August 26th 2024.
A tragic and shocking incident has unfolded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where a PhD student is being accused of the murder of her friend's six-and-a-half-week-old baby, Leon Katz, while also facing charges of abusing his twin brother, Ari. This has rocked the community, with the possibility of the death penalty looming over the accused, Nicole Virzi, if she is found guilty.
Nicole, a 29-year-old graduate from Pepperdine University and a clinical psychology student at UC San Diego's Joint Doctoral Program, was a trusted friend of the twins' parents, Ethan Katz and Savannah Roberts. She was babysitting the boys while on a break from her studies when the incident occurred. Ethan and Savannah returned home to find Ari with a mysterious injury to his groin and scratches on his face, prompting them to take him to the hospital, leaving Leon in Nicole's care.
According to police and court records, Nicole claims that while they were away, she went to the kitchen to prepare a bottle and upon her return, found Leon lying on the floor. She stated that she noticed a large bump on the left side of his head and immediately picked him up. Paramedics were called, and Leon was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead on Father's Day, June 15.
The doctors' findings were heartbreaking, as they discovered a fracture to Leon's skull and several bleeds on his brain, which they deemed to be consistent with child abuse rather than an accident. The same conclusion was reached when examining Ari's injuries. The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office is seeking the death penalty for Nicole, citing aggravating factors such as alleged torture of the infant.
However, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has declared that he will not sign any death warrants during his tenure. In the meantime, Nicole is being held without bail at the Allegheny County Jail. Her attorney, David Shrager, has stated that his client is innocent and plans to plead not guilty.
Nicole's father, Peter J Virzi, a highly respected cardiologist affiliated with Mt. Sinai Doctors in Manhattan, has been shocked and devastated by the allegations against his daughter. Nicole's professional bio reflects her passion for studying the connection between psychological factors and critical health outcomes such as heart disease, obesity, and eating disorders.
In the midst of this tragedy, the community has come together to support Ari and his parents through a GoFundMe page, where Nicole was described as a trusted family friend. As the case continues to unfold, the family and friends of Leon and Ari are left to mourn the loss of a precious life and grapple with the accusations against someone they once considered a loved one.
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