22-year-old mom charged with murder after son’s remains found in landfill, GA cops say
A 22-year-old mother has been charged after her missing toddler’s remains were found in a landfill, Georgia police say.
Chatham County police said Leilani Simon was charged with malice murder, concealing the death of another person, false reporting and making false statements after her 20-month-old, Quinton Simon, disappeared and was found dead.
Leilani Simon was arrested and is awaiting a bond hearing at the Chatham County Detention Center, according to a Nov. 21 news release from the police department. Her arrest came after remains found in the Waste Management Landfill in Chatham County on Friday, Nov. 18, were identified as belonging to her missing son.
She reported him missing over a month ago, when he vanished from his home in Savannah the morning of Oct. 5, police said. The FBI joined local police in the search the following day.
A week after he disappeared, on Oct. 12, police announced that Quinton Simon was presumed dead, and his mother, Leilani Simon, was considered the prime suspect.
Days later, on Oct. 18, authorities shared that evidence indicated the toddler’s remains were in the landfill.
Officers initiated a search of the landfill, looking through 1.2 million pounds of trash over 30 days, police said. According to the FBI, the chances of finding the remains were low as landfill searches only have a 5% success rate. Quinton Simon’s remains were found Friday, Nov. 18, more than a month after he disappeared.
“We are deeply saddened by this case, but we are thankful that we are one step closer to justice for little Quinton,” the department said in a Nov. 21 Facebook post.
This story was originally published November 22, 2022 at 11:25 AM with the headline "22-year-old mom charged with murder after son’s remains found in landfill, GA cops say."
