A woman in Georgia has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her 20-month-old son, Quinton Simon. Leilani Simon was found guilty of malice murder and 18 other charges related to the death of her toddler. The sentencing took place in Chatham County Superior Court, where Simon was given life with the possibility of parole, plus an additional 10 years for concealing the child’s death.
The tragic incident began when Simon called 911 on October 5, 2022, to report her son missing from his playpen at their home near Savannah. Despite extensive searches by the police in the neighborhood and surrounding areas, investigators concluded that the child was deceased. Simon was identified as the prime suspect in the case.
Two weeks after Quinton was reported missing, police and FBI agents focused their search on a landfill where they eventually discovered human bones that were confirmed through DNA testing to belong to the toddler. The heartbreaking discovery led to Simon’s arrest and subsequent trial.
During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors emphasized that Simon had not taken responsibility for her actions and showed no remorse for the crime. Special Assistant District Attorney Tim Dean expressed his concerns about Simon’s lack of accountability, stating that she appeared more concerned about being caught and standing trial rather than the heinous act she committed.
Lead detective Marian Lemmons also revealed shocking details during the hearing, including Simon’s attempt to implicate innocent individuals and her behavior of going out drinking on the night investigators announced the landfill search for Quinton’s body. Despite these revelations, Simon chose not to testify during the sentencing but did request the release of her son’s remains to her family.
The judge, Tammy Stokes, ultimately decided to grant Simon the possibility of parole, citing the Georgia law that mandates a life sentence for murder. While the maximum penalty was not imposed, Simon will serve a life sentence with the hope of eventual release, along with the additional 10 years for her actions after the crime.
The case of Leilani Simon and the tragic death of Quinton Simon serve as a reminder of the devastating consequences of such heinous acts. The community mourns the loss of a young life and hopes that justice has been served with the sentencing of the perpetrator.
