Georgia toddler missing for almost a week

CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (TCD) -- Federal, state, and local officials have joined in the search for a 20-month-old child missing for almost a week.

Quinton Simon was reported missing Oct. 5 to the Chatham County Police Department. He was last seen that day at approximately 6 a.m. at his home on the 500 block of Buckhalter Road wearing a Sesame Street shirt and black pants.

Chatham County Police said they did not issue an Amber Alert on behalf of Quinton because there was "nothing to indicate at this time that the child was abducted."

WSAV-TV reports Quinton lives with his grandparents in their Buckhalter Road home along with his mother Leilani Simon, her boyfriend, and two other children. Not long before Quinton went missing, the boy’s grandmother, Billie Jo Howell, allegedly filed for eviction because she wanted Leilani Simon and her boyfriend gone, WSAV reports.

According to the Chatham County Police, over 75 law enforcement officers and volunteers have been using drones, helicopters, police on horseback, and K-9 teams in their search for the little boy.

One day after Quinton went missing, Chatham County Police Chief Jeffrey Hadley spoke to the media and said he hopes Quinton is still alive.

He said, "We don’t have any information to believe he’s not, but statistically we know how these cases end up. We are going to hold out hope that he is still alive."

On Monday, Oct. 10, Hadley said in another press conference that his office and the FBI agents are "using every investigative resource possible to find little Quinton, including executing search warrants, interviewing people, and canvassing several areas."

The search has reportedly not turned into a criminal investigation, but Hadley said his detectives are "looking into" every possibility.

He said, "Everybody is being looked at. Everybody is being interviewed. Everybody who has had contact with Quinton is being interviewed. That’s an enormous amount of work. We are continuing to do everything we can do find evidence — if it’s there."

MORE:

• Missing Child - Chatham County Police Department
• We’re continuing our work to find 20-month-old Quinton Simon - Chatham County Police Department
• Search for Quinton Simon - Chatham County Police Department
• Chatham County Police Department's Chief Hadley holds a press briefing on the disappearance of Quinton Simon - WSAV 
• Timeline: What has happened since 20-month-old Quinton Simon went missing? - WSAV