Billie Jo Howell: Slain Quinton Simon's grandmom spotted wearing suicide prevention vest in police mugshot
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA: The grandmother of slain 20-month-old Quinton Simon, whose bones were discovered in a landfill in Georgia this autumn, has been lodged in the Chatham County detention facility on a charge of contempt of court. In her mugshot, Billie Jo Howell, 45, can be seen wearing a suicide-prevention vest. She was arrested on Monday afternoon. Betterton's arrest was the result of a hold from Chatham County juvenile court, the documents of which are secret, but it is unclear what exactly caused it.
The clerk of the juvenile court system in Chatham County said the case related to Howell is closed, and that its office can’t “discuss the matter.” The court quoted GA rule 2.10, apparently claiming that explaining the hold charge Howell is facing would “affect a fair trial or hearing,” as per News 2. Her daughter, Leilani was arrested and charged with the death and disappearance of Quinton on Nov. 21.
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Has Quinton Simon's body been found? Mom Leilani Simon charged with missing toddler's murder
The remains of the bones discovered in a dump in Chatham County were subsequently identified as being Quinton's by forensic analysis. Weeks prior to Howell's arrest, her daughter Leilani Simon, 22, was charged with malice murder, hiding another person's death, false reporting, and making false statements in relation to her son's death. WRDW reported that Leilani had checked herself into a rehab facility before being arrested and after receiving weeks of media attention. The decision to alert the FBI of her daughter's next action was decided by Betterton after her daughter told her mother she intended to withdraw herself from the program, a report said.
“Her mother had to make one of the hardest decisions of her life, and call the FBI agents and let them know that she was signing herself out, and that she could not come back here, and that she was going to be a flight risk, because she could not come back here because she was going to be back on the streets doing God knows what with God knows who,” the family friend said. Billie’s friend says that at the request of the FBI, Billie picked Leilani up from the treatment center and spent the last few free hours Leilani had with her. “They asked her to buy some time. So, she went and picked up Leilani’s belongings from another center, and then she took Leilani to have her last free meal,” the family friend said as per the outlet. She then took Leilani to the Savannah FBI office, where just a few hours later she was arrested and charged with Quinton’s murder.