Quinton Simon: Georgia Mother Indicted On 19 Charges, Including Murder

SAVANNAH, GA — Leilani Simon, the mother accused of killing her nearly 2-year-old toddler, was indicted Wednesday by a grand jury on 19 counts to include multiple counts of murder, Chatham County District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones said at a news conference.

Simon is accused of killing her son, Quinton, 20 months old, who police said she reported missing to authorities on Oct. 5 from their Buckhalter Road home.

Quinton's remains were found in a landfill on Nov. 18 during a five-week search, authorities said at the time. Simon was charged in the case as the sole suspect shortly after, police said at the time.

She was indicted on one count of malice murder "for the intentional killing or death of her son Quinton Simon," two counts of felony murder, one count of concealment of the death of another, one count of false report of a crime and 14 counts of giving false statements during the course of a police investigation, Jones said.

Simon's mother, 45-year-old Billie Jo Betterton, also known as Billie Jo Howell, was arrested Monday for contempt of court, according to the Savannah Morning News. The report does not say what led to the charge. Betterton had custody of Quinton at the time of his disappearance, the outlet reported.

According to the eight-page indictment against Simon, retrieved by WTOC 11, Simon is accused of assaulting Quinton with an object that resulted in serious bodily injury; and during that assault, Quinton's death was caused.

It is unknown what object to which the indictment is referring. Jones said her office will not be answering questions or responding to public records requests about the case to protect the judicial process.

She said she believes authorities have gathered "more than sufficient evidence" to indict Simon.

"Whenever we have the death of a child of tender years as in this case, (...) that’s something that’s just going to stick in your mind as a prosecutor," Jones said, generally speaking. "That’s something that keeps me up at night, and that is what is going to keep me and the rest of this office pursuing justice in this case."

Simon is accused of "maliciously" causing Quinton "cruel and excessive physical pain" and "discarding him in a dumpster at Azalea Mobile Home Plaza, which hindered the discovery of whether Quinton was unlawfully killed," according to the indictment.

She is accused of telling authorities her son had been abducted by an unknown intruder when filing a police report, read the indictment.

She is also accused of telling authorities during the missing persons investigation that she left her home late night on Oct. 4 to pay a drug debt to a drug dealer, telling them she was a regular user of marijuana, read the indictment. Later in the indictment, she is accused of telling authorities she left her home early morning on Oct. 5 to meet a friend at a gas station to get Orajel.

Simon is accused of telling authorities on Oct. 12 that she was discarding "normal household garbage" the morning of Oct. 5, read the indictment.

According to the indictment, it was discovered on Oct. 31 that Simon was not the person who left the home on Oct. 5 but was rather someone else.

The case is still being investigated, Jones said.

Patch is working to speak with Leilani Simon's defense attorney.

Timeline in the disappearance and death of Quinton Simon:

Oct. 5 — Quinton is reported missing around 9:45 a.m. by his mother. The FBI and a host of police officers begin searching for the toddler.

Oct. 13 — Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley announces he believes Quinton to be dead. Simon is named a prime suspect in the case.

Oct. 18 — Authorities and search experts from as far as Atlanta begin looking Quinton's remains in a landfill in Savannah.

Late October — Simon speaks to media for the first time and tells them she hopes her son is alive and being cared for by someone else.

Nov. 4 — After protests sparked at the home of Quinton, law enforcement apply local ordinances in response to the protests.

Nov. 18 — Remains are discovered in the landfill believed by authorities to belong to Quinton.

Nov. 21 — Simon is charged on suspicion of murder and other charges.

Nov. 28 — The remains are confirmed by authorities to belong to Quinton. The landfill search ends.

Dec. 12 — Betterton is arrested on suspicion of contempt of court, according to a report.

Dec. 14 — Simon is indicted on multiple counts, including malice murder.