NICU Nurse Who Broke Preemie Babies' Bones on Purpose Has Nursing License Suspended
Disclaimer: This article discusses child-abuse and violence - it may be triggering to some readers.
Update 3/11/2025
Erin Strotman, the former NICU nurse accused of abusing a premature baby at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital, now faces six new felony charges. A grand jury returned the indictments on Monday, including two new counts of malicious wounding and four counts of child abuse, related to injuries suffered by the original victim and two additional infants. The offenses reportedly occurred on October 29, November 10, and November 13, 2024. Strotman is now accused of abusing a total of three babies.
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Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor plans to move the original charges involving the first baby (referred to as baby YH) to circuit court. She stated that the charges reflect criminal conduct during three distinct periods. While Strotman's bond was not contested at today's hearing, prosecutors may do so at her next court date on March 20.
Taylor also indicated that the 2023 cases, where an internal investigation revealed Strotman had contact with four babies who suffered broken bones, are being reviewed for potential charges.
Update 2/13/2025
Former NICU nurse Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, who was arrested for purposefully breaking premature babies' bones, has been granted bond while awaiting trial for alleged abuse of premature infants in her care.
On February 12, 2025, Strotman was granted a $25,000 secured bond while awaiting her trial. This decision has sparked debate within legal and medical circles. Supporters of the bail argue that it allows the accused to prepare for their defense while maintaining the presumption of innocence. Critics, however, express concern about the potential risks of releasing someone accused of such serious crimes against vulnerable infants.
The secured nature of the bond means that Strotman or her representatives must put up collateral or cash equal to the full amount to ensure her appearance at future court proceedings. This condition aims to strike a balance between the rights of the accused and the safety concerns of the community.
Update 1/14/25
In a shocking development that has sent ripples through the healthcare community, new details have emerged regarding alleged child abuse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Henrico Doctors' Hospital in Virginia. The case centers around former nurse Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, whose actions have sparked a widespread investigation and raised serious concerns about patient safety in one of the most vulnerable hospital units.
Surveillance Video Reveals Horrific Incident
A court document has brought to light disturbing details captured on surveillance video within the NICU. The footage allegedly shows Strotman, a 26-year-old nurse from Chesterfield County, placing pressure and weight onto a baby's legs and forcefully pushing them backward towards the infant's head. This revelation has intensified the gravity of the allegations against the former nurse and raised questions about the oversight and security measures in place within the NICU.
Multiple Fractures Discovered in 5-Month-Old Patient
The case first came to light on November 22, 2024, when a detective from the Henrico County Police Division responded to a report at Henrico Doctors' Hospital. The focus of the investigation was a 5-month-old baby boy in the NICU who was found to have a fractured left femur. Further medical imaging revealed additional injuries, including a fractured right tibia and multiple rib fractures. Medical staff reviewing the imaging determined that these injuries had occurred approximately seven to ten days before being reported and were consistent with "non-accident trauma".
Arrest and Charges Filed Against Former Nurse
Following an internal hospital investigation and a thorough police review of dozens of surveillance videos from inside the NICU, Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman was arrested on January 3, 2025. She now faces serious charges, including felony child abuse and malicious wounding. The arrest has sent shockwaves through the medical community and raised concerns about the vetting and monitoring of healthcare professionals working with vulnerable patients.
Update 1/7/25 at 2:30pm PST
Henrico Police Chief Eric English has stated there is no evidence that a former nurse accused of abusing a newborn in the NICU at Henrico Doctors' Hospital targeted children based on their race. The statement, issued on Jan. 7, addresses allegations circulating on social media and in some news reports suggesting racially motivated abuse by the nurse.
The accused, 26-year-old Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman of Chesterfield County, has faced claims of targeting Black infants. However, Chief English emphasized that such claims are “not factual” based on the preliminary findings of the investigation conducted by Henrico Police.
The statement reads,
Authorities have urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified information while the investigation remains ongoing.
Nurse.org will continue to update this article as more information becomes available. If you have information to share about the case - click here to fill out our quick submission form today to get the details in front of Nurse.org editors.
Update 1/7/25 at 9:00am PST
At this time, authorities have not released details on the victim's ethnic, racial, or gender identity. However, the father of one of the victims revealed a pattern that he and the other victims' parents noticed - he told Fox News that all of the victims are boys. "'There were all different injuries, and two boys had multiple injuries," he stated and went on to include that the parents 'can't find a pattern of why our babies, other than that, they were just boys.'
Original story 1/6/25
A registered nurse has been arrested in connection with a disturbing case involving unexplained injuries to newborns in a hospital's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Henrico Doctors' Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, 26, was taken into custody and charged with malicious wounding and child abuse causing serious injury.
Nurse Arrested and Charged
The arrest of Strotman stems from incidents involving multiple babies in the NICU who suffered unexplainable fractures over several months beginning in the summer of 2023.
Timeline of Events
- Summer 2023: Four babies in the NICU suffer unexplainable fractures.
- November/December 2024: Three more babies experience similar unexplained fractures.
- December 24, 2024: Hospital closes NICU to new admissions and launches internal investigation.
- January 3, 2025: Strotman arrested in connection with a November 10 incident.
Details of the Case
According to the Sherrif's office, Strotman is being charged with
- MALICIOUS WOUNDING - STAB, CUT, WOUND WITH MALICIOUS INTENT
- CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, SERIOUS INJURY
- Her next court date is scheduled for 3/25/2025
- She is no bail set
Further details include,
- Strotman's nursing license was issued in 2019 and is valid until May 2026.
- The hospital implemented new safety measures, including increased security, surveillance systems, and an observer system for healthcare providers.
- Police are reviewing hours of surveillance footage and have reopened previously closed cases.
- Strotman was placed on paid leave in 2023, returned to work in late 2024, and was terminated and then arrested on the same day last week.
Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor shared the following statement about the investigation: “First, my thoughts are with the families of the injured children, who suffered harm while in a facility designed to provide comfort and care. I would also echo the remarks made by Chief Eric English earlier today in recognizing the dedicated work of the Henrico Police Division and Henrico Child Protective Services (Department of Social Services), as well as the staff of my office. Furthermore, I thank both the Virginia Department of Health and Virginia State Police for their assistance.”
Investigation Reveals Disturbing Pattern
As the investigation progressed, both local police and Child Protective Services (CPS) became involved. Surprisingly, CPS had previously concluded that one of the babies, Noah Hackey, was a victim of physical abuse by an unnamed hospital staff member.
The Hackeys reported that their son, Noah, suffered a mysterious fracture to his tibia in September 2023. The family was informed by CPS that the injury was due to physical abuse by a hospital staffer, though at the time, the identity of the perpetrator was unknown.
The Hackeys’ received a letter from Henrico’s Department of Social Services with findings from a Child Protective Services investigation, stating:
“Following a thorough Child Protective Services investigation, this agency has determined the disposition of this report to be FOUNDED, LEVEL ONE, for physical abuse of Noah by an employee in the Henrico Doctors’ Hospital NICU. A founded disposition means a review of the facts shows by a preponderance of the evidence that child abuse/neglect occurred. A ‘level one’ finding indicates the injuries/conditions, real or threatened, did or were likely to have resulted in serious harm to the child.”
This finding set the stage for a more comprehensive review of cases and heightened scrutiny of NICU operations.
HCA, which owns Henrico Doctor’s Hospital, said in a statement:
"We are both shocked and saddened by this development in the investigation and are focused on continuing to care for our patients and providing support to our colleagues who have been deeply and personally impacted by this investigation. We are grateful to those colleagues, who have dedicated their professional lives to the care and safety of our patients, as well as to law enforcement and the other agencies who have worked aggressively and tirelessly with us on this investigation.”
Enhanced Safety Measures Implemented
In response to these incidents, Henrico Doctors' Hospital took swift action to enhance security and protect its patients. The hospital installed new surveillance systems and implemented stricter safety protocols. These measures included comprehensive training for staff on identifying and reporting signs of abuse.
Perhaps most notably, the hospital introduced an observer system where each healthcare provider is now accompanied by another clinician when entering a baby's room. This buddy system approach aims to provide an additional layer of oversight and accountability in patient care.
Nurses React to the Ongoing Investigation
The arrest of Strotman may not be the end of this case. Police are actively reviewing additional cases and have reopened previously closed cases related to these incidents. This suggests that the full scope of the alleged misconduct may not yet be known. As the investigation continues, there is a possibility that additional charges could be brought against Strotman.
@abbylynn0715 Replying to @Abby Blabby 💗 A NICU nurse at the Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Virginia, Erin Strotman, was arrested and charged for allegedly harming the babies! #fyp #foryou #crime #truecrime #healthcare #viral #xyzbca ♬ original sound - Abby Blabby 💗
@justinthenickofcrime NICU Nurse Arrested For Heinous Crimes Against Babies #nicu #Virginia #Arrest #Nurse #News #BreakingNews #Babies #Preemie ♬ original sound - JustInTheNickOfCrime
Erin Strotman has been arrested for allegedly hurting the 7 babies at Henrico hospital nicu. She is innocent until proven guilty but it looks like they’ve built a strong case
The hospital administration and local authorities have expressed shock and profound sadness over these developments. Their focus now is on continuing to provide care for patients while supporting colleagues who have been affected by the investigation and its fallout.
In an effort to ensure a thorough investigation, the public has been urged to come forward with any information related to these incidents. This call for community involvement underscores the seriousness with which authorities are treating this case and their commitment to uncovering the full truth.
Nurse.org will continue to update this article as more details of the case emerge.
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