The PhD student accused of murdering her friend's baby.

Content warning: This post deals with alleged child abuse. 

When first-time parents Savannah Roberts and Ethan Katz welcomed their twin boys, Ari and Leon, into the world in May 2024, they were ecstatic. 

Sadly just weeks later, they were mourning the death of one of their sons, who died in allegedly sinister circumstances. 

On Saturday June 15, 2024, Nicole Virzi was asked to babysit for the Katz family in Pittsburgh. She was looking after Ari and Leon, who were just six weeks old at the time. Virzi is a "longtime friend of the family" as per her lawyer, and a 30-year-old PhD student.

When Ethan and Savannah returned home, Ari had small scratches all over his face, two bruises just below his belly button, swelling, bruising, redness, and scratches on his genitals. 

Virzi later told police that she was the one who first noticed Ari's injuries and informed the boy's parents. She said she saw the child scratch his own face while he was flailing in a car seat.

Ethan Katz and Savannah Roberts with their sons, Ari and Leon. Image: Supplied/GoFundMe.

Ethan and his wife Savannah asked Virzi to watch Leon while they took Ari to the hospital to check the injuries and scratches. 

While the parents were at the hospital with Ari, Leon was injured at home. Virzi called emergency services around 11:15pm that night.

She told the paramedics that Leon had fallen from his bouncer chair and bumped his head. Virzi later told police she had gone into the family's kitchen to get a baby bottle and heard the baby screaming.  

Leon was unresponsive when emergency services arrived. He was taken to Pittsburgh Children's Hospital and pronounced dead the following day, on June 16.

The Sunday when Ethan and Savannah were told their child had died was Father's Day in the US. Ethan had been looking forward to his first celebration as a new dad. 

Medical records show that Leon had sustained a fracture to his skull and several bleeds on the brain. The parents of the twins denied inflicting any injuries on their children. 

Days later, Virzi was charged with homicide, child endangerment, and aggravated assault.

Police allege Leon hadn't fallen out of his bouncer chair. At its tallest point, the seat would have been only 18 inches from the floor.

Instead, they allege the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. Investigators are yet to share a motive for the alleged crime.  

"The injuries sustained by both [twins are] consistent with having been sustained as a result of child abuse, as these are inflicted injuries that are not natural and not accidental," a doctor told investigators, according to the court filings from the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office.

Doctors also claimed to police that Ari's bruises and scratches were unnatural and suggested abuse. 

Virzi has always maintained her innocence.

Her lawyer said to a preliminary hearing at court last month: "Those were her close friends [Savannah and Ethan], and she's in a great deal of pain. If there was something she wanted to convey, it would be the absolute horrible pain she's feeling for the family. It's heart-wrenching."

Her lawyer continued: "Our client denies these allegations. She is a loving person and a friend to these people and would never harm anyone's child, let alone theirs."

If convicted of murder, Virzi faces execution, with court documents showing that prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Despite the pursuit for the death penalty in this case though, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has been critical of death warrants sought during his time in office. 

A GoFundMe has since been set up for the Katz family by a loved one. 

They're aiming to raise funds for funeral and medical expenses.

"Leon will always be remembered as a happy, smiley, goofy baby boy. His untimely and tragic death has deeply impacted the Pittsburgh community, occurring on Ethan's first Father's Day," the family friend said.

"Ethan, Savannah, and Ari are profoundly grateful for the outpouring of love they have received. Your messages of support mean the world to them as they begin to heal from this unimaginable loss."

Feature Image: GoFundMe/LinkedIn.