Police searching landfill for missing toddler’s body

CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC/Gray News) - Law enforcement said they are searching a Chatham County landfill for missing toddler Quinton Simon.

During a news conference on Tuesday, the Chatham County Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation said evidence gathered has led to the landfill search, WTOC reported.

Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley said the department believes Simon’s body was thrown in a trash receptacle and unknowingly disposed of at the landfill.

Quinton Simon, 20 months old, was last seen on Oct. 5 when he was reported missing from his... — Quinton Simon, 20 months old, was last seen on Oct. 5 when he was reported missing from his home. (Chatham County Police Department)

The specific landfill is the one off Little Neck Road near L. Scott Stell Park.

Quinton, 20 months old, was last seen on Oct. 5 when he was reported missing from his home. Since then, county police and the FBI confirmed they believe Quinton is dead.

They have named his mother, Leilani Simon, as the prime suspect in his disappearance and death.

No one has been charged yet in this case.

Both and Will Clarke with the FBI emphasized that this search process for Quinton is going to be grueling and isn’t something that’s going to be wrapped up in a few days.

Clarke described how physically involved the search will be, saying that a team of people will have to move a pile of debris at the landfill onto what he called a “search deck.” They’ll then have to go through that pile and determine if any of Quinton’s remains are in it. If not, they’ll move that pile of debris and search another one.

It’s an intensive process that could take a long time.

As hard as it’s going to be for those searching, they know that getting Quinton to a proper resting place is the most important thing right now.

“We know this is going to be a physically, mentally and emotionally grueling task for our investigators and team. Yesterday, our team posted this picture of Quinton here on this wall of this operation center as a reminder of who we are searching for and why we continue to work so terribly hard,” Hadley said.

Hadley said they wouldn’t quit searching until they have a reason not to.

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