Officials in the state of Georgia said they had informed the family of 20-month-old Quinton Simon that they believed the toddler was already dead. The young boy was reported missing over a week ago.
Chatham County police issued a statement via a tweet on October 12, writing that they have named the child's mother, Leilani Simon, as the prime suspect in his disappearance and death. However, no arrests have been made, and no charges have been filed in the case thus far.
Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley said that he does not believe Simon is a flight risk, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
More details about baby Quinton's case
Georgia cops added they know that thousands of people worldwide will be heartbroken by this news, and they share their sorrow. Police did not state why they believed baby Quinton was dead, but Hadley said he would hold a news conference to give more details about the case.
It is still unclear if the toddler's mom had an attorney who could speak on her behalf. NBC News could not immediately find a phone number to reach the suspect for comment. The Chatham County District Attorney's office also did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the media outlet.
Baby Quinton was reported missing on October 5 from his home near Savannah, Georgia. According to police, he was last seen wearing black pants and a light blue Sesame Street shirt.
Hadley has said previously that the boyfriend of the toddler's mother reported seeing Quinton around 6 a.m. on October 5 and that Quinton's mom woke up later and reported the child missing around 9:39 a.m.
Police have said that the search for the kid has spanned several days and included multiple law enforcement agencies and tools such as horses, tracking dogs, drones, and helicopters.
They added that investigators executed multiple search warrants and searched numerous locations to find the missing child. Among the places that they searched were Quinton's home, drainage pipes, dumpsters, nearby woods, a pond, and other locations.
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Cops reportedly believe Quinton's body was dumped in a landfill
According to Hadley, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has also assisted with the search for Quinton because abduction could not be ruled out. Police announced on October 11 that they had seized evidence that they believed would help move this case forward. They did not specify, however, what that evidence was.
Hadley noted they only get one shot at this and will do it right. Cops said officers had contacted the boy's biological dad when he was reported missing and did not believe he was involved with the child's disappearance.
Cops have not located the kid's body, which they reportedly believe may have been dumped in an as-yet-unidentified landfill, according to the Daily Beast.
