Couple Sentenced Over Death of Nine-Day-Old Daughter
A mother and father have been given lengthy prison sentences after their nine-day-old baby daughter died from catastrophic injuries, with the court hearing they laughed while checking her cold body into hospital.
On Friday, October 31, 2025, Hilary Johnson II, aged 24, was sentenced to 19 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. Z'ibreyea S. Parker, 22, received a 10-year sentence after admitting to child abuse causing serious injury in connection with the death of their newborn, I'ijayah Johnson.
Chilling Scene at the Hospital
The tragic sequence of events culminated on May 4, 2024, when Johnson and Parker brought their unresponsive daughter to the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters. Staff noted the infant was already cold to the touch.
Prosecutors described the couple's behaviour as deeply disturbing, stating they "struggled to provide a precise birthdate for their daughter and laughed while checking in". The parents claimed I'ijayah had fallen from her stroller and hit her head two days prior, an account medical evidence would thoroughly disprove.
Local reports indicated Parker attempted to downplay the situation, suggesting the baby's injuries were "not all that serious". The couple claimed they had tried to treat her at home using witch hazel, peroxide, and gauze, only seeking professional help when they noticed she had stopped breathing and lost her appetite.
A Catalogue of Unimaginable Injuries
A medical examination and subsequent autopsy revealed the horrifying truth. I'ijayah had suffered blunt force trauma to her head and torso, which was determined to be the cause of death.
Her tiny body bore severe burns on both feet, described as deep partial-thickness injuries consistent with hot liquid. Splash burns were found on other parts of her body, alongside two cuts to her head and face, bruises on her back, and several broken ribs.
Norfolk Police were called to the hospital, and the autopsy confirmed that none of these devastating injuries could have resulted from a simple fall from a stroller.
Failed Pleas and a Grandfather's Warning
In a heartbreaking twist, I'ijayah's grandfather, Hilary Johnson Sr., revealed he had pleaded with staff at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital where his granddaughter was born just over a week before her death. He expressed grave fears for the baby's safety, telling WAVY: "I told them I fear for her life... She was never supposed to leave that hospital."
At the time of I'ijayah's birth, her parents were struggling with mental health issues and living in a tent beneath a highway. Detectives informed the family that Johnson and Parker had been offered accommodation but declined it.
Following the sentencing, Attorney Ramin Fatehi released a statement honouring the memory of "a victim more vulnerable than a newborn baby" and vowing to continue working on difficult cases to secure justice for those who cannot speak for themselves.
