Mother of 5-year-old girl found dead in East Baltimore has initial hearing postponed

BALTIMORE -- Bernice Byrd, a mother who was arrested after her 5-year-old daughter died in their East Baltimore home, had her first court hearing postponed for the second straight day.

Byrd, 32, was arrested on Monday, facing charges of child abuse resulting in death, several counts of child abuse in the second degree and neglect. She was initially scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, but that was postponed because she was on suicide watch at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women.

She is due back in court on Friday for a bail hearing and for a preliminary hearing in November. 

Gerald Byrd, 34, appeared in court on Wednesday to answer to the same charges. He was held without bail and a preliminary hearing has not been scheduled yet.

What happened?

Police were called to 2219 Aiken Street around 12:40 p.m. on Oct. 14 for a report of an unresponsive child. According to court documents, Bernice Byrd contacted her sister, concerned about her daughter, Zona, who was unresponsive in her bed. 

When the aunt arrived, she confirmed the child was in her bed, not moving, and ice cold, according to investigators. She called the police, and after 10 minutes, Zona was pronounced dead by paramedics.

Emaciated and malnourished

Court documents described the child as emaciated and extremely malnourished with her ribs clearly visible. 

Both parents were questioned by police. Neither took responsibility for feeding her and they could not recall the last time the 5-year-old ate and they did not remember what type of food she last ate, according to charging documents. 

Gerald Byrd indicated Zona and one of her siblings were going through the garbage to find food. Neither parent could also tell police when they last saw their child alive, according to investigators.

Three other children in the home

According to police, three other children were taken from the home. One of them, just 6-years-old, was also severely malnourished, only weighing 35 pounds. Detectives described him as gaunt and said he could barely walk. The other two children were placed in the care of relatives, according to police.

After searching the home, detectives found the freezer was packed with meat, one salad was in the refrigerator and a locked bedroom closet contained several non-perishable food items that were out of the children's reach.

In court on Wednesday, Gerald Byrd appeared virtually at the Wabash District Courthouse, dressed in yellow prison garb. He was described as a part-time Amazon worker with four prior convictions, including assault in 2020, according to the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office. The assistant state's attorney in court said this case shocks the conscience.

Prior child abuse allegations

In 2019, both Gerald and Bernice Byrd were named as co-defendants, accused of child abuse and assault, according to charging documents.

According to court records, one of the couple's other daughters went to school with a black eye. The daughter told police she got in a fight with her parents. 

According to the charging documents, Bernice Byrd took the child's cellphone and hit her with an open hand. After going to her bedroom, Gerald Byrd forced entry into the room, tried to stab her with a knife, kicked and punched her, according to the report. The daughter was then kicked out of the home and went to live with her aunt, according to charging documents.

Gerald Byrd pleaded guilty to second degree assault in this case and did serve time, according to court records. The case against Bernice Byrd was indefinitely postponed and remains closed.

WJZ reached out to the Department of Social Services, asking about the Byrds' prior cases, and about the welfare of the children removed from the home this week, but has not heard back.