NORFOLK, Va. — A husband and wife were sentenced this week to serve 19 and 10 years in prison, respectively, for the death of their 9-day-old daughter in 2024, according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's office in Norfolk.
Hilary Darnell Johnson II, 24, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a sentence of 19 years. Z'Ibreyea Shantel Parker, 22, pleaded guilty to child abuse and received a sentence of 10 years in prison.
On May 4, 2024, Parker and Johnson showed up at CHKD in Norfolk with their daughter, Iijayah, who staff reported was "cold to the touch."
According to the Norfolk Commonwealth's attorney's office, they were living in a tent at the time and told CHKD staff Iijayah had fallen from her stroller and hit her head. After trying to treat her on their own, they reported she was not eating and was no longer breathing.
CHKD staff reported signs of abuse, including burns, cuts, and bruises on various placed of her body. They also reported Parker and Johnson had been laughing when they were at the hospital.
The autopsy report also showed broken ribs and other internal injuries, which were not consistent with falling from a stroller.
Parker and Johnson were charged with felony child abuse and second-degree murder, and while authorities could not be certain which parent caused the injuries, they said evidence led them to believe Johnson was responsible.
“There is no victim more vulnerable than a newborn baby. Iijayah came into the world in need of love and protection from her mother and father. What she got instead was suffering and death,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “We will continue to work the difficult cases and to honor the memory of innocent victims like Iijayah who cannot speak for themselves.”
