Authorities in Chatham County, Georgia, wrapped up their fourth day of searching for missing 20-month-old Quinton Simon with no positive results to show. They still hope the toddler will be found alive, according to NBC News.
The young boy was reported missing from his home in an unincorporated part of the county near Savannah on Wednesday morning. According to county police, no foul play is suspected regarding Simon's disappearance.
Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley told reporters at a news conference on Thursday that they will hold out hope that he is still alive and that they can find baby Quinton and bring him home safe to his parents.
Quinton Simon case draws widespread attention
The case of the missing Georgia kid has drawn widespread attention and extensive response from law enforcement. The police department said in a statement that they appreciate everyone's offers of help, but they do not need volunteers.
Cops said that the search for baby Quinton had involved an army of law enforcement and accompanying tools, including helicopters, horses, tracking dogs, and drones. Hadley said that detectives had worked 20-hour days to help find Simon.
Detectives so far have searched the toddler's home, drainage pipes, dumpsters, a pond, nearby woods, and other undisclosed locations, according to CNN. Officials have also interviewed family members and anyone close to the child. Hadley said they electronically searched the phones of those close to the baby.
He added that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had joined the local effort because abduction could not be ruled out in the case of Simon. Hadley said Quinton's mother's boyfriend woke up at 6 a.m. on Wednesday and reported seeing the child.
The chief said that the mother woke up at some other time later and reported the child missing at 9:39 a.m. According to Hadley, the boy's biological dad, who was not identified, was not near the baby during the time of his disappearance.
No suspects named yet as detectives continue their investigation
Hadley said that the kid's mom and her boyfriend have been working with detectives to help in the investigation. He said that, at this point, they are victims and dealing with the loss of a child.
Cops said that no suspects or persons of interest had been named yet, and there is no evidence to suggest Quinton did not walk off. That being said, exhaustive searches of a geographic area within wandering distance have turned up nothing, according to WJCL.
According to court documents, Lelani Simon's mom, Billie Jo Howell, and her husband have custody of baby Quinton and his three-year-old brother. Howell also filed to have her daughter Lelani, and her boyfriend evicted from the home in early September.
