‘I told them I feared for their lives’: Dead child’s grandfather says he warned hospital staff

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — I’ijayah Johnson’s short, nine-day life seemed turbulent.

Her grandfather, who was born April 25 at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, was concerned that his son or daughter-in-law was unfit to become parents and said he warned hospital staff that he would be around fear the child’s life.

His requests were ignored, he said.

Instead of celebrating the birth of his first grandchild, Hilary Johnson Sr. is planning her funeral.

“I told them I feared for their lives,” said Johnson Sr. “Not only me, but my dad said the same thing. So how come you still let the baby go? She should never have left that hospital.”

According to Norfolk Police, the child was taken to King’s Daughters Children’s Hospital nine days after birth. She was unresponsive and showed signs of abuse.

I’ijayah died there.

Her parents were later charged with second-degree murder. The two were arraigned in court on Wednesday.

Johnson Sr. said her parents, 23-year-old Hilary Johnson II and 21-year-old Z’ibreyea Parker, were homeless and struggling with their mental health at the time of I’ijayah’s birth.

“I don’t know what in the world was in their minds to live the way they lived,” Johnson Sr. said, saying I’ijayah’s parents were once “smart kids.”

“I don’t know,” he added. “I prayed to myself before she (I’ijayah) came here and I said, ‘Lord, please let her motherly instincts take effect, that she wants to protect this baby, that she doesn’t want to live the way she lived . that she wants more for herself and her child.”

Johnson Sr. also said investigators told his family that I’ijayah’s parents were offered housing after the baby was discharged from the hospital, but they declined that option. He said his son and daughter-in-law lived outside in a tent after they left.

“How could (the baby) leave when there were accusations that her life was in danger and she had no protection?” Johnson Sr. said.

Sentara was unable to comment on Johnson Sr.’s claims. Nexstar’s WAVY has contacted the hospital where I’ijayah was born but has not yet heard back about the facility’s infant safety policies.

Johnson Sr. has started a GoFundMe to help with his granddaughter’s funeral costs.