A Ph.D. student is accused of killing an infant boy and assaulting his twin brother while babysitting for a family friend in Pittsburgh.
Nicole Virzi, 29, is now pursuing a doctorate in San Diego. She was staying in Pittsburgh when the baby died.
Virzi was arrested on June 16 and faces charges of criminal homicide, three counts of aggravated assault, and one act of endangering the welfare of a child, according to court documents. She has been denied bail and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on June 28.
According to the criminal complaint, Virzi was babysitting infant Leon Katz while his parents took his twin brother to the hospital after she told them of the baby’s genital injuries.
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Citing the same accusation, the Union-Tribune stated that Virzi had been alone with the baby before being transported to the hospital.
According to the lawsuit, Leon suffered a fatal skull fracture after being left in Virzi’s care while his parents took their second son to the hospital.
The twins’ injuries were consistent with child abuse and “not accidental,” according to the complaint. Virzi’s defense attorney, David Schrager, told the Union-Tribune that his client did not commit a crime and that the infant fell from a bouncing chair while she was out of the room.
“We are at the beginning of our investigation, but it’s important to note that my client has no criminal history,” Shrager told the outlet. “She is a Ph.D. student and was a longtime friend of the family.”
According to her bio page on the school’s website, Virzi is pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at San Diego State University and UCSD.
According to people Leon’s family refers to Virzi as a “trusted family friend.” So far, it has raised more than $60,000.