A former nurse has been apprehended in connection with a shocking case of child abuse that resulted in three premature infants suffering from unexplained fractures at a Virginia hospital. The hospital has since suspended operations in its neonatal intensive care unit, according to official reports. Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, 26, faces charges of malicious wounding and felony child abuse following the alarming injuries inflicted on infants at Hernia Doctors’ Hospital in Richmond last month, as per police statements.
The premature babies were discovered with unaccounted for broken bones in late November and early December, as reported by Henrico County Police. This unsettling incident follows a similar case where four infants, including a newborn with a fractured leg, were injured in the same unit in the summer of 2023, according to police records.
Investigators are currently scrutinizing numerous videos from inside the NICU and detectives are revisiting the cases from 2023 and 2024 as part of a wider investigation, as stated in the police press release. The Henrico County Police Division is committed to conducting a comprehensive investigation into this matter, utilizing all available resources, the department announced.
In December, parents Dominique and Tori Hackey expressed their distress upon discovering their premature baby, Noah, was unable to move his leg during his stay at the hospital in September 2023. The baby’s leg appeared discolored, prompting the on-duty doctor to order x-rays, which revealed a fracture. The parents declined to hold their baby, fearing they might be blamed for the injury.
The hospital has currently stopped admitting babies into the neonatal intensive care unit as a precautionary measure and has implemented enhanced security measures. In a statement issued on December 24, the hospital acknowledged the discovery of three babies with unexplained fractures in late November/December, similar to an incident involving four babies in the summer of 2023. The hospital initiated a thorough internal investigation, informed the affected families, and collaborated with the relevant authorities and regulatory agencies on their investigations.
A representative from the hospital expressed shock and sadness over Strotman’s arrest, as reported by NBC News. Strotman, a former employee of the hospital, reportedly graduated as a registered nurse in 2019, according to her social media posts. Further details about the injuries sustained by the babies were not immediately available.