The family of two young parents accused of killing their newborn says the infant should never have been allowed to leave the hospital. Z’ibreyea Parker, 21, gave birth to a baby girl on April 25, 2024, at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. Just nine days later, the baby was dead.
Parker and the baby’s father, 23-year-old Hilary Johnson II, were arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the newborn’s death.
Hilary Johnson Sr. told WAVY his granddaughter, I’ijayah, should never have left the hospital. He reportedly told hospital staff his son and his son’s girlfriend were not fit to be parents, but his concerns were ignored. Now, he’s mourning the death of his first grandchild.
Parker and Johnson II were reportedly not prepared to bring home a child.
According to Johnson Sr., the pair were homeless and both struggled with mental health issues. He told WAVY the young parents were living in a tent and did not have the means to take care of themselves or a baby.
“They was bright kids that I don’t know what in the world snapped into them to live the way they were living,” Johnson Sr. said. “I don’t know. I prayed to myself before she [I’ijayah] came here and I said, ‘Lord, please let her maternal instincts kick in that she wants to protect that baby, that she don’t want to live the way she was living, that she wants more for her and her child.”
The baby allegedly showed signs of continued abuse.
According to court documents obtained by WTKR, when I’ijayah arrived at Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, she was unresponsive. Her body showed signs of physical trauma, including burns, lacerations, bruises, and symptoms of shaken-baby syndrome. Parker allegedly told staff she didn’t believe the injuries were serious and chose to treat her at home.
At first, the parents were charged with child abuse.
After the medical examiner’s ruling that the cause of death was homicide, murder charges were added to the child abuse charge, according to WAVY. The parents were arrested and were being held in Norfolk City Jail with a bond. They are due in court on May 14.
The grandfather tried to stop the couple from leaving the hospital.
He told WAVY he expressed concerns for his granddaughter to hospital staff, but the couple was able to leave anyway.
“How was she able to leave,” Johnson Sr. asked, “when accusations were made that her life was in danger and she had no shelter?”
Nine days after her birth, the baby was reportedly brought to the hospital unresponsive.
The grieving grandfather is asking for help.
Johnson Sr. started a GoFundMe account in hopes of raising money to bury I’ijayah. He explained that he was devastated by the loss of his only grandchild.
“Hi my name is Hillary Johnson I am the grandfather of Iijayah Johnson she was nine days old before she was called back home I really tried to prevent this by talking to medical staff CPS social workers about the mental health of my son and daughter-in-law,” he wrote on the page. “I have to lay her the rest and I want to do it in the right way because she was only 9 days old she was a innocent soul I never got a chance to do insurance never got a chance to hear the I love yous or grabbing on my leg us going out and doing all the little girl stuff a little girl is supposed to do and enjoy life she was my half a loaf of full of energy I just wanted to give her a shot at life she was taken away from me on 5/4/24 I’m asking you help because I really want to give her a good homecoming I’m really devastated will you please offer your help that I can lay my granddaughter to rest I really want it to be beautiful thank you God bless.”
The fundraiser has brought in donations of $1,900 thus far. Its goal is $15,000.