Leilani Simon, the Georgia mother accused of murdering her toddler in 2022, returned to court last week as key evidence in the case was reviewed.
Her highly anticipated trial for the death of her 20-month-old son, Quinton Simon, is set for October.
The state submitted seven pieces of evidence, including conversations between Simon, detectives, witnesses, and her ex-boyfriend Daniel Youngkin, arguing the jury should review this material during the trial.
Judge Tammy Stokes is currently reviewing the evidence.
Georgia mother charged with the 2022 murder of her toddler Quinton Simon.
Chatham County Detention Center and Police Department
Newsweek reached out to the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office, they said they cannot comment on pending cases at this time.
Robert Persse, Simon’s defense lawyer, argued the state’s evidence fails to address matters directly related to the crime.
“The ultimate question in this case…is did this defendant commit the crime that’s alleged,” Persse said in court, “… irrelevant to the ultimate question is all this personal stuff of which, frankly, our position is the state’s offering it just to make her look unstable, and bad.”
Newsweek reached out to Persse about the pieces of evidence submitted, however, he said, “I am not at liberty to discuss the posture of the case or the evidence submitted by the State of Georgia.”
The Context
Simon was charged with malice murder, concealing the death of another person, false reporting, and making false statements in connection with the disappearance and death of her 20-month-old son.
20-month-old son, Quinton Simon.
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According to the indictment, the night before her son’s death, Simon met with a drug dealer and used an unspecified drug.
Simon’s boyfriend, Danny Youngkin, last saw the child alive around 6 a.m. When Simon woke up later that morning, she found the boy missing and believed someone had entered his room and taken him. She did not report him missing until 9 a.m. and the search for her son began on October 5.
Simon is the only person charged in the case, even though her boyfriend claims he last saw the toddler alive.
On October 12, Chatham County police announced they believed the child was dead and identified his mother as the primary suspect. By October 18, investigators indicated someone had likely disposed of Quinton Simon’s body in a dumpster.
After 30 days of searching through 1.2 million pounds of trash, law enforcement officials discovered what they believed to be human remains at the Waste Management Landfill site in Chatham County on November 18.
The indictment alleges Quinton died on the morning of October 5 after Simon assaulted him with an unknown object, resulting in “serious bodily injury.” The charges state she then disposed of his body in a trash bin outside a mobile home park approximately 1.5 miles from her home.
Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley praised the FBI for their critical role in the investigation, stating, “The FBI’s expertise was instrumental in solving this case and locating Quinton. Their expertise, manpower, and resources are unmatched, and we are tremendously grateful for the FBI’s assistance.”
The murder trial starts on October 9 at the Chatham County Courthouse. The Superior Court Administrator told Newsweek that the final hearing, originally scheduled for September 17, has been canceled.
Where is Chatham County?
Chatham County is located in the southeastern part of Georgia, along the Atlantic coast. It is home to Savannah, the oldest city in Georgia, which serves as the administrative center of the county.
Chatham County is home to Savannah, the oldest city in Georgia.
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As of 2020, Chatham County had a population of around 295,000, making it one of the most populous counties in Georgia.
Chatham County is in the 4th percentile for safety, meaning 96% of counties are safer and 4% of counties are more dangerous.
The rate of crime in Chatham County is 86.90 per 1,000 residents during a standard year, and the rate of murder is 0.0611 per 1,000 residents during a standard year. People who live in Chatham County generally consider the southwest part of the county to be the safest.
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