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

[sds71]

Commonwealth V. Nicole Elizabeth Virzi

Criminal Homicide

F1 Aggravated Assault - Attempts to cause SBI or causes injury with extreme indifference

F1 Aggravated Assault - Victim Less Than 13 and Defendant 18 or older

F2 Aggravated Assault - Victim Less Than 6 and Defendant 18 or older

F2 Endangering Welfare of Children -
Parent/Guardian/Other Commits
Offense

F2 Endangering Welfare of Children -
Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense

https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/Report/CpCourtSummary?docketNumber=CP-02-CR-0004996-2024&dnh=k7PeUMLBlCrMdPyyZdS%2F%2Fw%3D%3D

 

[SMK777]

Commonwealth V. Nicole Elizabeth Virzi

Criminal Homicide

F1 Aggravated Assault - Attempts to cause SBI or causes injury with extreme indifference

F1 Aggravated Assault - Victim Less Than 13 and Defendant 18 or older

F2 Aggravated Assault - Victim Less Than 6 and Defendant 18 or older

F2 Endangering Welfare of Children -
Parent/Guardian/Other Commits
Offense

F2 Endangering Welfare of Children -
Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense

https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/Report/CpCourtSummary?docketNumber=CP-02-CR-0004996-2024&dnh=k7PeUMLBlCrMdPyyZdS%2F%2Fw%3D%3D

Thanks for this! Very informative.

 

[MissMalowe]

How long had NV been in town visiting at the time this occured? What was the nature of the visit? Was she invited specifically to help with the twins? Offered? Just a social visit to catch up with her friends? Staying at seperate accommodations/the airB&B-was that a preference of the hosts, or the guest?

What were the circumstances of her abuse to the first baby with the genital injuries? Had she babysat while parents were away or just alone with him while parents were in another room? What was the intention in doing that, getting away with it at that time so to speak but then pointing it out later? An attempt to not look guilty? An attempt to make one or both parents appear inept or less observant by noticing something with the baby that they had missed?

I wonder if its possible this was a matter of built-up anger/resentment/stress/frustration due to what was thought to be just a social visit turning out to be more of a childcare/help with the babies visit?

Edited to add:
It's very difficult to try to get into the mind of someone who would do something like this....2x actually, but I could see how someone evil like this could really fly off the handle if expectations for the visit were very different and they felt slighted or taken advantage of for lack of a better phrase- and then direct their misplaced anger on those 2 poor babies.

 

[SMK777]

Very odd that here is another case: A “family friend” was babysitting twins; sexually molested one, gave brain bleed to the second:

“Family friend” murders 2 year old boy, sexually abuses twin sister while babysitting

 

[SMK777]

I wonder if its possible this was a matter of built-up anger/resentment/stress/frustration due to what was thought to be just a social visit turning out to be more of a childcare/help with the babies visit?

I can’t answer for all the details, but this above had occurred to me as well. I actually knew of a case like this involving my cousin (of course she didn’t resort to violence, but did pack up her things and fly home due to feeling put out and taken advantage of by her friends, when she began to see they’d invited her to Cape Cod mainly so they would have free babysitting).

 

[MissMalowe]

I can’t answer for all the details, but this above had occurred to me as well. I actually knew of a case like this involving my cousin (of course she didn’t resort to violence, but did pack up her things and fly home due to feeling put out and taken advantage of by her friends, when she began to see they’d invited her to Cape Cod mainly so they would have free babysitting).

I'm glad you fully understood what I was trying to politely convey without shading the parents or seeming like I was in some way victim blaming.

 

[Mack the Knife]

@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.

They moved to charging her very quickly, so maybe they feel strongly about their evidence, but with what the public knows so far, I'm not even certain that a crime has been committed.

I just listened to a podcast about Kristina Kerlus who was arrested and charged for killing her baby. The doctors immediately suspected abuse, and the coroner ruled his death a homicide due to blunt force trauma to his head and neck, just like in this case. Another expert showed that the trauma to his body was likely caused by Sickle Cell Trait, and the charges were dropped. Kerlus secretly recorded a conversation at the coroner's office that suggests they didn't have the right experts to evaluate the Sickle Cell Trait.

The point being that doctors/coroners/medical examiners can be and sometimes are incorrect in their diagnoses. "Shaken Baby Syndrome" diagnoses are seen with increased suspicion (example source, but googling "shaken baby syndrome misdiagnosis will yield a lot over the last 20 years), and medical misdiagnoses can lead to no-crime wrongful convictions. This UMich registry of exonerations shows that just last year, 53 people were exonerated of crimes that did not occur, some of whom were exonerated of the murder of children: Wayne Burgess, Michael Griffin, Rosa Jimenez, Christopher Lyman, Natascha Tiger. They also have a whole filter (SBS) showing 34 known exonerations related to convictions for Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Doctors are certainly fallible, and I'm interested to see what more evidence they have.

(This isn't directly specifically at you, AnyNameIWish.)

 

[SMK777]

They moved to charging her very quickly, so maybe they feel strongly about their evidence, but with what the public knows so far, I'm not even certain that a crime has been committed.

I just listened to a podcast about Kristina Kerlus who was arrested and charged for killing her baby. The doctors immediately suspected abuse, and the coroner ruled his death a homicide due to blunt force trauma to his head and neck, just like in this case. Another expert showed that the trauma to his body was likely caused by Sickle Cell Trait, and the charges were dropped. Kerlus secretly recorded a conversation at the coroner's office that suggests they didn't have the right experts to evaluate the Sickle Cell Trait.

The point being that doctors/coroners/medical examiners can be and sometimes are incorrect in their diagnoses. "Shaken Baby Syndrome" diagnoses are seen with increased suspicion (example source, but googling "shaken baby syndrome misdiagnosis will yield a lot over the last 20 years), and medical misdiagnoses can lead to no-crime wrongful convictions. This UMich registry of exonerations shows that just last year, 53 people were exonerated of crimes that did not occur, some of whom were exonerated of the murder of children: Wayne Burgess, Michael Griffin, Rosa Jimenez, Christopher Lyman, Natascha Tiger. They also have a whole filter (SBS) showing 34 known exonerations related to convictions for Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Doctors are certainly fallible, and I'm interested to see what more evidence they have.

(This isn't directly specifically at you, AnyNameIWish.)

Very illuminating!

 

[Cedars]

Commonwealth V. Nicole Elizabeth Virzi

Criminal Homicide

F1 Aggravated Assault - Attempts to cause SBI or causes injury with extreme indifference

F1 Aggravated Assault - Victim Less Than 13 and Defendant 18 or older

F2 Aggravated Assault - Victim Less Than 6 and Defendant 18 or older

F2 Endangering Welfare of Children -
Parent/Guardian/Other Commits
Offense

F2 Endangering Welfare of Children -
Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense

https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/Report/CpCourtSummary?docketNumber=CP-02-CR-0004996-2024&dnh=k7PeUMLBlCrMdPyyZdS%2F%2Fw%3D%3D

Just a comment to save others the trouble, I looked up SBI, it means serious bodily injury. So my interpretation is that applies to Leon, then two additional assault charges relating to the victims being children and she an adult.

JMO

 

[Mauig’ma]

They moved to charging her very quickly, so maybe they feel strongly about their evidence, but with what the public knows so far, I'm not even certain that a crime has been committed.

I just listened to a podcast about Kristina Kerlus who was arrested and charged for killing her baby. The doctors immediately suspected abuse, and the coroner ruled his death a homicide due to blunt force trauma to his head and neck, just like in this case. Another expert showed that the trauma to his body was likely caused by Sickle Cell Trait, and the charges were dropped. Kerlus secretly recorded a conversation at the coroner's office that suggests they didn't have the right experts to evaluate the Sickle Cell Trait.

The point being that doctors/coroners/medical examiners can be and sometimes are incorrect in their diagnoses. "Shaken Baby Syndrome" diagnoses are seen with increased suspicion (example source, but googling "shaken baby syndrome misdiagnosis will yield a lot over the last 20 years), and medical misdiagnoses can lead to no-crime wrongful convictions. This UMich registry of exonerations shows that just last year, 53 people were exonerated of crimes that did not occur, some of whom were exonerated of the murder of children: Wayne Burgess, Michael Griffin, Rosa Jimenez, Christopher Lyman, Natascha Tiger. They also have a whole filter (SBS) showing 34 known exonerations related to convictions for Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Doctors are certainly fallible, and I'm interested to see what more evidence they have.

(This isn't directly specifically at you, AnyNameIWish.)

Yes I agree sometimes things like this can happen. But with this case having 2 different injuries on two different children? One being bad enough to warrant an emergency visit and the other resulting in death. Umm idk I think the doctors and coroner are right with their assessment. Imo

 

[Cedars]

Yes I agree sometimes things like this can happen. But with this case having 2 different injuries on two different children? One being bad enough to warrant an emergency visit and the other resulting in death. Umm idk I think the doctors and coroner are right with their assessment. Imo

Yes, she said herself he was injured by falling and she saw the injury. IMO, she essentially claims he did it to himself, by throwing himself onto the floor...

JMO

 

[TTF14]

I'm glad you fully understood what I was trying to politely convey without shading the parents or seeming like I was in some way victim blaming.

Your post didn't come off as victim blaming at all.

I totally understand your point. I have grown kids, but I can still remember when I was the age of these young adults. I had many girlfriends (I'm a woman, I mean friends) who were really struggling with their "singleness" when everyone else was getting married and having babies. And also friends experiencing infertility after getting married. It's hard and jealousy is an inevitable reaction/feeling. Some people are more mentally healthy/equipped to deal with those emotions than others.

It's a valid theory.

 

[AnyNameIWish]

Very odd that here is another case: A “family friend” was babysitting twins; sexually molested one, gave brain bleed to the second:

“Family friend” murders 2 year old boy, sexually abuses twin sister while babysitting

The parallels with this case you mentioned are beyond eerie.... while "babysitting".... the claim that one of the children "fell" and caused their own injury.... pinching/causing pain to their private areas....

I have a feeling in due time we will get a LOT more info about NV's temperament, moods, relationships in San Diego, academic performance, perhaps even hear from her mentor/preceptor.

Anything to make some sense of this- although it's likely impossible.

 

[steeltowngirl]

They moved to charging her very quickly, so maybe they feel strongly about their evidence, but with what the public knows so far, I'm not even certain that a crime has been committed.

I just listened to a podcast about Kristina Kerlus who was arrested and charged for killing her baby. The doctors immediately suspected abuse, and the coroner ruled his death a homicide due to blunt force trauma to his head and neck, just like in this case. Another expert showed that the trauma to his body was likely caused by Sickle Cell Trait, and the charges were dropped. Kerlus secretly recorded a conversation at the coroner's office that suggests they didn't have the right experts to evaluate the Sickle Cell Trait.

The point being that doctors/coroners/medical examiners can be and sometimes are incorrect in their diagnoses. "Shaken Baby Syndrome" diagnoses are seen with increased suspicion (example source, but googling "shaken baby syndrome misdiagnosis will yield a lot over the last 20 years), and medical misdiagnoses can lead to no-crime wrongful convictions. This UMich registry of exonerations shows that just last year, 53 people were exonerated of crimes that did not occur, some of whom were exonerated of the murder of children: Wayne Burgess, Michael Griffin, Rosa Jimenez, Christopher Lyman, Natascha Tiger. They also have a whole filter (SBS) showing 34 known exonerations related to convictions for Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Doctors are certainly fallible, and I'm interested to see what more evidence they have.

(This isn't directly specifically at you, AnyNameIWish.)

Possible, but Leon had a severe skull fracture. The second article says he had multiple skull fractures. Shaken baby could cause the brain bleed, but I think fractures would indicate impact with a surface.

Woman accused of killing infant, assaulting his twin brother in Shadyside

According to investigators, one of the twins, 6-week-old Leon Katz, died of blunt-force trauma to the head.

www.wtae.com

California Ph.D. student accused of killing infant, abusing twin brother

Nicole Virzi, a doctoral candidate at SDSU and UCSD, was babysitting 6-week-old Leon Katz when he suffered multiple skull fractures, authorities say

www.mercurynews.com

Shaken Baby Syndrome

Shaken Baby Syndrome (also known as Shaken Impact Syndrome) is a serious form of abuse inflicted upon a child. It usually occurs when a parent or other

www.aans.org

 

[Mack the Knife]

Yes I agree sometimes things like this can happen. But with this case having 2 different injuries on two different children? One being bad enough to warrant an emergency visit and the other resulting in death. Umm idk I think the doctors and coroner are right with their assessment. Imo

There’s a pretty famous case of a child who died from apparent antifreeze poisoning. He had been vomiting and had trouble breathing, and doctors found high levels of ethylene glycol in his blood. A couple of years later, his brother started having the same symptoms. Two brothers, sick in the same way, it would seem likely that they were both poisoned with antifreeze.

But, at the time the younger brother was showing symptoms, his mother was in prison for the murder of the older brother. It was determined that Patricia Stallings’s sons weren’t sick because they were abused in the same way, they were sick because they had the same disease.

Until more facts come out, I’m open to the idea that there could be some unknown other factor that the twins have in common, or even that their injuries were unrelated.

 

[steeltowngirl]

I’m still trying to sort out the reason NV was babysitting. Was it so the parents could take the baby to the hospital, or was it for them to go on their anniversary date?

Possibilities:

-She was asked to come at 6:30 to babysit for the parents night out, arrived, and immediately reported the genital injury to them. They cancelled their date plans, and instead went to the hospital.

-She waited until they were on their date and called them about the genital injury, causing them to come home to take the baby to the hospital.

-She had told them about the genital injury prior to 6:30, and the parents asked her to come babysit Leon while they took the other baby to the hospital.

 

[dulcinea]

I guess that may very well be true. I may be viewing it too narrowly.
But can you expand on your last sentence?

I am not thinking she was triggered but that there was some other motive.

 

[dulcinea]

Do you believe being triggered by loud and unpleasant sounds prevents an adult from leaving the area without committing violence? Let's say she was very triggered by one or both babies crying. Then what?

Not that she was prevented, but that her reaction was immediate and without thinking.

 

[Mack the Knife]

Possible, but Leon had a severe skull fracture. The second article says he had multiple skull fractures. Shaken baby could cause the brain bleed, but I think fractures would indicate impact with a surface.

Woman accused of killing infant, assaulting his twin brother in Shadyside

According to investigators, one of the twins, 6-week-old Leon Katz, died of blunt-force trauma to the head.

www.wtae.com

California Ph.D. student accused of killing infant, abusing twin brother

Nicole Virzi, a doctoral candidate at SDSU and UCSD, was babysitting 6-week-old Leon Katz when he suffered multiple skull fractures, authorities say

www.mercurynews.com

Shaken Baby Syndrome

Shaken Baby Syndrome (also known as Shaken Impact Syndrome) is a serious form of abuse inflicted upon a child. It usually occurs when a parent or other

www.aans.org

I didn’t mean to indicate specifically that there was a misdiagnosis of Shaken Baby Syndrome—I’m not sure if it was diagnosed here at all—just that there are known issues with interpreting physical trauma in infants, and that sometimes people are accused and convicted of murder but it is later determined that no crime took place.

I think since the arrest and whatnot have happened so fast, there hasn’t been much that has gotten out to the public, so I draw no conclusions to what the truth is. I don’t even have a guess.

 

[steeltowngirl]

There’s a pretty famous case of a child who died from apparent antifreeze poisoning. He had been vomiting and had trouble breathing, and doctors found high levels of ethylene glycol in his blood. A couple of years later, his brother started having the same symptoms. Two brothers, sick in the same way, it would seem likely that they were both poisoned with antifreeze.

But, at the time the younger brother was showing symptoms, his mother was in prison for the murder of the older brother. It was determined that Patricia Stallings’s sons weren’t sick because they were abused in the same way, they were sick because they had the same disease.

Until more facts come out, I’m open to the idea that there could be some unknown other factor that the twins have in common, or even that their injuries were unrelated.

The movie “Take Care of Maya” was about a woman falsely accused of child abuse. It was sad and disturbing. Personally, I have faith in the neurosurgeons at Children’s Hospital ability to accurately identify abusive pediatric head trauma. But prosecutors will need to prove it with strong evidence. I still predict a plea or bench trial.

jmo