A doctoral student accused of killing a friend’s newborn baby and wounding her infant twin brother could face the death penalty if convicted of the horrific crimes, according to Pennsylvania prosecutors.
The Allegany District Attorney’s Office said in court Friday that it plans to seek the death penalty against Nicole Virge, who allegedly shattered 6-week-old Leon Katz’s skull while babysitting him at her Pittsburgh-area home in June.
Virgi, 30, had been looking after the baby after Leon’s parents, Ethan Katz and his wife, Savannah Roberts, took his twin brother, Ali, to hospital, where the California woman was later also accused of injuring him.
Prosecutors have notified the prosecution that they intend to seek the death penalty in the June 15 murder case, as well as charges of murder by torture, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
Virgi claimed Leon fell out of a bouncer chair while she was away, but doctors found that “the injuries were not natural or accidental and were consistent with injuries sustained as a result of child abuse.” WTAE previously Citing court records and police records.
The county medical examiner determined Leon’s cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, and a head CT scan revealed he suffered a severe skull fracture on the left side of his head and multiple cerebral bleeds.
She faces charges of murder, aggravated assault and child endangerment.
Virgi, who reportedly studied clinical psychology at the University of California, San Diego’s Joint Doctoral Program, was described as a “trusted family friend” on a fundraising page set up after his death.
Virgi is from California but was staying at an Airbnb near Pittsburgh at the time of the murder.
Ms Virgi’s lawyer, David Schrager, said last month that while his client maintains Ms Leon’s innocence, he is devastated by her death.
“If there was anything she wanted to convey, it would be the extreme pain she is feeling,” Schrager said, according to the paper. “These were her closest friends.”
There are currently no women on death row in Pennsylvania, and Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro has vowed not to sign any death warrants while in office.
Virge did not appear for his formal arraignment on Friday and waived his preliminary hearing last month, the Post-Gazette reported.
