A PhD student in Pennsylvania faces charges of killing her friend’s newborn and injuring his twin brother and could face the death penalty.
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On Friday, the Allegheny District Attorney’s Office announced in court its intention to pursue capital punishment for Nicole Virzi. She is accused of fatally injuring 6-week-old Leon Katz by smashing his skull while babysitting him in the family’s home in the Pittsburgh area last June.
Virzi, 30, was caring for the baby while Leon’s parents, Ethan Katz and his wife Savannah Roberts, took his twin sibling, Ari, to the hospital for injuries that the California woman was later accused of causing.
Prosecutors have announced their intention to seek the death penalty for the homicide that occurred on June 15, as reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. They cited several aggravating factors for this rare decision, including the alleged use of torture in committing the crime.
Virzi alleged that Leon fell from his bouncer chair when she briefly stepped away. However, doctors determined that the injuries were “consistent with having been sustained as a result of child abuse, as they are inflicted injuries that are neither natural nor accidental,” according to previous reports from WTAE, which referenced court records and police statements.
Meanwhile, the county’s medical examiner determined that Leon’s cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. A CT scan revealed a significant skull fracture on the left side, accompanied by multiple brain hemorrhages.
Virzi is facing charges of homicide, aggravated assault, and child endangerment.
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Virzi, a clinical psychology student in the Joint Doctoral Program at UC San Diego, originally hails from California. At the time of the incident, she was residing in an Airbnb near Pittsburgh.
Last month, Virzi’s attorney, David Shrager, stated that his client was heartbroken by Leon’s death, while asserting her innocence.
“If there was something that she would want to convey, it would just be the absolutely horrible pain that she’s feeling,” Shrager said, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “These were her close friends.”
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe campaign has been established for the family of Leon Katz.
“In addition to coping with the unbearable loss of their beloved son Leon, Savannah and Ethan are facing significant financial burdens,” the campaign reads. “Funds raised will cover funeral expenses, medical bills resulting from injuries sustained by both Leon and Ari, essential baby supplies, and relocation costs as they navigate this difficult time.”
So far, the GoFundMe has raised $82,635 of a $90,000 goal.