A mother accused of killing her little son and throwing the body into a garbage can was found guilty of murder

SAVANNAH, Georgia (WTOC/Gray News) – A jury has convicted Leilani Simon, a woman accused of killing her 20-month-old son and disposing of his body in 2022.

Leilani Simon has been charged with murder, concealing a body and lying to police in connection with the death of her son, Quinton Simon. She was found guilty on all charges.

Quinton Simon was reported missing on October 5, 2022. It was only six days later that Quinton’s mother, Leilani, was named the sole suspect in his disappearance and death.

On November 18, 2022, Quinton’s remains were found in a Chatham County landfill. Leilani was arrested three days later.

The jury’s verdict will be reached after eight days of witness testimony.

Simon will be sentenced at a later date. She faces life imprisonment.

Prosecutors say it was a verdict that overcame a lack of physical evidence.

“It was a complex case because we didn’t know the cause or manner of death for what happened, so that’s always concerning. However, the law enforcement agencies involved did an excellent job investigating this case, and we did the best we could with the evidence they had,” said Chatham County Assistant District Attorney Jenny Parker.

Prosecutors presented jurors with 40 witnesses and nearly 100 pieces of evidence that the state said showed Simon killed Quinton and dumped his body in a dumpster.

Still, the nearly six-hour jury deliberations were tense for those involved in the case.

“You can’t take that responsibility lightly, so I think they weighed the evidence, approached the case diligently and took the time necessary to come to the conclusion that they did,” said Chatham County Police Department Chief Jeff Hadley.

Simon rarely shed tears during the trial, but he was seen crying before he was taken away.

Parker says he believes justice is served for Quinton and his mother.

“We can’t take it back. We can’t. However, I hope that it will provide some closure and some confidence in the justice system for many people watching this trial,” Parker said.

Leilani Simon’s mother, Billie Howell, was not present at the hearing, but tells WTOC she feels justice was served.

Howell responded in a statement to WTOC, saying: “Our family is devastated and Quinton deserves justice. We want Quinton to come home so he can be buried. “I hate that I’m not there for Leilani – we love her but we don’t tolerate either of them.”

WTOC asked Leilani Simon’s attorneys for comment, but they declined.

The Chatham County Police Department held a press conference on Friday after the verdict was announced. Chief Hadley said in part: “Quinton Simon has truly become a Chatham County baby during the weeks that our community has been plagued by his disappearance. It is fitting that today, 12 men and women from our county delivered final justice for little Quinton with a guilty verdict. We hope this brings some peace and comfort to all who loved Quinton.”

The Chatham County District Attorney’s Office also issued a press release following the verdict.

“As with any case involving death or serious injury, especially those involving child victims, I extend my condolences to the family of Baby Quinton and those mourning his tragic death,” District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones.

In her statement, Jones acknowledged that while the verdict will not bring Baby Q back, she hopes it will make it more diligent in protecting vulnerable child victims and intervening early in cases where neglect and harm are evident.

“Regardless of the sentence, this mother will have to live with her actions every day of her life, and that is a separate prison,” Jones said.