What do Leilani Simon’s neighbors think about guilty verdict?
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Neighbors are reflecting on the guilty verdict against Leilani Simon, the former Burke County resident accused of killing her 20-month-old son Quinton Simon.
Neighbors say Buckhalter Road was flooded with onlookers in the days following Quinton’s disappearance.
Now a sense of relief has filled the neighborhood since the guilty verdict was read Friday.
EARLIER NEWS 12 COVERAGE:
- Leilani Simon goes to court ahead of October trial in toddler’s killing
- Here’s how mom’s trial may play out in Quinton Simon’s murder
- Leilani Simon’s mother seeks custody of 2 living children
- Missing Ga. toddler’s mom on probation out of Burke County
People who live on that street say so much has happened surrounding that area, for years now, and they’re happy to return to some sense of normalcy, and say they’re glad that justice has been served.
The verdict reached in just seven hours from a jury after hearing nearly two weeks of testimonies and looking at evidence.
Leilani was found guilty on all 19 counts for her son’s tragic death.
“She can’t hurt him no more. He can’t be hurt anymore,” said Gerri McCusker.
McCusker, Leilani’s neighbor has lived on Buckhalter Road for close to 14 years.
CSRA CONNECTION:
- At the time of Quinton’s death, Leilani 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.
She re the day investigators initially showed up to look for Quinton, searching her property-along with neighbors all along that street.
“I took her back there. We looked all through there. We went to the wood line and looked back there. Like I said, the following morning, Thursday morning, I walked from my house to the church down there just, like, looking in ditches, praying the whole time, God, please don’t let me find this baby in this ditch,” said McCusker.
Gerri says Leilani’s story about how Quinton disappeared didn’t make sense from the beginning.
“Not at 6 o’clock in the morning, I don’t think that a child that small would come out of the house,” said McCusker.
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From there, she says all along the street, people flocked to Leilani’s home.
A point she makes, as none of the same YouTubers and bloggers were present for Quinton’s trial.
“They had cars up and down the road here. They were standing outside the house hollering and screaming at them. It seemed stupid to me because that wasn’t helping Quinton in the least bit,” said McCusker.
She followed along throughout the entire trial, wanting justice for the little boy across the street.
“I was praying that he would have his justice. That she’d be, like I said, it just seemed crazy to begin with. It just didn’t seem believable,” said McCusker.
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Gerri says she hopes the verdict can bring closure.
“I pray that she does not get out of jail anytime soon. That day that they found her guilty, I said, ‘Now they can tear that house down,’” said McCusker.
The home Quinton Simon was last seen in won’t be torn down.
It sold back at the end of February for nearly $400,000 to another homeowner, and is currently being remodeled completely.
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