Nicole Virzi, a 29-year-old PhD student, faces charges for the murder of six-and-a-half-week-old Leon Katz in a shocking case that has shook Pittsburgh. The tragedy occurred on what should have been a day of celebration – the first Father’s Day for Leon’s dad and the couple’s first wedding anniversary.
Parents Ethan Katz and Savannah Roberts describe Virzi as a “trusted friend” and accuse him of killing Leon while babysitting. The incident occurred while the parents were at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh with Leon’s twin brother, Ari, who the police allege Virzi also assaulted.
The charges against Virzi include homicide, child endangerment, and aggravated assault. However, she denies any wrongdoing. Her attorney, David Shrager, stated to WTAE, “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.”
According to police reports, Virzi claimed she heard screaming while preparing a bottle in the kitchen. Upon returning, she said she found the baby had fallen out of his bouncer chair, prompting her to call 911. However, medical experts have contradicted this account, stating that the injuries sustained by both twins are “consistent with having been sustained as a result of child abuse.”
The devastated family’s GoFundMe page describes Leon as a “happy, smiley, goofy baby boy” whose “untimely and tragic death has deeply impacted the Pittsburgh community.” Heart-wrenching photos taken just days before the incident show the twins, Leon and Ari, side by side in matching onesies.
The Allegheny County Jail is holding Virzi, a fifth-year clinical psychology candidate in the SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program, without bail. The Allegheny County Jail has scheduled her preliminary hearing for June 28.
The case has sent shockwaves through the community, raising questions about trust and the unthinkable nature of the alleged crime. The grieving family and the tragically short life of baby Leon remain the focus as the legal process unfolds.
