Infant’s death ruled homicide; father charged with murder

Published 10:59 pm Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Police have ruled as homicide the Tuesday death of a 4-month-old infant from Smithfield, and her father has been charged with murder.

An autopsy revealed the cause of Piper Molinsky’s death was blunt force trauma to the head, according to a news release from the Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Office. Her father, Robert E. Molinski, has been charged with first-degree murder.

Molinski called 911 on Sunday to report his daughter had stopped breathing at the home on Stallings Creek Drive in Smithfield.

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First responders began CPR efforts at the home. When the medic crew arrived, they decided to call Nightingale for the infant and transport her to Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters.

She had suffered skull fractures, broken ribs and bruising, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office. She also had burns on the soles of her feet.

Her twin sister, Ella, also had skull fractures, broken ribs and bruising. Ella was reported in critical but stable condition on Tuesday.

The mother, Mary Leann Webb, has been charged with felony child neglect.

The infants were living with both parents in the home of their maternal grandfather. The family had moved from Smithfield to Newport News about a month ago.

Molinski’s Facebook page shows evidence of at least one other trip to the hospital for his daughter Piper.

The girls apparently spent time in the hospital just after they were born, according to posts on the social media website. But Piper also had to return to the hospital just after Christmas.

On Dec. 27, he posted “please do what you do (pray chant) for my piper she is back in CHKD.”

The next day, he posted that he had called the EMTs for his daughter. According to a post, the girl was released from the hospital on Dec. 29. A different post shows that he spent the night with her in the hospital.

On Oct. 25, shortly after the girls were born, he posted, “I just wanna be that man that they can proudly call daddy.”

The page also includes photos of alcohol bottles and requests to party with friends, including one posted on New Year’s Eve.