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

[SMK777]

However you could ask this, about most of the cases here in the "Crimes in the News" forum. Why did the perpetrator believe he/she could get away with it?? Why did they even do it? Yet someone did it.

That’s true, indeed.

 

[DoctorRose]

True, it's not far fetched and the parents didn't do something crazy or irresponsible, but I'd say to me, and to some others here, it appears to be a naïve, new parent decision that turned out bad. Innocent decision-- new parents need a break. It's their anniversary. I don't know if they possibly just went out for an hour needing a break, and left her with one or both, or if they left her for the day.

I don't know how they knew NV. I don't know if they asked her about her actual child care experience. Did she offer or did they ask her? How close were they really?

Leaving 6 wk. old infants in the care of some woman that just flew into town begs for more background info. Some history as to why trust her with my babies.

Trustworthy as a person isn't the same as trustworthy as a care giver to my precious, still very fragile infants. Then again, if they just went out for an hour for lunch and a break I can see it. Who would imagine so much nightmare could happen while NV presented herself as so competent? Such sorrow now. All MOO​

Agreed, I wouldn’t do it if someone paid me to. That’s just me though I’m an absolute worry wart.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Does anyone know if NV is being charged for abuse of the surviving twin? (Reported genital injuries). For that matter, has it been confirmed that the surviving twin was sexually abused?

Also, was NV babysitting both twins together - prior to the time period she was watching Leon while the parents took the twin with genital injuries to the hospital? If yes, was this so the parents could go celebrate their anniversary?

I’m curious if NV called them while they were out to report the genital injuries? Or, had they already arrived home for the night, then upon hearing that the baby had injuries, they left again with one twin to the hospital?

 

[SMK777]

Does anyone know if NV is being charged for abuse of the surviving twin? (Reported genital injuries). For that matter, has it been confirmed that the surviving twin was sexually abused?

Also, was NV babysitting both twins together - prior to the time period she was watching Leon while the parents took the twin with genital injuries to the hospital? If yes, was this so the parents could go celebrate their anniversary?

I’m curious if NV called them while they were out to report the genital injuries? Or, had they already arrived home for the night, then upon hearing that the baby had injuries, they left again with one twin to the hospital?

I’m not clear on these details, but as the Children’s Hospital physician told law enforcement that both twins’ injuries were caused not by natural or accidental means, but by child abuse, then we can safely assume NV is being charged in both cases.

In fact: The only alternative would be to charge the parents for the living twin, and NV for the deceased twin.

 

[Curious Me]

...Such beautiful babies and twins, imo, are an incredible gift. I can't even begin to imagine the horror and guilt they must feel. I hope the perp gets life in prison.

I agree with everything you said in your post, @Artis.
However, I don't think the perp will get life in prison.

It looks very bad for her. The headlines have all said she's suspected of "killing" a baby. Right off, they all say kill, not much mention of accidental. Not only that, but sounds like she was harming the genital area of the other twin. No bond granted either. Oh yes, she's in huge trouble, but...

I'm not even sure if I think she should or will get life in prison. I've watched a whole lot of trials and they're full of facts, evidence, and always some surprises.

Trying to keep an open mind until we see and hear more evidence and understand exactly what occurred. It'd be important to learn what could possibly motivate such atrocious actions upon infants. Is she so mentally deranged that she was overtaken by some compulsion to harm babies?!!

Jurors are urged and expected to have an open mind and not have strong opinions on the case until the end of trial. Wouldn't it be great for us if it was a televised trial? We have no idea what direction her very competent attorney with an excellent reputation will take the defense, but I just don't see her getting life in prison. This is just MOO though.​

 

[sunspun]

Without a doubt, a diaper change, or several, would be an expected part of babysitting such young infants.

Circumcision wounds, I highly doubt that.

If they are Jewish the boys would have been circumcised on the eighth day after they were born, according to Jewish custom.

My friends who are not Jewish but have a boy and want him circumcised have always had the procedure done before the baby leaves the hospital.

IMO it’s excruciating that one baby appears injured enough to have to be rushed to the ER, then the parents come home to find their other son dead. Six weeks old.

This does not seem to be accidental, IMO. Too coincidental for both babies to simultaneously be in dire straits.

JMO

IME, I would expect someone with the surname Katz is likely Jewish, not that it matters if, as you say, by Jewish custom, the circumcision would've happened when the baby was 8 days old. And of course, even if the father is of Jewish ancestry, they may very well do things differently anyway.



"The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Katz is Ashkenazi Jewish..."

from
discover.23andme.com › last-name › Katz

 

[Artis]

I agree with everything you said in your post, @Artis.
However, I don't think the perp will get life in prison.

It looks very bad for her. The headlines have all said she's suspected of "killing" a baby. Right off, they all say kill, not much mention of accidental. Not only that, but sounds like she was harming the genital area of the other twin. No bond granted either. Oh yes, she's in huge trouble, but...

I'm not even sure if I think she should or will get life in prison. I've watched a whole lot of trials and they're full of facts, evidence, and always some surprises.

Trying to keep an open mind until we see and hear more evidence and understand exactly what occurred. It'd be important to learn what could possibly motivate such atrocious actions upon infants. Is she so mentally deranged that she was overtaken by some compulsion to harm babies?!!

Jurors are urged and expected to have an open mind and not have strong opinions on the case until the end of trial. Wouldn't it be great for us if it was a televised trial? We have no idea what direction her very competent attorney with an excellent reputation will take the defense, but I just don't see her getting life in prison. This is just MOO though.​

I don't care why she did what she did. She assaulted TWO infants, harming one and killing the other.

 

[Curious Me]

Being Jewish or not isn't why I brought up the question of whether the genital injuries could've been related to a healing circumcision. My sons are men now, and it's hard to remember every detail, but I do remember my one son's circumcision didn't look right, it was uneven. I had to take him back in for a correction surgery. Look, the genital injuries probably didn't have anything to do with circumcision. It's just that it'd be an easily explained possibility of how injuries could happen in that area to the extent required a rush to the hospital. I can't imagine... smh​

 

[SMK777]

Being Jewish or not isn't why I brought up the question of whether the genital injuries could've been related to a healing circumcision. My sons are men now, and it's hard to remember every detail, but I do remember my one son's circumcision didn't look right, it was uneven. I had to take him back in for a correction surgery. Look, the genital injuries probably didn't have anything to do with circumcision. It's just that it'd be an easily explained possibility of how injuries could happen in that area to the extent required a rush to the hospital. I can't imagine... smh​

Yes, the defense may attempt to put it in that light.
It’s just very bizarre to me, if NV caused those injuries, and pointed it out to the parents, what was her goal?

 

[Curious Me]

I don't care why she did what she did. She assaulted TWO infants, harming one and killing the other.

Whoa, moving right into a verdict already without hearing anymore. Okay, but MOO, I don't think you'd make it on the jury. Deeming someone to life in prison should include knowing it all. This is MOO.​

 

[Artis]

Whoa, moving right into a verdict already without hearing anymore. Okay, but MOO, I don't think you'd make it on the jury. Deeming someone to life in prison should include knowing it all. This is MOO.​

That little infant didn't move himself out of some bouncy chair and smash his own skull.

 

[Artis]

Whoa, moving right into a verdict already without hearing anymore. Okay, but MOO, I don't think you'd make it on the jury. Deeming someone to life in prison should include knowing it all. This is MOO.​

I should clarify that I'm not trying to be dismissive of your points about a jury and innocent until proven guilty. I'm not going to be on the jury, though, and she was the only one with these babies when both were harmed.

The reason I said care about the "why" is because that's often used as an accuse for violent behavior. Whatever someone's past is, once they begin committing violent acts, that's it. It's who they are, be that someone with a personality disorder or whatever, it doesn't matter and they can't be fixed.

 

[Curious Me]

I should clarify that I'm not trying to be dismissive of your points about a jury and innocent until proven guilty. I'm not going to be on the jury, though, and she was the only one with these babies when both were harmed.

Okay, but with all due respect, I do feel you're being dismissive of the whole judicial process by stating a verdict and sentencing of this person before we barely know any confirmed facts. Most of us don't understand how all this happened and are begging for more facts and a timeline. MOO, jumping right to a guilty verdict seems too vigilantly to be respectful of the judicial process. @Artis, you are certainly entitled to your opinion though, so it's cool.
​

 

[Curious Me]

Does anyone know if NV is being charged for abuse of the surviving twin? (Reported genital injuries)....

I think the charges are all lumped together, and it may be they won't be separated at trial. That would matter to her defense because a jury hearing about both incidences, if she's proven to be involved in both twin's injuries, will make defending her quite a mountain to climb. JMO and thoughts​

PhD student accused of horrifically killing friend’s newborn baby after assaulting tot’s twin

A California PhD student allegedly killed her friend’s newborn baby boy in Pennsylvania by smashing his skull after assaulting the infant’s twin brother, according to cops who arrested her.

nypost.com

"Virzi was charged with homicide, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children."


Video included -- Jul 24, 2024

San Diego woman faces trial in killing of one Pittsburgh baby twin, assault on other

Nicole Virzi, a 29-year-old psychology doctoral student, was brought from jail to court for the proceeding and the courtroom was filled with family and friends of the parents of the twins, who were present as well.

www.wtae.com

 

[steeltowngirl]

<modsnip - quoted post was removed because it was not victim friendly>

I’m trying to piece together a timeline. If Children’s Hospital says the injuries were non-accidental, I believe them. Understand that a defense attorney will work to prove otherwise, as they should.

The open questions (for me) are how, and when did the injuries happen, and who is responsible? Did the now-deceased baby actually get injured earlier in the day, and NV is saying the baby fell from the bouncer while the parents took the other twin to the hospital?

If the injuries were - in fact - abusive, some or all parts of NV’s narrative is not truthful. So, which parts are lies, and why?

jmo

 

[Arkay]

Did they harm the baby and set it up so it appeared that she must have done it?

I guess we’ve all learned from following true crime that sometimes people are not who we thought they were, but in this case I highly doubt the parents were the cause.

If they harmed their own six-week old, why would they take that child to the ER? I’d imagine they’d instead have told nobody and kept it hidden.

Why even invite a babysitter over?

How did the second baby die when they weren’t even with him at the time?

JMO

 

[Ray_of_hope]

That little infant didn't move himself out of some bouncy chair and smash his own skull.

True and the crying and swelling or 'bump' to his head would have been noticed by the parent, NV stated that she had given a bottle, burped infant and changed two diapers. She would have noticed a bump. NV reported that the infant fell from bouncer because he was in the bouncer and when she returned, the infant was on the floor and crying. I've read 2 different stories. One, NV fell asleep and baby screaming woke her up. Two, NV left room to go to kitchen and get bottle and found infant on floor. Don't know which version is correct.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

A severe skull fracture and multiple brain bleeds would show neurological signs quickly. The article doesn't state whether skull fracture was depressed, etc but reported to be the result of child abuse and was ruled a homicide.
"At the hospital, police said tests showed the boy had a severe skull fracture and multiple brain bleeds. An autopsy determined the boy died from blunt force trauma to the head, police said. His death is ruled as a homicide.

Doctors determined the baby's injuries were the "result of child abuse," investigators said.

The baby's twin brother was also examined and found to have scratches, bruising, swelling and redness, the criminal complaint said."

Pittsburgh infant dies "as a result of child abuse;" babysitter from San Diego charged in killing

Nicole Virzi is charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[Cedars]

A severe skull fracture and multiple brain bleeds would show neurological signs quickly. The article doesn't state whether skull fracture was depressed, etc but reported to be the result of child abuse and was ruled a homicide.

I think the language being used - "child abuse" perhaps evokes images in people's minds of some type of long-term low-level mistreatment, whereas this appears to have been immediate trauma as a result of direct assault.

IMO, the legal charge of 'child abuse' is probably more serious than 'assault', and so has been added to the charge of homicide, and also potentially covers the damage inflicted on the other twin.

Someone really didn't like these poor babies.

JMO

 

[Curious Me]

These are the two news articles from the PA area where this happened. I think they stick to the facts without too much sensationalism. They also provide video news reports. That second link shows all the family and friends who showed up for the initial arraignment hearing that only lasted minutes. Looks like the twin's parents have many friends and a caring community's support.

NV's decision was to not enter her plea that day. NV's attorney gave that statement that NV, on that date, "was respectful in not wanting to put the family through hearing the heart wrenching details of what happened". Argh, that must've really exasperated the twin's parents and people who showed up... they want and demand some darn answers. No glossing over the facts at trial. Everything has to be revealed. Let's get to the bottom of this tragedy.

Next court date is August 23 when she'll enter her plea. ​

Updated: 9:26 AM EDT Jun 18, 2024

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

Updated: 7:22 PM EDT Jul 24, 2024

San Diego woman faces trial in killing of one Pittsburgh baby twin, assault on other

Nicole Virzi, a 29-year-old psychology doctoral student, was brought from jail to court for the proceeding and the courtroom was filled with family and friends of the parents of the twins, who were present as well.

www.wtae.com