NORFOLK, Va. — A local mother has entered a guilty plea in connection with the 2024 death of her 9-day-old baby in Norfolk.
Z'ibreyea Parker pleaded guilty to child abuse and neglect with serious injury on Tuesday, according to the Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.
She had previously been charged with second-degree murder, but that charge was withdrawn, the attorney's office said.
Watch previous coverage: Parents accused of killing baby who died in Norfolk will have competency evaluations
On August 6, the father of the baby, Hilary Johnson II, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder as part of a plea agreement, and the child abuse and neglect charge he faced was withdrawn, the attorney's office shared earlier this month.
In May of last year, Norfolk police said they were called out to CHKD after they received a call for an unresponsive baby showing signs of abuse — including burns on the infant's feet and a large handprint on the baby's back.
An autopsy report showed symptoms of shaken baby syndrome and revealed the child had several bruises on her head and broken ribs.
Watch related: Mother of 9-day-old infant who died denied bond; grandfather says he feared for her health
Last year, News 3's Kelsey Jones spoke with Hilary Johnson Sr., I’ijayah's grandfather. He said he was devastated by the loss of his granddaughter.
"I know I'm not going to ever get no closure. My mind is boggled right now," he said. "I wanted to do right by her, but she was taken away. Grabbing on my leg, all of that, all that stuff was taken away from me, it's not fair."
Watch related: Court documents reveal details about death of 9-day-old baby taken to CHKD
Johnson Sr. said he worried that his son and daughter-in-law were not fit to be parents. He said he even warned staff at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital that he feared for the baby's life, but he said his plea fell on deaf ears.
"I said I feared for the girl's life," Johnson said. "What in the world else am I supposed to do? Now, I got to bury my granddaughter because nobody listened."
His concerns also stemmed from the baby's parents being homeless and struggling with mental health.
Police said the parents were living in a tent near I-264 and Campostella. It's unclear how long they were homeless.
We reached out to Sentara after Johnson Sr. told us his plea for help was ignored. A spokesperson for Sentara shared the following statement:
"Sentara has policies and procedures to ensure that suspicions of child abuse or neglect and other reportable concerns are investigated in accordance with the law."
Sentencings for Parker and Johnson II are scheduled to happen in October.
