Virginia – In a disturbing incident in Virginia that caught nationwide attention, a 25-year-old man, identified as Z. Perry, has been charged in connection with the horrifying death of a 1-year-old boy who had been left in his care. Perry, who was considered a trusted family friend, now stands charged with second-degree murder and felony child neglect after the child was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene.
Perry was arrested on April 24 and charged in connection with the death of a toddler he had been babysitting. According to the police department, officers were dispatched to a home around 7:46 a.m. on April 5 in response to a report of an unresponsive child. When first responders arrived, they found the boy unconscious on a mattress. Paramedics attempted to assist, but the toddler was pronounced dead just minutes later.
Following an autopsy performed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the child’s death was ruled the result of “internal trauma.” The autopsy uncovered devastating injuries, including multiple broken ribs, a three-inch laceration on the liver, and bleeding on the brain, consistent with the early stages of Shaken Baby Syndrome. Court documents and police reports reveal a troubling sequence of events that unfolded during the time Perry was alone with the child. The boy’s mother, identified in the documents as S. Holliday, had left her son in Perry’s care, believing him to be a safe and familiar caregiver. However, Perry soon became frustrated with the child, allegedly after discovering him playing in his own feces.
In his interview with detectives, Perry admitted that he gave the child a bath and, in a moment of frustration, squeezed and shook the boy. The injuries discovered during the autopsy matched this description, including clear bruising on the child’s torso. The damage to the toddler’s liver, a major internal wound that caused significant internal bleeding, was particularly severe. Additional bleeding on the brain was noted as well, likely the result of the child being violently shaken. Text messages further revealed the level of Perry’s frustration. Throughout the day, he allegedly messaged the child’s mother saying the boy “gotta go,” a chilling phrase that investigators cited as evidence of his deteriorating patience and increasing aggression.
When questioned about the severe injuries to the toddler’s head, Perry claimed the child had hit his head on the bathtub. However, medical experts quickly determined that the extent of the trauma was inconsistent with a simple accident. Instead, the injuries were indicative of deliberate, violent force. After a thorough investigation, Perry was formally charged with second-degree murder and felony child neglect. At the time of his arrest for the murder, Perry was already being held in jail on unrelated charges. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 2 at 8:30 a.m.
The tragic death of the toddler has shaken the community and raised urgent concerns about the safety of children left in the care of others. What was meant to be a trusted arrangement between a mother and a family friend quickly turned into a fatal act of violence fueled by frustration and neglect. As the legal proceedings move forward, the boy’s family and community are left mourning a life cut tragically short, while justice slowly takes its course for the person now accused of ending it.
