It’s difficult to fathom what parents feel when young children go missing. The panic and helplessness must be all-consuming. However, a Georgia mom was recently convicted of murdering her “missing” toddler and then throwing his body in a dumpster.
Leilani Simon, 22, was found guilty of multiple charges in the 2022 death of her 20-month-old son Quinton. She initially reported the toddler missing. Not long after his disappearance, however, Quinton was presumed dead and Simon was announced as the prime suspect. And soon, the Savannah, Georgia, mother will learn her fate.
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On October 25, Simon was convicted of murdering Quinton, WRDW reported. The jury found her guilty on all 19 charges related to the death of her son, including malice murder, felony murder, concealing the death of another, and making false statements. Simon’s sentencing will be at a later date.
On October 5, 2022, Simon called 911 to report her son missing from his playpen in their home near Savannah, WSAV-TV reported. She told police at the time that she believed Quinton was kidnapped early in the morning. When she woke that day, she claimed the front door was open.
On October 12, 2022, the Chatham County Police Department announced a sad update. “We are saddened to report that CCPD and the FBI have notified Quinton Simon’s family that we believe he is deceased,” the department said in a statement shared via X.
“We have named his mother, Leilani Simon, as the prime suspect in his disappearance and death. But, no arrests have been made and no charges have been filed.”
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During an interview with WTOC-TV, Simon said she hoped police would find Quinton “happy and alive.”
“We want him back in our arms, holding us. That’s what we want,” she told the TV station. “We’re just hoping that he’s in somebody’s house and they’re feeding him and maybe they wanted a baby or couldn’t have a baby. Maybe they thought they were his savior. That’s our best hope at this point.”
After searching the landfill for weeks, investigators discovered human remains, WJCL reported. DNA testing confirmed it to be Quinton.
“It was a monumental effort, to say the least,” said Chief of Police Jeffrey Hadley of the conviction, per WJCL. “No one who worked for CCPD on Oct. 5, 2022, will ever forget that day or the six weeks that followed. Every single person who worked for our agency — both sworn officers and professional staff — played a part in this case.”
Hadley added, “Quinton Simon truly became Chatham County’s child during the weeks that our community was gripped by his disappearance. It is fitting today that 12 men and women from our community delivered the final measure of justice for little Quinton with their guilty verdict. We hope that this brings some measure of peace and justice to those who loved Quinton.”
