The parents of a 5-year-old Baltimore girl who weighed just 18 pounds when she was found dead pleaded guilty this week to child abuse charges.
Gerald Byrd, 36, and Bernice Byrd, 33, were scheduled to go on trial next week for the October 2024 death of little Zona Byrd, WBAL reports.
Zona’s 6-year-old brother was also malnourished, weighing just 35 pounds. The Byrds couldn’t tell investigators when they last saw the little girl alive before finding her dead.
According to the Baltimore Witness, another sibling — a sister — made the 911 call that brought police to the home. Once inside, police found practically no food in the kitchen and a locked closet in the Byrds’ bedroom that contained non-perishable food items.
The Byrds told police they couldn’t remember when they last fed their four children. Gerald Byrd also told them that the children often searched through the garbage for something to eat.
The Byrds’s attorney blamed child services for the little girl’s death, claiming they didn’t properly investigate calls of concern about the family, WBAL reported.
“He didn’t plead to murder,” Deborah Levi said of the father. “He pled to child abuse, meaning it didn’t have to be knowing and intentional. He could have just been reckless in his parenting.”
“He’s a quiet, introspective person. He’s kind, and he was raised through the (Department of Human Services). That was essentially his parenting experience. He’s just not an evil person,” Levi said.
Nevertheless, prosecutors recommended life in prison for both parents, suspending all but 50 to 70 years. They return to court for sentencing on June 10.
No punishment will be as severe for these defendants as living with the knowledge that they murdered their innocent child,” said Ivan Bates, Baltimore City’s state’s attorney. “Today’s guilty plea does ensure the safety of Zona’s siblings, who are also victims of their parents’ horrific actions.”
The surviving children were reportedly placed with relatives, the Witness said.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.
[Featured image: Gerald and Bernice Byrd/Baltimore Police Department]