Police announced on Monday that a 20-month-old child’s mother had been detained and charged with murder. Georgia authorities believe the child is dead.
Leilani Simon, 22, was identified by Chatham County in October as the “primary suspect” in the disappearance and killing of her son, Quinton Simon, according to police.
Police in Chatham County said they didn’t anticipate making any more arrests in the investigation but they withheld further information for the time being.
In a tweet Monday afternoon, the agency stated, “We are very saddened by this case, but we are thankful that we are one step closer to justice for young Quinton.”
Since October 18, Chatham County Police and FBI agents have been looking for the toddler’s remains at a Waste Management landfill after being directed there by evidence, according to Police Chief Jeff Hadley.
On October 5, Leilani Simon reported her son missing from his house in an unincorporated area of the county close to Savannah, according to authorities.
The report sparked an investigation that involved the FBI. The area where the youngster might have strayed was searched by search teams, including a nearby pond, drainage pipes, dumpsters, and wooded areas.
Leilani Simon was identified as the primary suspect by Chatham County police on October 12 despite the fact that she had not yet been detained or put on trial. The authorities declared that they thought the child had died.
Authorities did not go into detail about their theories regarding Quinton’s death or their suspicions regarding his mother.
Hadley declared, “The evidence we currently have, based on several search warrants and interviews, has led us to the conclusion that Quinton has died.
When asked at the time how the FBI’s Savannah and Brunswick offices came to this conclusion, senior supervisory resident agent Will Clarke responded, “We pursued every lead, every tip, and every piece of evidence to get to this point.”
Clarke said in October, “To the Chatham County community, our heart hurts along with yours in trying to understand what we believe happened here.
On October 5 at 6 a.m., Simon’s boyfriend claimed to have woken up and seen Quinton, Hadley has previously stated. He said his mother had reported him missing at 9:39 in the morning.
Hadley declared that Simon was the only suspect and that no other people were under investigation for possible criminal charges.
