The human bones found in a Savannah-area landfill belonged to a toddler reporting missing nearly two months ago, the FBI said Monday.
“The FBI Laboratory Division has confirmed through DNA analysis the bones found in the Superior Landfill are those of missing 20-month-old Quinton Simon,” the agency said in a statement.
The announcement comes a week after the boy’s mother was charged with his murder, according to the Chatham County Police Department.
Leilani Maree Simon, 22, reported her son missing from the family’s home Oct. 5, police said. Authorities launched an extensive search to find the toddler, whose story made national headlines.
“Since that time, millions of people have followed Quinton’s case and have been awaiting answers,” police posted on social media.
For several weeks, investigators had searched the landfill, combing through 1.2 million pounds of trash. Chatham police Chief Jeff Hadley said last week investigators believed the remains found there could belong to Quinton.
Tests conducted at the FBI lab in Virginia provided preliminary confirmation that the remains were that of a human, then additional DNA testing confirmed they belonged to the little boy.
Within a week of the boy’s disappearance, investigators said they believed he was dead and that his mother was the primary suspect. She has also been charged with concealing the death of another and making false statements, both felonies, and a misdemeanor charge of false report of a crime, Chatham jail records show.
Investigators said no other arrests are anticipated in the case.
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