Woman Sentenced for Killing Friend’s Infant Son

Nicole Virzi, 32, admitted in an Allegheny County court to third-degree murder and other charges in the death of Leon Katz, who was 6 weeks old. The plea agreement concluded a case that could have resulted in a capital trial. The court imposed a term of 35 to 80 years in prison.

Virzi was visiting Pittsburgh in 2024 to help her longtime friend Savannah Roberts care for her newborn twins, Leon and Ari. After the parents took Ari to a hospital for injuries, Virzi offered to look after Leon. Later that night, she called police and said Leon had fallen from a baby bouncer.

Leon was taken to a children’s hospital, where he died. Investigators concluded that his head injuries were inconsistent with an accidental tumble from the bouncer. Officials classified his death as a homicide resulting from blunt-force injuries. Prosecutors also said Virzi caused Ari’s injuries. In court, they said she told investigators she had a compulsion to harm children that she could not control.

Roberts told the judge that Virzi’s actions had destroyed her trust and changed her as a person. She described struggling to leave Ari alone, even briefly, after Leon’s death. Virzi must serve at least 35 years before she can seek parole. A local criminal law attorney said release was highly unlikely.