Police Say Nurse Who Broke Preemie Babies' Bones Did Not Target Infants by Race
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.
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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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