A Southern California woman, Nicole Elizabeth Virzi, is now facing charges in a Pittsburgh child homicide case. Virzi, 29, a Ph.D. student, has been condemned for killing the infant baby of her close friend and abusing the twin brother of the child.
The Ph.D. student is now facing multiple charges, including irritated assault, charges for homicide, and additional counts of venting the welfare of a child.
Southern California Woman Charged With Newborn's Death
After the incident happened, police officers in Pittsburgh presently made an arrest on Virzi on June 16 at the apartment where the parents of the injured newborn babies, Savannah Roberts and Ethan Katz, lived.
The Southern California woman is a Ph.D. student in clinical psychology at San Diego State University and UC San Diego and was arrested roughly 4.5 miles northeast of downtown Pittsburgh.
Virzi reportedly called 911 on June 15 around 11:15 p.m. to report that a six-and-a-half-week-old baby she was watching had fallen from a bassinet and was getting unresponsive.
First responders instantly arrived on the scene and transported the baby, Leon Katz, to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children's Hospital. Unfortunately, Leon Katz was pronounced dead the next day, just before 5:50 a.m.
During the inquiry, investigators discovered that before Leon was injured, his parents had taken his twin brother to the hospital after Virzi informed them of injuries to the baby's genitals.
According to the criminal complaint, an investigator with the Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner learned that Leon suffered a severe skull fracture and multiple brain bleeds.
Dr. Arlel Goldschmidt of the Medical Examiner's Office subsequently performed a primary autopsy, determining that Leon's cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and ruling it a homicide.
Jail records indicate that Virzi is presently held without bond and is listed for a primary hearing on July 24 in the Magisterial District Court in Pittsburgh.
Support for the Newborn Victims' Parents
David Schrager, Virzi's counsel, described her as a longtime friend of the family who had traveled from California to visit the parents before her arrest. He stated that his client denies any serious allegations or any intention that she was involved in harming the newborn babies in any way.
Schrager added that Virzi has no unlawful history and is studying Ph.D. He added that both parties have known each other for at least five years and that she was a longtime friend of the family.
An online fundraiser created by Isabella Kahhalé and Sam Plateto to support the family referred to Virzi as a "trusted family friend."
As of Tuesday, the fundraiser had raised over $66,000 in donations. The authors wrote that Ethan and Savannah are facing significant monetary burdens on top of managing the insufferable loss of their cherished son, Leon.
The finances gathered will be used to cover the cost of medical bills resulting from injuries sustained by both Leon and Ari, burial costs, and relocation costs as they navigate this tough time.
Background and Broader Implications
A video posted by the Heart and Mind academic journal on June 13, just days before the incident, shows Virzi explaining a paper she authored on depression in women. In the videotape, she appears well-spoken and discusses how physical symptoms of depression can lead to heart disease.
Virzi, who's described on her UC San Diego profile as a someone studying under the mentorship of Professor Thomas Rutledge, now faces severe allegations that have shocked the community and raised questions about her conduct and background.
As this case unfolds, the parents of Leon and Ari are left to grapple with an unbelievable tragedy on what was meant to be a joyful occasion, Father's Day and their wedding anniversary.
