A day after designating her as the prime suspect in the youngster’s murder, Georgia police said on Thursday that they do not know where Leilani Howell, the mother of missing toddler Quinton Simon, is.
When Quinton’s mother, who is 22 years old, reported him missing on October 5, he had last been seen.
She said that when she awoke at 9.30 am, he was nowhere to be found.
A week has passed, and now the police say they think Quinton is dead and that his mother is to blame.
She has not yet been detained or prosecuted because, according to them, they want to make sure they have solid proof before filing charges.
On Thursday, though, cops said they had no idea where Leilani is.
At a news conference, Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley said, “I do not know where she is right now, today.”
However, he reiterated that he did not believe she poses a “flight danger”.
Billie Jo Howell, Quinton’s grandmother, usually took care of him when he was 18 months old. He had been legally removed from his mother’s care by her.
Leilani was mandated by the state to begin providing child support a week before he disappeared.
She was expected to pay $150 every month beginning on November 1st. Upon the death of one of her two boys, the sum would be reduced to $100.
What kind of proof the police have against her is still a secret, according to the police.
Diana McCarta, one of Quinton’s babysitters, claimed to have gotten a text message at 5:30 a.m. that morning informing her that she was not required to watch him that day.
Later that morning, Quinton’s grandmother sent McCarta a text inquiring if she had seen the 20-month-old child.
At nine o’clock, I received a text asking, “Have you seen Quinton?”,” McCarta said.
I rush over to their place to try and assist them in looking, but they were not interested. I have thus been standing by like everyone else.
At 9 am, Quinton was reported missing, at which point the police were contacted.
Since then, the FBI and local police have conducted a thorough investigation that included searching the Simons’ house as well as dumpsters, sewers, and ponds.
The police are examining cellphone data and have decided that a criminal inquiry into Quinton’s disappearance is necessary.
On Wednesday, investigators visited the house with sniffer dogs. According to Chatham County Police, a further update will be provided on Thursday.