfill FBI search
Leilani Simon, now the prime suspect in the investigation, and her mother Billie Jo Howell were seen drinking at Sting Ray’s
Leilani Simon says she hopes Quinton is found ‘healthy and alive’
Ms Simon says she’s “not hiding,” even as police consider her the prime suspect in the child’s disappearance.
“I’m here. I’ve been here every day since this. I’m not running and I’m not hiding,” Leilani Simon told WTOC.
“And if something does come up that I am at fault, I will take myself to that police station.”
The Independent’s Josh Marcus has the story:
Missing Quinton Simon’s prime suspect mother cries about ‘devastating harassment’
Police searching landfill for child’s remains
Babysitter received ‘odd text message’ on the day Quinton went missing
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 day 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
Babysitter reveals odd text before Quinton Simon’s disappearance
‘I’ve been just waiting around like everyone else’, says woman
Quinton’s mother denies accusations that she’s hiding
Leilani Simon says she’s “not hiding,” even as police consider her the prime suspect in the child’s disappearance.
“I’m here. I’ve been here every day since this. I’m not running and I’m not hiding,” Leilani Simon told WTOC. “And if something does come up that I am at fault, I will take myself to that police station.”
Local police in Chatham County and the FBI are actively searching a nearby landfill, where they believe they will find the child’s remains.
The Independent’s Josh Marcus has the story:
Missing Quinton Simon’s prime suspect mother cries about ‘devastating harassment’
Police searching landfill for child’s remains
Quinton is believed to be dead, authorities said
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 Authorities did not disclose the nature of evidence suggesting Quinton is dead, or why Ms Simon is the main suspect.
Quinton’s mother seen drinking at beach bar amid landfill search
Leilani Simon’s complaints of harassment came after she found herself under heightened scrutiny when she was spotted drinking at a bar in Tybee Island while authorities concluded their first day of the landfill search on 18 October.
Local news station WSAV first reported that Ms Simon, now the prime suspect in the investigation, and her mother Billie Jo Howell were seen drinking at Sting Ray’s.
When contacted by The Independent, a staff member said: “They were here, they drank, they left.”
During a press conference the same day, Chatham County Sheriff Jeff Prentice said that Ms Simon was believed to be in Chatham County and that she was not a flight risk. He added that authorities wouldn’t be releasing more information about the evidence they had encountered, noting they had “one shot” at arresting Ms Simon.
The Independent’s Andrea Blanco has more:
Quinton Simon’s mother ‘downed tequila shots’ at bar amid landfill FBI search
Leilani Simon, now the prime suspect in the investigation, and her mother Billie Jo Howell were seen drinking at Sting Ray’s
FBI search for Quinton’s remains in landfill continues
The FBI revealed on 18 October that evidence led authorities to believe that the 20-months-old’s remains were disposed of in a dumpster and then taken to a Waste Management landfill in Savannah.
Quinton was reported missing on 5 October. His mother, 22-year-old Leilani Simon, made the 911 call reporting that she had woken up to find her son was gone and that she believed “someone came in and took him”, WJCL reported.
Ms Simon, who has two other children who have since been removed from the home, is now the prime suspect in Quinton’s disappearance.
The search was paused during the weekend and resumed on Monday.
Former partner says Leilani Simon is “unpredictable’
The father of one of Leilani Simon’s children told the US Sun that she is “unpredictable.”
“She’s always been unpredictable,” Cody Wharton told the outlet. “But I wasn’t worried about Zayne’s safety until all this started going on. She was a good mother. I don’t know what happened.”
Mr Wharton added that at times when he was picking up his child for a visit, Ms Simon would seem “overwhelmed.”
He also told the Sun: “Even now, I’m questioning everything. Is he hurt? What is he doing? I don’t want to get a call saying your son is hurt and going to the hospital.”
Ms Simon’s other two children have been removed from the home.
Quinton’s babysitter received odd text before disappearance
The woman who babysits Quinton Simon said last week that she received an unusual text message the morning he went missing from his home in Savannah.
Speaking in an interview with WSAV on 10 October, the babysitter said she was surprised to receive a message on the morning that Quentin went missing that she would not be needed to look after Quinton and his sibling.
“I got a text this morning saying they would not be here, would not be babysitting them at 5.29 [a.m.],” said Diana McCarta, who expressed surprise at the seemnigly last-minute decision.
She continued: “Which was kind of odd because I have them even when she (their mother) doesn’t work”.
The Independent’s Gino Spocchia has the story:
Babysitter reveals odd text before Quinton Simon’s disappearance
‘I’ve been just waiting around like everyone else’, says woman
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