PhD student accused of horrifically killing friend’s newborn baby after assaulting tot’s twin
A California PhD student allegedly killed her friend’s newborn baby boy in Pennsylvania by smashing his skull after assaulting the infant’s twin brother, according to cops who arrested her.
Nicole Virzi, 29, was babysitting her close friend’s six-week-old baby, Leon Katz, at his home in Pittsburgh when the child suffered a fractured skull and brain bleeding, authorities told local station WTAE reported.
Virzi had been watching the infant while her friend, who was not identified in the report, took little Leon’s twin brother to a hospital with an injury to his gentitals, according to police.
Virzi, who is reportedly a clinical psychology candidate in UC San Diego’s Joint Doctoral Program, allegedly caused the genital injury too, according to cops.
“The injuries sustained by both [twins are] consistent with having been sustained as a result of child abuse, as these are inflicted injuries that are not natural and not accidental,” a doctor informed detectives, according to a criminal complaint reported by the station Tuesday.
Virzi told police she left Leon alone in a bouncer seat to get a baby bottle in the kitchen then heard him screaming. When she returned, he had fallen onto the floor and hit his head, she claimed.
Virzi called 911 and later told cops she saw Leon’s twin get hurt earlier, so she notified his parents.
Virzi denied any foul play and said through a lawyer that she’s innocent.
“Our client denies these allegations. She is a loving person and a friend to these people and would never harm anyone’s child, let alone theirs,’ attorney David Shrager told the station.
“She’s a PhD student. She is long-term friends with the family in this situation,” Shrager said.
He added she doesn’t have “any criminal history in her background” and that they are “anxious to get our day in court.”
Virzi was charged with homicide, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children.
She is being held without bail at the Allegheny County Jail and is scheduled to attend a court hearing on June 28.
It wasn’t immediately clear when the infant died or when Virzi was arrested.
