State's Attorney Issues Statement on Sentencing of Parents for the Death of Zona Byrd

Baltimore, Md. (November 12, 2026) – “No punishment that our office can request will atone for starving a child to death. The sentence of Life, suspending all but 60 years, will likely keep these defendants incarcerated for the remainder of their lives. We accepted this plea knowing Mr. and Mrs. Byrd will never return to society as a public safety threat, while also sparing their surviving children the unimaginable burden of testifying against their parents and being re-traumatized by reliving the horrific abuse at trial. As a father, the facts of this case are nauseating, and my heart continues to ache for Zona, who was taken from us far too soon due to the inconceivable cruelty of her parents. I want to thank the Baltimore Police Department for its diligence and our Special Victims Unit prosecutors for securing a resolution that holds these defendants accountable, protects their surviving children, and delivers justice.” — Ivan J. Bates, State’s Attorney for Baltimore City