(Image: Chatham County Detention Center)
In a chilling development during the trial of Leilani Simon, a neighbor has come forward with an eerie claim, stating that the ghost of Simon’s 20-month-old son, Quinton Simon, revealed the location of his body before it was discovered in a landfill. Leilani Simon is currently facing trial for the murder of Quinton, whose body was found in their home state of Georgia in late 2022.
Prosecutors are working to prove that Simon killed her son and disposed of his body in a dumpster overnight between October 4 and October 5, 2022. During the trial, former neighbor Melanie Boling testified about her relationship with Leilani when she lived in Glennville, Georgia. Boling described Simon as someone she viewed almost like a younger sister, but as time passed, they drifted apart, particularly after Quinton was born.
According to Boling, during their rare conversations, Leilani would make disturbing threats against her toddler son. One of the more shocking moments of Boling’s testimony came during cross-examination by defense attorney Martin Hilliard. Hilliard asked Boling about a scene she claimed to have conducted, during which she said she spoke with Quinton’s ghost, told CBS News.
Boling stated that Quinton’s spirit told her that his body was in a landfill, a claim made before the actual discovery of his remains in the landfill. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Dean, addressing the jury, highlighted the inconsistencies in Leilani Simon’s story, saying, “Her story fell apart pretty quickly thanks to good police work. She would go on to tell a series of lies over several weeks, only moving from one lie to the next.”
In addition to Boling’s testimony, the trial also featured testimony from Daniel Youngkin, Simon’s ex-boyfriend and the father of one of her children. During his time on the stand, Youngkin faced intense questioning about his substance abuse issues and the nature of his relationship with Leilani. Hilliard questioned Youngkin’s decision to stay in a tumultuous relationship, emphasizing that he had his own free will to leave, despite previously testifying that Simon had treated him poorly.
The court also heard testimony from the pair’s former boss, who revealed that Leilani did not show up for work on the day Quinton went missing. Youngkin, however, left work early after receiving a frantic call from Leilani saying that Quinton had disappeared.
Medical professionals were also called to testify. A pediatrician and pediatric cardiologist who had previously treated Quinton told the court that during a routine visit when Quinton was 13 months old, he appeared “healthy” and “happy.” However, the pediatrician did detect a heart murmur and referred him to a specialist. Both doctors agreed that while Quinton had some minor health issues, these were not life-threatening.
In a heart-wrenching testimony, a 17-year-old babysitter recounted several instances where Leilani allegedly mistreated Quinton. The babysitter testified that Leilani shoved Quinton into a pool without a flotation device, slapped him on the hand for running into the street, and pushed him after he accidentally damaged his uncle’s PlayStation controller. The trial is set to continue, with more witnesses expected to take the stand as the jury weighs the evidence presented.
