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

[Tortoise]

Little AK also had scratches on both his cheeks, and his nose. I think they are unlikely to be self-inflicted by a ragged baby nail or nails, because that would mean inflicted by both hands and their hand movements are uncoordinated at that age. Even if his arms were flailing, that would mean both hands were on his face. I also don't see how it is possible for such a young baby to be resistant while being put in his car seat, to flail his arms, or have them up near his face, the manoeuvre involving shoulders and upper arms being positioned with adult hands to keep his arms down while the straps are slipped over his shoulders. And even if it was in the process of setting him in the car seat, she would be holding him underneath each armpit, preventing arms flailing near his face, IMO.

Quote from L&C video linked above;

"She also stated that Doe sustained a scratch to his face while she was placing him in the car seat and he flailed his arms."

 

[Tortoise]

The bruises are even harder to explain. It sounds like there could have been some pinching going on, to me. IMO

 

[nhmemorymaker]

My mom was changing my diaper when I was an infant and i rolled off the bed. I’m clearly (maybe up for debate lol) ok. Heard that story my whole life that I always kept a hand on both my daughters while changing them.

Your post does spark memories for many of us. Some of these tragedies of the moments (that turned out just fine) were memories of the "suspect and the victim" of our childhoods.
Supposedly, I almost died of pneumonia when three months old, so was forever cognizant and urgent of lung related effects on my littles.

 

[abyquinn]

Found it, @Tortoise despite my eyes really bothering me tonight and that print is so small. It was a statement made about LK's injuries not AK's. The paragraph is describing AK's injuries, then it's just the last sentence that switches to LK's. Sorry for my error. Can't correct my post #772 now, but please note the injuries described as acute were for LK.​

View attachment 528921

Usually in medicine acute means new vs multiple incidents which would be called chronic or other ways of saying long term abuse having many stages of healing. IMO he was saying Ari’s injuries were new and happened around the same time.

 

[Curious Me]

RSBM 'Acute' as a medical term just means immediate, recent, rather than 'chronic' which means long term. MOO

I understand now that the word acute used medically has to do with recent conditions versus a chronic condition. Thanks for pointing that out. I still connect it with connotations of a sharp, extreme, sudden appearance and don't know if that's always the case now.​

Usually in medicine acute means new vs multiple incidents which would be called chronic or other ways of saying long term abuse having many stages of healing.

Yes, thanks, I now realize medically it can mean recent, and not be including severity.

IMO he was saying Ari’s injuries were new and happened around the same time.

The thing is the doctor's statement was not about AK injuries after all, but LK's injuries. All LK's injuries were acute.

From the Probably Cause Affidavit taken from the Law & Crime video.
​

 

[abyquinn]

I understand now that the word acute used medically has to do with recent conditions versus a chronic condition. Thanks for pointing that out. I still connect it with connotations of a sharp, extreme, sudden appearance and don't know if that's always the case now.​

Yes, thanks, I now realize medically it can mean recent, and not be including severity.

The thing is the doctor's statement was not about AK injuries after all, but LK's injuries. All LK's injuries were acute.

From the Probably Cause Affidavit taken from the Law & Crime video.
View attachment 529002​

I’m glad you caught that. I missed it, I thought he was still speaking about Ari (John Doe). This case is certainly curious. Every time I think I understand, along comes more confusion!

 

[Curious Me]

How would jurors see just AK's injuries if it were a trial for just the one infant's genital injuries with facial scratches? Could jurors be provided with enough evidence to prove NV must've done it intentionally? Medical experts from both sides testifying-- Would the injuries seem serious enough to convict her?

Her attorney may fight to separate the incidences that happened to each twin. Prosecution is betting on presenting them together. It's just that if it were just one incident with AK's injuries it seems the timeline creates reasonable doubt that NV was the one who purposely abused him. The actual injuries may be able to be explained away with some non-abuse reasoning. Obviously, the two incidences presented together will cast much more suspicion on NV, but her defense attorney is going to have to work towards the incidences being viewed separately, and LK's fatal fall as unfortunate, a negligence, but not intentional. The head injuries will take days perhaps.

All MOO

​

 

[SMK777]

How would jurors see just AK's injuries if it were a trial for just the one infant's genital injuries with facial scratches? Could jurors be provided with enough evidence to prove NV must've done it intentionally? Medical experts from both sides testifying-- Would the injuries seem serious enough to convict her?

Her attorney may fight to separate the incidences that happened to each twin. Prosecution is betting on presenting them together. It's just that if it were just one incident with AK's injuries it seems the timeline creates reasonable doubt that NV was the one who purposely abused him. The actual injuries may be able to be explained away with some non-abuse reasoning. Obviously, the two incidences presented together will cast much more suspicion on NV, but her defense attorney is going to have to work towards the incidences being viewed separately, and LK's fatal fall as unfortunate, a negligence, but not intentional.

​

I have always felt that if only the first incident had happened, and Leon had slept through the night, there likely would not have been any criminal case at all. It was the second incident that made the first seem criminal, and wound up casting NV in the role of a sociopathic abuser ( which she may or may not be).

Her attorneys separating the 2 incidents would weaken the prosecution’s case. And yet would a jury be aware of both incidents? The 2 together seemed to have sealed her fate. It’s bizarre, even to those of us keeping an open mind….imagine a friend calling and telling you, I was babysitting twin boys age 6.5 weeks. I noticed swelling and redness in the diaper area on one, notified the parents, and now I am accused! You would be reassuring her, until she blurted out, and then while they were at the ER, I was watching the other twin and he fell out of his bouncer and died!

 

[Tortoise]

I have always felt that if only the first incident had happened, and Leon had slept through the night, there likely would not have been any criminal case at all. It was the second incident that made the first seem criminal, and wound up casting NV in the role of a sociopathic abuser ( which she may or may not be).

Her attorneys separating the 2 incidents would weaken the prosecution’s case. And yet would a jury be aware of both incidents? The 2 together seemed to have sealed her fate. It’s bizarre, even to those of us keeping an open mind….imagine a friend calling and telling you, I was babysitting twin boys age 6.5 weeks. I noticed swelling and redness in the diaper area on one, notified the parents, and now I am accused! You would be reassuring her, until she blurted out, and then while they were at the ER, I was watching the other twin and he fell out of his bouncer and died!

I don't know. The fact they were still at the hospital after five hours gives me pause. I don't think doctors just thought AK's injuries were nothing concerning. Any unexplained bruises on a baby would raise suspicions for a start, IMO.

 

[SMK777]

I don't know. The fact they were still at the hospital after five hours gives me pause. I don't think doctors just thought AK's injuries were nothing concerning. Any unexplained bruises on a baby would raise suspicions for a start, IMO.

Well, I get confused about the timeline because they knew she was watching the other twin. During those hours of suspecting her, would medical staff and the parents be ok with that?

But you may be correct; there may have been initial suspicion prior to Leon’s incident.

Whichever is the case, Leon’s fatal injury made everything 1,000 x worse. For the parents, and regarding criminal charges. It’s very bizarre that things would wind up that severely badly.

 

[SMK777]

DOUBLE POST.

 

[Tortoise]

Well, I get confused about the timeline because they knew she was watching the other twin. During those hours of suspecting her, would medical staff and the parents be ok with that?

But you may be correct; there may have been initial suspicion prior to Leon’s incident.

Whichever is the case, Leon’s fatal injury made everything 1,000 x worse. For the parents, and regarding criminal charges. It’s very bizarre that things would wind up that severely badly.

I doubt they would have got to the stage of suspecting NV, I think they would be viewing all of them with caution, but it's not time to slap on the cuffs at that point, they need to work out what is going on. I think this kind of incident, which is not life-threatening, would involve firstly a triage nurse, then a doctor's examination, perhaps a second opinion, perhaps some x-rays if they suspect abuse - just to make sure no healing fractures - then further discussion with the parents, perhaps following a protocol for suspected abuse, maybe some phone calls to specialist agencies, which might not have been instantly answered at that time of night, etc.. then a call comes through from NV about LK, and the priority becomes LK, and then calls to the police I imagine. JMO

 

[Curious Me]

There could've been a long wait in the emergency room and perhaps AK's injuries were not considered demanding instant attention compared to others waiting with emergencies.

We don't know why they were at the hospital with AK that long. If they were at all suspicious of NV causing AK injuries, then why continue to leave LK in her care? Rush home and get the other twin perhaps?

When did AK's injuries start to be considered abuse then? When did the doctor and parents start to suspect NV? If a doctor was looking at AK's injuries over a five hour period, bringing in the abuse expert dr., and LE then I think suspicions were arrived at by then towards NV.

If, at the hospital their suspicions increased about NV over the five hrs. there, then why leave LK in her care? I'm not placing blame in anyway, but asking to make a point that suspicions about NV didn't seem evident right away. Why didn't one of the parents take a quick trip home to get LK away from suspicious NV?

I can imagine how this probably keeps playing back in the minds of the parents. I know "what ifs" can't be avoided in this type of situation. When you think about it, the five hours at the hospital for AK was part of the 2nd incident occurring. Had the time been shorter, had perhaps the parents & child been released to go home, or had one of the parent's made a fast trip home to get LK, then the events of LK's death might not have happened at all.

What was happening at the home for those five hours? I mean the the first twin's injuries seem to have happened so quickly within a limited timeframe if, in fact, NV was the one causing those injuries.

So, was NV taking good care of little LK for 4-4.5 hrs. then suddenly decided to hurt him? She admitted to falling asleep, but the baby didn't sound settled down sleeping in a safe place. These are the events that need to be gone over with a fine tooth comb.

I do wonder had one of the parents shown up earlier if they would've found NV taking good care of the baby, or found her napping and LK precariously left not secure in his seat, or found something worse? ​

 

[SMK777]

So, was NV taking good care of little LK for 4-4.5 hrs. then suddenly decided to hurt him? She admitted to falling asleep, but the baby didn't sound settled down sleeping in a safe place. These are the events that need to be gone over with a fine tooth comb.

I do wonder had one of the parents shown up earlier if they would've found NV taking good care of the baby, or found her napping and LK precariously left not secure in his seat, or found something worse?

Snipped for focus.
I wonder about these things at well.
If only they’d asked NV to come along with Leon in tow. But of course at the time that made little sense.
If only Leon had slept through until morning.
Unless NV was a sociopath and was intent on hurting him.
I’m so torn between the extremes.

 

[Curious Me]

The first paragraph I've bracketed in red is what is a very rough timeline of what happened after LK was brought into the hospital.

It's not clear as to if AK's injuries had already been determined suspected child abuse by the 1st dr. Did that 1st dr. to examine AK already bring it to Dr. Wolford's attention? Or was it when LK was brought to the hospital with more serious injuries that both cases were brought to the abuse advocate expert Dr. Wolford's attention. Is it possible AK's injuries would not have been diagnosed as abuse, but then LK's injuries tipped the scale.

MOO, I find it almost sounds too fast that Dr. Wolford only had to look at LK's CT scan and determine it was certainly not accidental. I think that surely will be what defense will challenge. ​

Red-Lined By Me

 

[Curious Me]

I think that surely will be what defense will challenge.

An interesting study looking at infant skull fracture risk for low height falls, published in 2018. The brain bleeds sustained by LK will additionally be instructive for doctors, in this case, IMO.

Infant skull fracture risk for low height falls

Thank You for finding ^^^ such an apropos study. I imagine the study results may be brought up in court. I tried my best to understand it, but it's too medically technical for me to grasp. It did give me a glimpse into how the baby head injury from falling experts will present things and what can be argued between sides. MOO, they will really have to bring it down to jurors' level and it could get tediously boring if it goes on for too long. That is just my own opinion though.
Here's another one worth checking out.

Age-Related Skull Fracture Patterns in Infants After Low-Height Falls

Prior research and experience has increased physician understanding of infant skull fracture prediction. However, patterns related to fracture length, nonlinearity, and features of complexity remain poorly understood, and differences across infant age ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

​

 

[SMK777]

It's not clear as to if AK's injuries had already been determined suspected child abuse by the 1st dr. Did that 1st dr. to examine AK already bring it to Dr. Wolford's attention? Or was it when LK was brought to the hospital with more serious injuries that both cases were brought to the abuse advocate expert Dr. Wolford's attention. Is it possible AK's injuries would not have been diagnosed as abuse, but then LK's injuries tipped the scale.

Snipped for focus.
Excellent questions, and the defense will surely make them key.

 

[Snoopster]

There could've been a long wait in the emergency room and perhaps AK's injuries were not considered demanding instant attention compared to others waiting with emergencies.

We don't know why they were at the hospital with AK that long. If they were at all suspicious of NV causing AK injuries, then why continue to leave LK in her care? Rush home and get the other twin perhaps?

When did AK's injuries start to be considered abuse then? When did the doctor and parents start to suspect NV? If a doctor was looking at AK's injuries over a five hour period, bringing in the abuse expert dr., and LE then I think suspicions were arrived at by then towards NV.

If, at the hospital their suspicions increased about NV over the five hrs. there, then why leave LK in her care? I'm not placing blame in anyway, but asking to make a point that suspicions about NV didn't seem evident right away. Why didn't one of the parents take a quick trip home to get LK away from suspicious NV?

I can imagine how this probably keeps playing back in the minds of the parents. I know "what ifs" can't be avoided in this type of situation. When you think about it, the five hours at the hospital for AK was part of the 2nd incident occurring. Had the time been shorter, had perhaps the parents & child been released to go home, or had one of the parent's made a fast trip home to get LK, then the events of LK's death might not have happened at all.

What was happening at the home for those five hours? I mean the the first twin's injuries seem to have happened so quickly within a limited timeframe if, in fact, NV was the one causing those injuries.

So, was NV taking good care of little LK for 4-4.5 hrs. then suddenly decided to hurt him? She admitted to falling asleep, but the baby didn't sound settled down sleeping in a safe place. These are the events that need to be gone over with a fine tooth comb.

I do wonder had one of the parents shown up earlier if they would've found NV taking good care of the baby, or found her napping and LK precariously left not secure in his seat, or found something worse? ​

My son was an 'active' young toddler. He had a truck push-cart that he loved. He pushed it around our kitchen table in a bay window area in endless circles. One time he got going too fast and tripped, with force, into a sharp-edged low window sill. He had a huge egg on his forehead. I was devastated and scared that he might have cracked his delicate skull. Of course I took him to the hospital emergency department. I was shuttled off to a separate room waiting for the doctor to come in. We waited a long time and then our family doctor, who didn't have privileges at that hospital, came in. I expressed my surprise (and relief) that he was there. And then it became evident to me that the emergency staff wondered if child abuse was involved. I chatted with our doctor for a while and we were then allowed to go home. My son was fine.

Of course I am happy that the hospital staff wanted to ensure that there was no abuse involved. I don't begrudge them anything since I want all children to be safe.

I haven't read enough of this thread to have any reasonable view of whether the babysitter was abusive or not. I suspect she was, but I don't want to automatically go there until I see more evidence.
What I DO know is that I feel for the parents of these young boys. I can't imagine the trauma that they are dealing with.

 

[steeltowngirl]

The first paragraph I've bracketed in red is what is a very rough timeline of what happened after LK was brought into the hospital.

It's not clear as to if AK's injuries had already been determined suspected child abuse by the 1st dr. Did that 1st dr. to examine AK already bring it to Dr. Wolford's attention? Or was it when LK was brought to the hospital with more serious injuries that both cases were brought to the abuse advocate expert Dr. Wolford's attention. Is it possible AK's injuries would not have been diagnosed as abuse, but then LK's injuries tipped the scale.

MOO, I find it almost sounds too fast that Dr. Wolford only had to look at LK's CT scan and determine it was certainly not accidental. I think that surely will be what defense will challenge. ​

Red-Lined By MeView attachment 529037

RBBM
In addition to Dr. Wolford, multiple doctors at Children’s Hospital may also have examined LK and reviewed the CT scan. As a member of the Child Advocacy Team, she may have been assigned to work with detectives to explain the findings that warranted a declaration of pediatric abuse.

jmo

 

[acutename]

I have always felt that if only the first incident had happened, and Leon had slept through the night, there likely would not have been any criminal case at all. It was the second incident that made the first seem criminal, and wound up casting NV in the role of a sociopathic abuser ( which she may or may not be).

Her attorneys separating the 2 incidents would weaken the prosecution’s case. And yet would a jury be aware of both incidents? The 2 together seemed to have sealed her fate. It’s bizarre, even to those of us keeping an open mind….imagine a friend calling and telling you, I was babysitting twin boys age 6.5 weeks. I noticed swelling and redness in the diaper area on one, notified the parents, and now I am accused! You would be reassuring her, until she blurted out, and then while they were at the ER, I was watching the other twin and he fell out of his bouncer and died!

no one has said how much these babies weighed or if they were born full term- we were told in articles- healthy up to this point. I think 6.5 week old twins could be small...and fragile. IMO

What is a healthy baby weight for twins?


Twins and triplets often don't have a chance to reach a healthy weight before they're born. While the average single baby weighs 7 pounds at birth, the average twin weighs 5.5 pounds.

Pregnant with twins: premature birth and other complications - BabyCenter​