A Virginia nurse, Erin Strotman, has appeared in court after being charged with injuring a newborn baby, with concerns rising that up to six more infants at the same hospital may have also been deliberately harmed.
Charges Filed Against Strotman Over Alleged Baby Injury
The 26-year-old nurse was arraigned on January 5, 2025, on charges of malicious wounding and felony child abuse following an incident that occurred on November 10, 2024, at Henrico County Doctors’ Hospital in Richmond.
According to Henrico County Police, Strotman worked in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where a string of unexplained injuries had occurred.
The Timeline of Alleged Abuse and Hospital’s Response
Strotman, who graduated with a nursing degree in 2019, was linked to the injuries of four babies in the summer of 2023.
Even after the hospital installed cameras to monitor the NICU, three more infants sustained unexplained fractures in late 2024.
Henrico Doctors’ Hospital’s NICU, which cares for critically ill newborns, is under investigation as more agencies look into the cases of abuse.
Investigation and Legal Proceedings
During Strotman’s court appearance, it was confirmed that she was being held in jail without bond.
The charges stem from one alleged abuse incident, though investigations are ongoing to uncover whether more babies were harmed.
Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor stated that the maximum penalty for felony child abuse is 20 years in prison, and the combined charges could result in a sentence of up to 30 years.
The Hospital’s Reaction to the Abuse Cases
Henrico Doctors’ Hospital temporarily shut down its NICU at the end of 2024 after the implementation of safety measures failed to prevent the continued abuse.
The hospital, which delivers around 4,500 babies annually, has stated that it is not admitting new patients into its NICU at this time.
Family’s Concerns and Discovery of Abuse
Dominique and Tori Hackey, who noticed a leg fracture in their newborn son Noah in August 2023, were the first to raise alarm about the potential abuse at the hospital.
After their son’s injury, which was initially deemed accidental by hospital staff, they contacted child services, leading to further investigations that revealed a pattern of unexplained injuries.
Families Unite in Court to Demand Justice
At Strotman’s arraignment, Dominique Hackey, along with other families whose babies were allegedly abused, attended to express their concerns.
The charges against Strotman do not involve their children’s injuries, but the families have been vocal about their shock and anger regarding the incidents.
The investigation into the cases of suspected abuse continues, with more scrutiny on the actions of hospital staff and the conditions that allowed these incidents to take place.
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