Norfolk, VA: There is new, disturbing information in court papers about the death of a 9-day-old baby and the charges her parents are facing.
The death of their 9-day-old baby, which Norfolk police say was a murder, was linked to child abuse. On May 4, Hilary D. Johnson, 23, and Z’ibreyea S. Parker, 21, were arrested and charged.
The parents of a 9-day-old girl who died on Saturday were charged with second-degree murder and child abuse. They went to court on Wednesday. The death was ruled a crime.
On May 8, Hilary D. Johnson and Z’ibreyea S. Parker were each charged with one count of second-degree murder.
Johnson, 23, and Parker, 21, were arrested on May 4 and were each charged with child abuse at first. They were both charged with second-degree murder after the medical examiner’s decision on Monday. They are in Norfolk City Jail right now without bond.
For Johnson’s first bond meeting that morning, his lawyer asked for a delay because of the new charges. On May 14, both will have bond hearings, and on July 18, they will have preliminary trials.
On May 8, Johnson and Parker were each charged with one count of second-degree murder.
The baby, I’ijayah Johnson, was cold to the touch and had signs of abuse, such as cuts, burns on her feet, bruises, and signs of shaken baby syndrome, according to court papers.
When asked about the burns on her feet, Parker said, “I didn’t think the injuries were that bad.” She chose to treat the burns with Witch Hazel and other home treatments instead.
Documents say that Johnson, who was in court on May 8, wouldn’t cooperate during the case and had to be “repeatedly asked to speak up.” Johnson said that anyone could not show he “did it” because he took I’ijayah to the hospital.
The document said that both Johnson and Parker were homeless because Johnson’s grandpa had kicked them out soon after I’ijayah was born.
On May 14, Johnson and Parker will both have bond hearings and on July 18, they will have preliminary trials. They are in Norfolk City Jail right now without bond.