Wake Forest woman charged in child's death
Wake Forest woman charged in child's death
by Johnny Whitfield, Wake Weekly Associate Editor
Julu 14, 2005
The huge brick and stone-faced houses along Dansforeshire Way present an idyllic appearance to those who pass by.
Construction crews are busy building new houses and moms are playing in the front yard with their children.
But residents of the new neighborhood were surprised to learn that, in one of those houses, a 2-year-old child was allegedly being abused.
That alleged abuse led to murder in Virginia last week after Prince William County police arrested 33-year-old Peggy Sue Hilt, of 9212 Dansforeshire Way, for second-degree murder in the death of her daughter Nina Victoria Hilt.
Prince William police said 911 operators there recieved a call on July 2, and the caller said her child was not breathing.
Telecommunicators provided her with CPR instructions while rescue crews made their way to the scene.
Nina Hilt was declared dead at the hospital and investigators were called because the death did not occur in the presence of medical personnel.
Those investigators turned up at the scene of the child's death and at the hospital. Published reports indicate that Peggy Sue Hilt hit her daughter in a fit of rage because she was crying. Police are also investigating the possibility that Nina Hilt was sexually abused.
Virginia medical examiners determined that the cause of Nina Hilt's death was one or more blows to the abdominal area.
The Hilts -- Nina, Peggy Sue and her husband Christopher -- were in Manassas visiting family during the July Fourth holiday.
Peggy Sue Hilt was arrested July 6.
About that time, Wake Forest police, responding to a call for assistance from the Prince William County police, began a surveillance of the Hilt home.
The 24-hour presence left neighbors wondering what was going on.
On Wednesday, Wake Forest police executed a search warrant on the house.
Neighbors said about 10 police officers took part in the search.
Police Chief Greg Harrington said Wake Forest's only involvement in the case has been to assist Prince William police.
Neighbors are surprised that anything like this would happen in their neighborhood, where houses sell in the $300,000 range.
"It makes you think twice about what can happen to your children," said one woman who didn't want to give her name.
Another neighbor who has lived in the neighborhood for about a year said she didn't know what to make of all the commotion.
"I was concerned because there were so many police cars out there and we didn't have any idea what was happening," she said.
Christopher and Peggy Sue Hilt bought their home in the Dansforth subdivision in September 2004.
They adopted Nina Hilt about that same time, through an adoption agency that sponsors adoptions of Russian-born children.
Adoption agencies typically screen prospective parents closely before an adoption is completed, according to Erin Tucker, a social worker with a Raleigh adoption agency that specializes in working with adoptive Russian children.
Parents interested in adopting often work through two separate agencies to complete the process.
The process can also be expensive. Tucker said parents that adopt Russian children are likely to spend between $32,000 and $40,000 to complete the process.
"A lot of the clients we deal with are wealthy people, but there are some who will take out a second or third mortgage on their home because they want a child that much," Tucker said.
Tucker said Hilt's death will complicate future adoptions of Russian children because Russian leaders are concerned about the welfare of children adopted from that country to American parents.
Nina Hilt's murder comes on the heels of another murder involving an adopted Russian child in Chicago.
In that case, the adoptive mother is also accused of beating her child to death.
Peggy Sue Hilt is being held without bond in the Prince William Regional Adult Detention Center. She is due to appear in court Aug. 2.
Harrington said Wake Forest police will not file any charges in connection with the case. "We did ask our D.A.'s office about pressing charges, but they said they prefer not to. We think they probably should," Harrington said.
The entrance to the Dansforth subdivision of Burlington Mills Road now sports a wreath with the words Remember Nina printed on a ribbon.
Two stuffed animals were placed on the ground on either side of the wreath.