Leilani Simon’s mother seeks custody of 2 living children
SAVANNAH, Ga. - The mother of Leilani Simon – the former Burke County resident accused of killing her son and hiding his body in a dumpster – is now petitioning for custody of Simon’s two living children.
The petition for child custody was filed by Billie Howell at the end of March, before the release of a congressional report on an investigation into Georgia’s foster care system.
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The report concluded mismanagement of the system led to the deaths and injuries of children – naming Quinton among them.
It explains he was under Howell’s care because Simon had a history of substance abuse and an open case with the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services regarding one of her other children.
The report says that Howell, who has a history with DFCS of her own, left Quinton alone with Simon, and that’s when his death occurred.
The court records in the child custody case have been sealed. The defendants in that case are Simon and the fathers of the two children.
At the time of Quinton’s death, Simon was on probation out of Burke County over the burglary of $50 in coins. She said her child’s father had convinced her to enter a neighbor,’s camper and steal the money from a coin jar. He reportedly needed her to do it because he couldn’t fit through the window.
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