BALTIMORE — Two Baltimore parents pleaded guilty Wednesday in connection with the starvation death of their 5-year-old daughter, Zona Byrd, and the neglect of her 6-year-old brother.
Bernice Byrd and Gerald Byrd each entered guilty pleas to First-Degree Child Abuse Resulting in Death and First-Degree Child Abuse, the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City announced.
The couple faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, with all but 70 years suspended. Sentencing is scheduled for June 10.
On October 14, 2024, Baltimore Police responded to a home on the 2200 block of Aiken Street after receiving a report of an unresponsive child.
Officials say officers found Zona lying in a second-floor bedroom, unresponsive and "cold to the touch".
The medical examiner confirmed that Zona died due to malnutrition and weighed only 17.5 pounds at the time of her death.
When detectives questioned both parents about the last time the child had been fed, neither could provide an answer.
Three other children were also in the home at the time. All were transported to Johns Hopkins Medical Center for evaluation.
One of those children was a 6-year-old brother who appeared severely "emaciated" and could barely stand or walk.
Officials say he weighed 35 pounds and remained hospitalized until October 26, 2024.
Detectives noted that the kitchen cupboards were completely bare. Frozen meat was found in the freezer and a salad was found inside of the refrigerator.
Investigators later discovered that non-perishable food items had been locked inside the parents’ bedroom closet — out of the children’s reach.
One of the surviving children had reportedly been seen going through garbage at school, looking for something to eat.
“No punishment will be as severe for these defendants as living with the knowledge that they murdered their innocent child. Today’s guilty plea does ensure the safety of Zona’s siblings, who are also victims of their parents’ horrific actions,” said State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates. “As a father, the facts of this case are nauseating, and my heart continues to ache for Zona, who is gone from us far too soon. I want to thank the Baltimore Police Department for their diligence on this case and my Special Victims Unit prosecutors for finding a resolution that both delivers justice and spares this family from the trauma of a trial.”
If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, contact the Maryland Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-91Prevent (1-800-917-7383).
