Norfolk newborn had broken bones, burned feet and numerous bruises at time of death, documents say

Jane Harper, The Virginian-Pilot
Updated ·2 min read
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NORFOLK — When a 9-day-old baby was taken by her parents Saturday to Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters, she already was cold to the touch, according to court documents, and was soon pronounced dead.

Further examination showed the newborn had severe burns on both feet, “splash burns” on other parts of her body, lacerations, and numerous bruises from her head to her feet, the documents said. An autopsy would later determine she’d also suffered broken ribs, a broken clavicle, and showed signs of shaken baby syndrome.

The girl’s parents — Hilary D. Johnson II, 23, and Z’ibreyea Parker, 21 — were arrested hours after arriving at the hospital. Both were initially charged with felony child abuse, but the charges were upgraded to second-degree murder after the medical examiner ruled the death a homicide. Both are being held without bond at the city jail.

According to a bail determination sheet in their court files, the couple recently began living in a tent near the I-64 and Campostella Road exit with their infant. They told investigators that they brought their daughter to the hospital after waking up and finding her unresponsive.

The couple had been living with Johnson’s grandfather, the document said, but he kicked them out after the baby was born. Johnson reported to court officials that he was working about 60 hours a week at a construction job, and Parker had recently become unemployed.

The document said Johnson was uncooperative during a hearing before the magistrate and was “cavalier” about the offenses he’d been charged with. Johnson “asserted that it couldn’t be proven that he ‘did it’ because he brought the baby to the hospital,” the document said.

Parker was described in the filing as being unconcerned about the burns to her daughter’s feet. She “did not think the injuries were all that serious, and was only treating them with witch hazel and other home remedies,” the document said.

Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com