A mom accused of murdering her toddler and dumping his body in landfill wiped away tears as her criminal trial got underway.
Leilani Simon is standing trial in Georgia on charges of malice murder, felony murder, concealment of death and making false statements to police following the death of her 20-month-old son, Quinton, in October 2022.
She is accused of beating her son to death and dumping him in the trash. His tiny body was found in landfill a month after he vanished.
On Monday, as the jury entered the courtroom for the trial to get underway, Simon wiped tears from her eyes and covered her face in her hands.
A mom accused of murdering her toddler and dumping his body in landfill wiped away tears as her criminal trial got underway
Leilani Simon is standing jury trial in Georgia on charges of malice murder, felony murder, concealment of death and making false statements to police following the death of her 20-month-old son, Quinton, in October 2022
She is accused of beating her son to death and dumping him in the trash. His tiny body was found in landfill a month after he vanished
Simon was seen on camera lifting her glasses and putting her head in her hands, using her palms to wipe her eyes before switching to a tissue.
Police allege Simon had met with a drug dealer shortly before the murder.
She allegedly told police her son was abducted by an intruder who broke into her home, but the Chatham County Police Chief suspected her of wrongdoing right away.
The state was first up on Monday morning to deliver opening statements.
Prosecutor Tim Dean said: ‘The defended violated that most basic, sacred trust of a parent in the most horrible way.
‘In the middle of the night, she killed him, her own son, got in her car with his body, drove to a dumpster, then threw him away like a piece of trash.
‘She would go home, go to sleep like everything was normal, wake up in the morning and report it to police.’
The court heard his little body was found ‘in pieces, unfortunately.’
On Monday, as the jury entered the courtroom for the trial to get underway, Simon wiped tears from her eyes and covered her face in her hands
Prosecutor Tim Dean shared a photo of dumpsters as he told the jury: ‘In the middle of the night, she killed him, her own son, got in her car with his body, drove to a dumpster, then threw him away like a piece of trash.’
Dean played a distressing clip of a ‘digital suicide note’ Simon left months before Quinton’s death.
In it, a hysterical and sobbing Simon described her youngest child, Skye, as ‘a beautiful little girl.’
‘I wish I could watch you grow up. I wish I could hold you for your first heartbreak, because my mama didn’t. Skye, I love you baby girl.’
She then referenced her eldest son, Zane, telling him ‘you are so handsome, so sweet, so protective.
‘You are going to be such a good man one day. I hope you grow up and learn what loyalty is, and you learn how to treat a woman and how to love a woman.’
Then, directed to Quinton, she said. ‘You are a middle child. You’re so happy all the time, smile all the time.’
The court heard his little body was found ‘in pieces, unfortunately’
Leilani was ultimately arrested on November 21 — just days after authorities found Quinton’s remains in a Savannah landfill
Simon then turned her attention to her on-off boyfriend, Daniel Youngkin.
‘Danny, I loved you,’ she said. ‘I worshiped the ground you walked on. I would do anything for you.
‘Even when I was carrying your child and hating myself every day, because you did not want to have sex with me, you did not want to love me, you just did not want me.
‘I wanted you more than life itself, but you’ve proven it was only one way, that feeling, that love, that loyalty. It was all one way… I’m at the river now, bye Danny.’
Quinton was last seen alive on October 5 by Simon’s boyfriend, Daniel Youngkin, who saw him in a pack-n-play at 6am.
Three hours later, Leilani reported Quinton missing from her home. She claimed to have woken up at 9.30am and found the door of the house open with her son gone.
Simon’s two other children were removed from her custody a week after Quinton was reported missing.
Simon was ultimately arrested on November 21 — just days after authorities found Quinton’s remains in a Savannah landfill.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .