A Virginia couple has been convicted for the 2024 death of their 9-day-old child.
Hilary Darnell Johnson II, 24, and his wife, Z’Ibreyea Shantel Parker, 22, brought their newborn daughter, Iijayah, to Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk on May 4, 2024, according to a recent media release from the Office of the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney.
According to the announcement, when hospital officials arrived, Iijayah was unconscious and “cold to the touch,” and she was eventually confirmed dead.
Johnson and Parker informed medical officials that the newborn had fallen from her stroller while Johnson was jogging two days prior, and that they had attempted to treat her at home using witch hazel and gauze. According to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office, the parents also stated that they brought their infant in for medical care after seeing that her hunger had reduced and that she appeared to be having difficulty breathing.
“The parents struggled to provide a precise birthdate for their daughter and laughed while checking in,” the staff explained.
According to the announcement, hospital workers “observed signs of abuse on Iijayah’s body, including burns on the bottoms of her feet, two cuts to the top of her head and face, and bruises on her back,” and notified local authorities. A subsequent autopsy found that the newborn died from blunt trauma, which was not compatible with a fall from a stroller.
Parker and Johnson denied inflicting injury to their kid. The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office stated that neither the autopsy nor the investigation could determine which parent caused Iijayah’s injuries. However, the office stated that the evidence “pointed more strongly to Mr. Johnson.”
In August, the child’s father agreed to a plea deal and admitted to second-degree murder. On October 24, he was sentenced to 19 years in jail, the maximum term for the offense.
In August, the child’s mother struck a plea deal and admitted to child abuse. She was sentenced to ten years in jail on October 31, which is “the maximum sentence under Virginia law for felony child abuse,” according to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office.
During Parker’s sentencing, Judge Jennifer L. Fuschetti “noted how malnourished the baby had been, [and] the continued lack of an explanation for her injuries,” before imposing the highest term permitted.
“There is no more vulnerable victim than a newborn baby,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi stated in a media release.
“Iijayah was born in need of her parents’ love and protection. “What she got instead was suffering and death,” he explained.
“This was a tough case on the facts, and going to trial carried significant risks since, while there was no debate about the nature of Iijayah’s injuries, each parent may have accused the other for inflicting them. In both cases, we obtained a conviction and left the sentence to the discretion of the court. We will continue to work on difficult cases and honor the memories of innocent victims like Iijayah who are unable to speak for themselves,” he added.
PEOPLE attempted to contact the Norfolk Police Department and the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for comment on Sunday, Nov. 9, but did not receive an immediate response. It is unclear who is currently representing Johnson and Parker.
If you suspect child abuse, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453.
