Mother of Missing Savannah Toddler Faces Murder Charge After Landfill Search Recovers Remains in Chatham County

SAVANNAH, GA — The mother of a missing Savannah toddler has been charged with murder after police said remains were recovered from a local landfill during a weeks-long search. Chatham County police said Monday that Leilani Simon, 22, now faces malice murder, concealing the death of another person, false reporting and making false statements.

Simon reported her 20-month-old son, Quinton Simon, missing on Oct. 5. Investigators said that within a week they believed the child was dead and identified his mother as the primary suspect. Police also said they do not expect any additional arrests in the case.

Police say the child was believed to have been discarded in a dumpster

Detectives said on Oct. 18 that they believed Quinton had been placed in a dumpster, which led them to begin searching for his body in the local landfill. That search became the center of the investigation as officers and other agencies worked through huge amounts of waste in difficult conditions.

Authorities said searchers spent 30 days going through about 1.2 million pounds of trash. Police described the work as grueling and hazardous, and said those involved knew the odds of finding the boy were low. The department also pointed to FBI data saying landfill searches succeed only about 5% of the time.

Remains found Friday are now being tested

Police said remains were found at the landfill on Friday, but testing is still underway to determine whether they belong to Quinton. Investigators have not yet said publicly what the testing will show or when those results might be released.

The discovery marked the first major physical breakthrough in the search after weeks of sorting through landfill material. Even so, police have not confirmed that the remains are the toddler’s, and the case remains active as forensic work continues.

A fast-moving investigation turned the mother into the main suspect

The timeline of the case moved quickly after Simon first reported her son missing. By Oct. 12, investigators said they believed Quinton was dead, and they publicly identified his mother as the primary suspect. The arrest announced Monday formalized that shift in the case.

Chatham County police said the charges against Simon include false reporting and making false statements, along with the homicide and concealment counts. Those allegations reflect both the missing-child investigation and the separate question of what happened after the boy died, according to authorities.

Law enforcement agencies spent weeks searching the landfill

Chief Jeff Hadley thanked the agencies that joined the effort and said the search required extensive coordination. Police said a wide range of law enforcement and public service agencies helped comb through the landfill as investigators tried to locate the child’s remains.

The search drew attention because of the conditions crews faced. Chatham County police said the environment was hazardous and physically demanding, but searchers continued because the case had become a homicide investigation and the family needed answers. Officials have not announced any new suspects or arrests beyond Simon.

What the charges mean as the case moves forward

Simon’s arrest brings the case into a new phase, but investigators are still waiting on the results of the landfill testing. If the remains are confirmed to be Quinton’s, the homicide case could advance with physical evidence tied to the search. If not, police have not said what other steps they may take.

For now, Chatham County police are treating Simon as the only person expected to be charged. The department has given no indication that the investigation is finished, only that the landfill search has yielded remains and that forensic analysis will determine the next official conclusion.