Nicole Virginie: The Investigation of Dangerous Child Abuse

The trial against Nicole Virginie is eagerly awaited in the US. The 29-year-old could face the death penalty if the prosecution proves he killed his friends’ six-and-a-half-week-old baby and injured his twin brother.

The death of six-and-a-half-week-old Leon Katz occurred on June 15 while in the young woman’s care. Virgie was asked to babysit Ethan Katz and his wife Savannah Roberts’ infant son on June 15 while the couple took twin brother Arie to the hospital. While the parents were away, Leon was also seriously injured, after which Virgi called the emergency number around 11:15 p.m.

The medical student told rescue workers that the boy fell and hit his head. The child is no longer responsive. Leon was rushed to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, but there was nothing the doctors could do for him. The child was pronounced dead the next day.

Virji is now accused of causing those injuries. The doctoral student allegedly fractured Leon’s skull, the Pittsburgh District Attorney’s Office alleges. Examination revealed a severe fracture on the left side of the child’s head and bleeding in the brain. Meanwhile, the child’s parents allege that the sitter also injured twin brother Ari.

When questioned by the police, Virji said she was the first to notice Aari’s injuries and immediately informed her parents. According to her, she saw Arie moving in his car seat and scratching his face with his hands.

Forensic experts are skeptical. During their investigation, they concluded that the injuries were “consistent with child abuse because they were natural or accidental,” according to US broadcaster WTAE, which had access to court files.

So Arie had small scratches all over his face, two bruises below his belly button, swelling, bruising, redness and scratches on his genitals. Leon’s cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head.

The student has been charged with manslaughter, grievous bodily harm and child endangerment. She resists innocence. Through her lawyer, she explained that she was heartbroken by what happened. “If there’s anything she wants to share, it’s the absolutely horrible pain she’s going through,” attorney David Schrager told the Post-Gazette. “They were her closest friends.”