Photo: Chatham County Police Department
Leilani Simon, a 22-year-old Georgia mother convicted of murdering her 20-month-old son Quinton Simon, has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole, plus an additional 10 years. During her sentencing, Simon expressed her wish for her son’s ashes to be released to her brother, Paul Simon. “I want my baby home,” she stated, according to Newsweek.
Chatham County Superior Court Judge Tammy Stokes handed down the sentence over a month after Simon was found guilty on all 19 charges connected to Quinton’s death. “The one thing that I will say before pronouncing sentence is clearly little Quinton Simon’s life and death impacted many, many individuals but also the community at large,” Judge Stokes said, as reported by WSAV.
Quinton was first reported missing in October 2022 when Simon called 911, claiming the toddler had disappeared from his playpen at their Georgia home. Days later, authorities named Simon as the “prime suspect” in her son’s disappearance. Despite this, Simon publicly hoped for her son’s safe return, stating at a press conference, “We want him back in our arms, holding us.” She speculated that someone might have taken Quinton, saying, “Maybe they thought they were his savior.”
However, Simon’s narrative unraveled when investigators found Quinton’s remains in a nearby landfill over a month later. During her trial, compelling testimonies painted a grim picture of neglect and abuse. A 17-year-old babysitter alleged that Simon was physically abusive, recounting instances where Simon pushed Quinton into a pool, failed to assist him down the stairs—resulting in injuries—and hit him. “She said that she did not love him at all,” the babysitter testified, according to WJCL.
Despite Simon’s defense team arguing the case lacked evidence and relied too heavily on emotions, the jury convicted her of multiple charges. These included two counts of felony murder, malice murder, concealing a death, reporting a false crime, and 14 counts of making false statements to investigators. “We said at the beginning that most, if not all, of the State’s case was based on speculation and character assassination,” defense attorney Martin Hilliard stated in closing arguments, as per Newsweek.
The tragic case of Quinton Simon has left a lasting impact on the local community and has highlighted the devastating consequences of abuse and neglect. While Simon’s legal chapter has concluded, her request for her son’s ashes underscores the complex and heart-wrenching nature of this case.
