Savannah Mother Found Guilty in Death of Young Son

On October 25, 2024, Leilani Simon of Chatham County was convicted of multiple charges, including malice murder, in the death of her son, Quinton Simon, whose body was discovered in a landfill after an extensive investigation. The 24-year-old mother was found guilty of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, concealing the death of another, making a false report of a crime, and 14 counts of making false statements.

The case began on October 5, 2022, when Simon called 911 early in the morning, claiming that 20-month-old Quinton was missing from his indoor playpen at their Savannah-area home. The initial report prompted an immediate search by Chatham County Police and the FBI, who scoured the family’s home and surrounding neighborhood. As the days passed without new information, Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley publicly named Simon as the sole suspect, declaring that investigators believed Quinton was dead.

Two weeks later, authorities shifted their focus to a landfill in Chatham County, believing Simon had discarded Quinton’s body there. For more than a month, officers and FBI agents sifted through the landfill, eventually discovering human remains later confirmed through DNA testing as Quinton’s. During police interviews, Simon admitted to using cocaine, which she stated often led to anger and impulsive behavior.

Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley released a statement after the conviction, acknowledging the dedication of law enforcement in the pursuit of justice for Quinton, as well as the impact of the case on both the department and the community.

“We are grateful that the Chatham County Police Department’s two-year quest for justice for Quinton Simon resulted in a guilty verdict today,” Chief Hadley said. He extended thanks to District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones, assistant district attorneys Tim Dean and Jenny Parker, and all who contributed to the case, noting, “No one who worked for CCPD on October 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 civilians—played a part in this case.”

The high-profile case mobilized resources from both local and federal law enforcement, with Chief Hadley expressing gratitude for the assistance from the FBI and multiple Georgia law enforcement agencies. The extensive landfill search alone took a physical and emotional toll on the officers, who worked marathon shifts to locate Quinton’s remains. Chief Hadley stated he had “never been prouder of any group of professionals” than the team involved in this case.

Quinton’s disappearance and the investigation that followed captured public attention, with many in Chatham County considering the young boy as “Chatham County’s child.” Chief Hadley remarked on the importance of the conviction, hoping that the guilty verdict and upcoming sentencing bring a degree of closure to Quinton’s family and supporters.

Simon is scheduled for sentencing on November 21, 2024, before Judge Tammy Stokes, where she faces the possibility of life in prison.