The former boyfriend Leilani Simon, identified as the primary suspect in connection with a missing Georgia toddler, says she “tried to overdose with kids nearby” last spring.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, 1-year-old Quinton Simon was reported missing on October 5 by his mother, Leilani Simon, who said her current boyfriend saw the child at about 6 a.m. in the family’s Savannah home.
Later, when Simon woke up, Quinton was gone, according to what she told a 911 dispatcher. She made the 911 call shortly after 9:30 a.m., telling the dispatcher she found the door open, although Quinton isn’t able to open the door by himself.
“Thinks someone came in and took him,” the dispatcher told responding officers.
Police launched an extensive search of the area, calling in help from other nearby jurisdictions as well as the FBI. As of October 14, Quinton remains missing.
Simon is considered the prime suspect in his disappearance and presumed death.
Quinton and his brother lived in the Savannah home with Simon, along with Simon’s grandmother, Billie Jo Howell. Cody Wharton, who identified himself as the father of Quinton’s brother, told the U.S. Sun that he wanted his child home with him, especially after hearing that his ex, Simon, is currently the sole suspect in the case.
“Zayne needs to be with me. I want to make sure he’s safe,” Wharton told the Sun. “I’m not sleeping. I’m at a point where he needs to be with me. 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.”
Wharton added that when Simon was depressed, she talked about overdosing, although she had her children with her. Police have not confirmed the accuracy of Wharton’s statements and Simon hasn’t released any public statements since Quinton’s disappearance.
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“When she was talking about overdosing, that scared me because my son was there. But what if she had overdosed and I couldn’t get there for two hours? She’s always been unpredictable…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.”
Wharton said he’s taking steps to get custody of his son. In the meantime, he says he’s worried that his son won’t be taken care of properly.
“Nothing scares me like this. knew my son was going to be taken care of, but I’m not even sure her parents can take of him. If he was with me, it would give me a calm mind. He deserves a good life and a life full of opportunity. I feel like he’s not getting that right now.”
To Report Information on Quinton Simon
- Call 911 or submit a tip to the Chatham County Police Department’s Crime Tip at https://police.chathamcountyga.gov/Tips.
- Submit a tip through the CrimeStoppers online tip portal at https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=757.
- A dedicated tipline has been established for the case at 912-667-3134.
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[Featured image: Facebook- Leilani Simon/Chatham County police – Quinton Simon]
