Police officers in Savannah, Georgia, have been looking for a two-year-old toddler for a week. Quinton Simon was last seen by his mother’s boyfriend around 6am on October 5, according to police. The mother then reported the child missing around 9.40am after waking up later that morning.
Since then, the police and rescue workers have been searching for the little boy at full speed – with drones, helicopters and thermal imaging cameras. Mounted officials and diving teams are also involved in the search.
The search also drained the pool in the backyard of the family home and searched a nearby pond. More than 40 FBI officers are now on duty to help with the search, according to Chatham County Police Department chief Jeff Hadley at a press conference on Monday.
When asked by a journalist whether the police investigations also targeted family members, he replied: “We look at everyone, everyone is questioned, everyone who was in contact with Quinton before the time of his disappearance. It takes time and if it does There are certain processes we have to follow (…) We want to make sure we do it as professionally and skillfully as possible so that if, and I say if we have to prosecute someone in this case, we do it properly have made.”
The question was probably aimed at speculation on the Internet, which suspects the 22-year-old mother of having something to do with her son’s disappearance. Neither she nor her boyfriend have commented publicly.
Speaking to reporters from ABC7News last week, Quinton’s grandparents said the boy’s mother “didn’t always do the right thing” and expressed concern for the 20-month-old boy. The Savannah Morning News reported that court documents said there was trouble at the home and the grandmother was given custody of the toddler and older sibling. In addition, the grandparents filed an eviction lawsuit to evict the daughter and her boyfriend from the house. According to the report, the 22-year-old should also be obliged to pay monthly maintenance for her two sons, but she did not appear at the court date at the end of September.
However, police said the family would cooperate with law enforcement and that there did not appear to be a custody battle.
According to Hadley, investigators conducted multiple interviews, issued multiple search warrants, and combed multiple areas. The family home was searched again on Monday to ensure nothing had been missed in previous searches, the police chief said. He hopes to find the boy alive. “If there’s something we can hold on to that will move us forward, then we’ll do it,” he said.
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Quellen: ABC, ABC7News, CNN, “Savannah Mornging News”, Chatham County Police Department
