PA - infant Leon Katz murdered, twin injured, allegedly by babysitter, Pittsburgh- June 24, 2024

[SMK777]

Do we know anything about her past, her relationships, her friends, any unusual behavior. Have any of her friends spoken out? We know she is respected in her field, but what about in her activities outside of her studies? Is she well liked, is she a loner. Might she be super competitive in her studies? (my daughter was doing her PhD (neuroscience), but after 3 years abandoned that...it was a cutthroat environment, she couldn't stand the competition, the need to excel, produce papers, she even experienced sabotage amongst her cohorts. Quit and went into medicine)

Does NV have close friends, was she involved in any extracurricular activities, does she come across as emphatic and genuinely caring? Or is she a schadenfreude type ? I've known people like that, they are frightening.

I know one person in an article described her:

‘I would say she was a little rigid. She was nice. But very driven and motivated.'

Woman accused of murdering newborn baby is daughter of top NYC doctor

Nicole Virzi, 29, the woman accused of killing six-month-old Leon Katz and injuring his twin brother Ari, is the daughter of a prominent NYC cardiologist, Peter J Virzi.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[katsrfun]

I agree, it's very puzzling. Drugs are always possible, though I think first responders/police would have noticed.

IMO, it's something very weird to do with her state of mind, and possibly her relationship with the mother or something. Perhaps the first incident led to the second ie someone might get even more deeply into whatever the crazy was, while being alone waiting/anticipating being blamed for it?

JMO

But how could she dare injure the second twin while the first was at the hospital? She was the only one there. Do you think the parents didn't notice in their rush and anxiety to get to the hospital? Wouldn't he have been screaming from pain, though? Moo Katt

 

[SMK777]

But how could she dare injure the second twin while the first was at the hospital? She was the only one there

SBM
This is what baffles me as well.
It’s a perplexing and bizarre case on so many levels.
I’m beginning to wonder if she had a complete psychotic breakdown.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

If she was experiencing delusions, I think the parents would have noticed. However in my opinion, and just as a possibility, it could be that having realized she wasn't (yet) suspected of harming the first baby, she then escalated with the second.

 

[SMK777]

If she was experiencing delusions, I think the parents would have noticed. However in my opinion, and just as a possibility, it could be that having realized she wasn't (yet) suspected of harming the first baby, she then escalated with the second.

Maybe so. It would be more sane, though, to quit while you’re ahead. Look where the escalation got her. Or was she so arrogant that she thought she’d get away with it? Who has 2 baby emergencies in one night, though? Thats why she got arrested…

If nothing had gone wrong with the second baby, I wonder what the difference would have been in the arrest outcome?

 

[vlbay]

SBM
This is what baffles me as well.
It’s a perplexing and bizarre case on so many levels.
I’m beginning to wonder if she had a complete psychotic breakdown.

If it were a murder mystery, I'd say she hurt the first twin in order to have the opportunity to be alone with the second. But...what would be the motive for that? It's a baby. Nothing makes sense. I do know that jet lag/time zone changes can sometimes trigger psychosis or mood episodes. But that's as much a guess as anything at the moment.

 

[SMK777]

If it were a murder mystery, I'd say she hurt the first twin in order to have the opportunity to be alone with the second. But...what would be the motive for that? It's a baby. Nothing makes sense. I do know that jet lag/time zone changes can sometimes trigger psychosis or mood episodes. But that's as much a guess as anything at the moment.

Well, something extreme occurred. Whether psychotic or sociopathic or a meltdown triggered by jet lag….. I wonder what the parents are thinking and feeling at this point in time? They have their one son, the other dead, after knowing NV (as her attorney states) for the last 5 years. They know she is in jail and charged with murder. What must they be feeling, and talking about with each other?

 

[AnyNameIWish]

Seemingly she was otherwise well- adjusted, no history of issues at the workplace/ family.... right?

That being the case I don't buy any sort of psychosis. MOO, this was calculated and planned. I don't know what "trusted family friend" means (it can mean anything these days- all we know is she isn't related) and to me this seems like a person who had deep seated anger/ jealousy/ hate for the mom and/or dad and this was the plan. It was Father's Day weekend. On top of that, it was the couple's FIRST wedding anniversary. Was she at their wedding last year? Why would she be in town to see them during such a momentous weekend? Was she invited? Did she insist on being in town?

I'm sure this will all come out in due time, but this all seems too orchestrated to me for it to be a psychotic break for Nicole.

 

[Mack the Knife]

All the speculation has me lost. What is really known or agreed upon about this so far?

• Nicole Virzi was in Pennsylvania, visiting from California
• She was at the home of Savannah Roberts and Ethan Katz, parents of 6.5 week old twins LK and AK
• NV observed an injury to AK's genital area, and Savannah and Ethan took AK to the hospital, leaving NV with LK
  • NV's attorney says she was changing AK and then reported the injury to his parents, police imply AK might have been alone in NV's care at that time, it's not entirely clear, but it doesn't seem to be disputed that NV was the one to notice the injury and inform Savannah and Ethan
  • Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4
• NV was the only person with LK at the time of his fatal injury and called 911 (source)
• A doctor who examined both LK and EK told police that their injuries were sustained as a result of child abuse and not accidental (source)
• LK's death was ruled a homicide by blunt force trauma to the head in the Medical Examiner's preliminary autopsy (source)

Distilling this down to the most simple it can be, does the case here (that we know of) come down to: NV was with both LK and AK at the time their injuries were discovered, the doctors/ME have concluded that the injuries were a result of child abuse and LK was a victim of homicide, therefore NV is most likely to be guilty of abusing AK and LK and killing LK?

 

[*LD*]

Hypothetically

Misses chatting with her online friend.
Jealous of the babies
Wants the babies and husband out of the way.
Genital injury is to frame the husband.
Maybe hurting the second child was more impulsive when her friend didn't immediately blame the father???

All my lame opinion.

 

[sunspun]

Sounds like she enjoyed hurting the first baby so much that when she found herself all alone with the second baby, she just couldn't resist her urge to continue her "fun" with the 2nd one.

But she did too much somehow, and that baby died.

And that was the end of her fun.

Sickening.

I wonder if the baby who died had any genital injuries.

 

[AnyNameIWish]

All the speculation has me lost. What is really known or agreed upon about this so far?

• Nicole Virzi was in Pennsylvania, visiting from California
• She was at the home of Savannah Roberts and Ethan Katz, parents of 6.5 week old twins LK and AK
• NV observed an injury to AK's genital area, and Savannah and Ethan took AK to the hospital, leaving NV with LK
  • NV's attorney says she was changing AK and then reported the injury to his parents, police imply AK might have been alone in NV's care at that time, it's not entirely clear, but it doesn't seem to be disputed that NV was the one to notice the injury and inform Savannah and Ethan
  • Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4
• NV was the only person with LK at the time of his fatal injury and called 911 (source)
• A doctor who examined both LK and EK told police that their injuries were sustained as a result of child abuse and not accidental (source)
• LK's death was ruled a homicide by blunt force trauma to the head in the Medical Examiner's preliminary autopsy (source)

Distilling this down to the most simple it can be, does the case here (that we know of) come down to: NV was with both LK and AK at the time their injuries were discovered, the doctors/ME have concluded that the injuries were a result of child abuse and LK was a victim of homicide, therefore NV is most likely to be guilty of abusing AK and LK and killing LK?

@Mack the Knife .

You are so right. I was pretty quick to jump to why she would do this.... but perhaps she didn't do this at all??? Then... the signs have to point to mom or dad. Which also makes NO sense!

I only hope that LE has evidence in one way or another to have pointed fingers at NV. At this point, you're right- we have not been privy to any of it.

 

[SMK777]

Seemingly she was otherwise well- adjusted, no history of issues at the workplace/ family.... right?

That being the case I don't buy any sort of psychosis. MOO, this was calculated and planned. I don't know what "trusted family friend" means (it can mean anything these days- all we know is she isn't related) and to me this seems like a person who had deep seated anger/ jealousy/ hate for the mom and/or dad and this was the plan. It was Father's Day weekend. On top of that, it was the couple's FIRST wedding anniversary. Was she at their wedding last year? Why would she be in town to see them during such a momentous weekend? Was she invited? Did she insist on being in town?

I'm sure this will all come out in due time, but this all seems too orchestrated to me for it to be a psychotic break for Nicole.

Yes, her attorney had stated that she was in Pittsburgh specifically to visit them.

I wonder if she had a jealous obsession with one of them, and felt that being married with new twins had left her without hope and feeling out in the cold and alone?

I remember a friend of mine saying that in her younger years, when her husband had left her for another woman, whom he had a baby with, in her despair she used to wish harm on the baby ( only as desperate intrusive thoughts in her mind, which she was ashamed of ).

I wonder if anything like that was driving her?

 

[IDK]

True, but was she willing to give up on her PhD and go to prison? How could she possibly think she’d get away with it? Look where she is right now.
Is this a good thing to be facing?:

Pittsburgh police charged Virzi on Sunday with criminal homicide, three counts of aggravated assault, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

I have a basic question here for those who understand more about criminal charges. She was charged with three counts of aggravated assault and of course there were just the two babies.

Where did the third charge come from? Was there evidence that one of the babies had been attacked more than once?

 

[SMK777]

All the speculation has me lost. What is really known or agreed upon about this so far?

• Nicole Virzi was in Pennsylvania, visiting from California
• She was at the home of Savannah Roberts and Ethan Katz, parents of 6.5 week old twins LK and AK
• NV observed an injury to AK's genital area, and Savannah and Ethan took AK to the hospital, leaving NV with LK
  • NV's attorney says she was changing AK and then reported the injury to his parents, police imply AK might have been alone in NV's care at that time, it's not entirely clear, but it doesn't seem to be disputed that NV was the one to notice the injury and inform Savannah and Ethan
  • Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4
• NV was the only person with LK at the time of his fatal injury and called 911 (source)
• A doctor who examined both LK and EK told police that their injuries were sustained as a result of child abuse and not accidental (source)
• LK's death was ruled a homicide by blunt force trauma to the head in the Medical Examiner's preliminary autopsy (source)

Distilling this down to the most simple it can be, does the case here (that we know of) come down to: NV was with both LK and AK at the time their injuries were discovered, the doctors/ME have concluded that the injuries were a result of child abuse and LK was a victim of homicide, therefore NV is most likely to be guilty of abusing AK and LK and killing LK?

The only thing to add to your excellent synopsis as presumed fact is that NV’s attorney said she’d been friends with the couple for 5 years, and had traveled to Pittsburgh for the purpose of visiting them.

 

[whitelilac]

I don't believe the doctors who examined the babies and determined the injuries were the result of abuse would come to that decision lightly. It's a very serious accusation. Medical professionals have to be 100 % sure, and the determination came quickly there was no accident.
Same with the ME. No question regarding baby Leon, no further investigation,....manner of death ruled a homicide.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Hmm. So her attorney said "the" reason she went to their city was actually to visit with them?

 

[SMK777]

I have a basic question here for those who understand more about criminal charges. She was charged with three counts of aggravated assault and of course there were just the two babies.

Where did the third charge come from? Was there evidence that one of the babies had been attacked more than once?

That’s a good question.
Pittsburgh police charged Virzi on Sunday with criminal homicide, three counts of aggravated assault, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
1. We know what the criminal homicide is about.
2. We know what the 2 counts of endangering a child is about.
3. The 3 counts of assault must include 1. Injury to the live infant 2. Skull injury to the deceased infant. So the third maybe additional skull trauma (the brain bleeds and blunt force trauma?)

 

[SMK777]

Hmm. So her attorney said "the" reason she went to their city was actually to visit with them?

Yes, I’ll have to look up the exact MSM article quote, but it was very clear that he stated she’d known them for 5 years and was in Pittsburgh to see them.

 

[SMK777]

Hypothetically

Misses chatting with her online friend.
Jealous of the babies
Wants the babies and husband out of the way.
Genital injury is to frame the husband.
Maybe hurting the second child was more impulsive when her friend didn't immediately blame the father???

All my lame opinion.

It’s plausible.
But why would the genital injury point to the father? You think NV pointed it out to the woman first, to cast suspicion on him?