GA v. Leilani Simon: Toddler in Landfill Murder Trial

CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (Court TV) — A Georgia woman accused of murdering her toddler son is on trial two years after his remains were found in a landfill.

Leilani Simon appears in court March 26, 2024. (Court TV)

On Oct. 5, 2022, Leilani Simon called police to report that Quinton Simon was missing. She told a 911 dispatcher that their front door was open and Quinton must have been abducted. For weeks, investigators searched for the boy. His remains were discovered Nov. 18.

According to an indictment filed in the case , prosecutors believe Leilani killed Quinton on the morning of Oct. 5 by assaulting him with an unknown object before leaving his body in a dumpster outside of a trailer park near her home.

In the days and weeks after reporting her son’s disappearance, Leilani gave a number of interviews to the police and FBI, which her attorneys have fought to keep from being entered into evidence at trial .

Leilani is standing trial on 19 charges, including murder, concealing a death, falsely reporting a crime and 14 counts of lying to investigators.

Her trial is scheduled to begin Monday, Oct. 14.