Police: More than 40 FBI agents searching for missing Georgia toddler

Oct. 11 (UPI) -- More than 40 FBI agents and personnel are participating in the search for 20-month-old Quinton Simon who has been missing for almost a week, authorities in Georgia said as they acknowledge that a criminal element may be involved in the toddler's disappearance.

Simon was reported missing Wednesday. He was last seen at his home on Buckhalter Road near Savannah at 6 a.m. that morning wearing a light blue Sesame Street shirt and black pants.

Authorities last week said the boyfriend of Simon's mother was the last person to see the child early Wednesday. The toddler was reported missing at 9:39 a.m. by his mother after she woke up.

Police chief Jeffrey Hadley of Chatham County said Monday during a press conference that they are continuing to use every investigative resource available to them, including dozens of FBI agents, to locate the missing toddler.

"We believe with the continued assistance of the FBI we will have a resolution in this case," he said. "We understand that people far beyond Chatham County have become emotionally invested in this incident and the search for Quinton, and they want answers. We are committed to finding those answers and we are committed to finding Quinton."

Police have said there is no evidence to suggest that foul play was involved in the toddler's disappearance and have conducted searches on the notion that they child may have left on his own.

However, Hadley said Monday that while it remains a missing child case they have not ruled out the possibility that a criminal element may be involved.

"We are looking at it from multiple fronts and one of it being a criminal investigation," he said. "We don't have anything confirmed so we can't say anything absolutely, but it is fair to say that our efforts -- and the cooperation of the FBI and them providing an abundance of resources to us -- that we are looking at the criminal investigation aspect as well."

Asked if they are looking at family members who may be involved in Quinton's disappearance, Hadley said everyone is being considered.

"Everybody is being looked at. Everybody is being interviewed. Everybody that had contact with Quinton in the most recent time of his disappearance is being looked at, is being interviewed," he said.

Last week, Hadley said Simon's mother and her boyfriend were cooperating with police.