Leilani Simon, the mother of missing Georgia toddler, Quinton Simon, and the prime suspect in his disappearance, took to TikTok in 2020 and implied parenting struggles while along to the "Bad Guy" song by Billie Eilish.
As previously reported, Simon reported 20-month-old Quinton missing on October 5; she 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 17, Quinton remains missing but police said earlier this month that the child is presumed dead.
Leilani's Complained about Parenting Woes on TikTok
Two years ago, Leilani called herself the "bad type" in TikTok videos posted online. "I'm that bad type. Make your mama sad type. Make your girlfriend mad tight. Might seduce your dad type. I'm the bad guy, duh," Quinton sang in a video that has since gone viral.
In a separate TikTok video, Simon reportedly implied she struggled with parenting duties. Simon participated in a challenge on TikTok, which asked participants to place "one finger down" when answering "yes" to any of the questions.
Simon put her finger down when asked if she "considered running away to another country but you're a good mom so you really wouldn't do it but it sounds nice." She also put a finger down when asked if she's ever cried in a closet or used the word "potty" to an adult.
Leilani Ordered to Pay Child Support to Howell Last Month
Police reports and court documents show there was turmoil in recent weeks between the child's mother and grandmother, Billie Jo Howell, who had legal custody of him and an older sibling. Quinton, his mother and his mother's boyfriend lived with Howell.
Simon called police on Sept. 7 following an argument with her mother over laundry in which she said Howell had shoved her against a wall, according to a police report. No one was charged and an officer found no injuries other than Simon's reddened elbow.
The following day, Quinton's grandmother filed papers in Chatham County Magistrate Court to have Simon and her boyfriend evicted from her home, WTOC-TV reported. A few weeks later, on Sept. 28, a Superior Court judge ordered Leilani Simon to pay $150 per month in child support. Quinton was reported missing a week later.
Babysitter Says Family Told Her Not to Come in on Day Quinton Went Missing
Babysitter Diane McCarta previously told WSAV that she's been taking care of Quinton and his little brother for around six months. She watches the children daily, she said, even when their mother isn't working.
McCarta said she was supposed to babysit on October 5, but the family contacted her and told her that she wasn't needed for the day. She found it odd that the plans were changed so quickly, then later found out the toddler had been reported missing.
"I got a text this morning saying they would not be here, would not be babysitting them at 5:29 [a.m.] Which was kind of odd because I have them even when she doesn't work," McCarta told WSAV.
"And then I get a text at 9 a.m. saying have I seen Quinton? I immediately go to their house. I try to help them look, they didn't want that. So, I've been just waiting around like everyone else."
