Jury Finds Man Accused of Murdering 2-Month-Old Baby Not Guilty on All Charges

By Tyler Parkes [former] - April 20, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Featured | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

A man accused of murdering a 2-month old baby girl has been found not guilty on all counts before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Lawrence Daniels.

Darius Williams, 34, was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree child abuse resulting in the death of a child under the age of 13, and first-degree child abuse that resulted in severe physical injury in connection to an incident that occurred on May 15, 2021, at the unit block of South Monastery Avenue. 

Baltimore Police Department officers were called to the scene and discovered the body of 2-month old Zorii Pitts unresponsive laying in a bassinet. Following an autopsy, the medical examiner ruled that Pitts died due to blunt force trauma to the head as they found her skull heavily bruised and crushed. The extent of the trauma left the child’s brain “oozing out.” In their testimony, the medical examiner determined the manner of death to be homicide. 

When paramedics arrived at the scene, they witnessed an incredibly distressed mother and a relatively calm Williams, according to court documents. Williams was seemingly in a state of shock at the time. A paramedic testified that the couple had been yelling when they arrived at the scene. 

The prosecutor said Williams was the last person who was with the child before she died. He was alone with the child and was the one to set her to bed that night while the mother took a shower.

Williams’ defense attorney, Paul Polansky focused on how Williams was a good man and a good father to both his own children as well as Zorii, who was not his biological daughter. The defense stated that Williams went to work every day to support his family.

Testimony from the victim’s mother as well as the mother of Williams’ biological children gave credence to this, as both stated that Williams was gentle and patient with their children.

Polansky also told the jury how Williams performed CPR on the victim in a final attempt to save her.

In the mother’s testimony, it was revealed that she had a past of depressive episodes and minor alcohol abuse according to her mental health records. While she was resistant to testifying about this, the medical records were ultimately submitted into evidence.

During her testimony, she said she had a glass of wine that night with dinner. However, Williams said she had been drinking tequila that night. Williams also said the mother had a history of verbal abuse towards her children. 

During the lead detective’s testimony, he stated that upon arriving at the scene he saw the victim’s mother sobbing hysterically while Williams seemingly remained calm and paced the area. The detective said there was no evidence recovered from the defendant after receiving a search warrant. 

In closing, the prosecutor continued to focus on how Williams was the only possible suspect in this case and how the evidence from the testimonies as well as the autopsy showed the victim’s death to be a homicide.

“The only thing Darius is guilty of is not being emotional enough,” Polansky said during his closing argument.

Polansky said Williams was cooperative with the police throughout the whole process and how multiple testimonies revealed that he was a good father to his children. The defense insisted that there was no motivation for Williams to murder the baby.