A registered nurse in Virginia has been arrested by the police in connection with a disturbing attack that occurred in a neonatal intensive care unit at a hospital. The attack resulted in a vulnerable newborn sustaining an “unexplainable fracture” in November. Detectives are currently investigating six other similar incidents, and there is a possibility of additional charges being brought against the nurse.
Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, a 26-year-old suspect, was arrested and taken to the Henrico County Jail at 1:15 a.m. on Friday. She is facing charges of malicious wounding and child abuse resulting in serious injury.
In November and December, a series of injuries to babies in the NICU at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Richmond left officials puzzled. In response, an internal investigation was launched, and on Christmas Eve, the unit was closed to new patients.
Strotman obtained her registered nurse’s license in 2019, and it remains valid until May 2026, according to public records.
“In late November/December, we discovered that three babies in our Henrico Doctors’ Hospital NICU had unexplainable fractures, similar to an incident involving four babies in the summer of 2023,” the hospital said in a statement.
Last year, Child Protective Services received reports of the injuries from concerned parents.
“Finally we can get some answers as to who abused our son. I wish I could say it was a happy moment learning of her arrest, however, learning the details involving the other babies, the only feeling I have is sadness and regret,” Dominique Hackey, the father of one of the victims, told Fox News Digital Friday. “I am heartbroken to learn the degree in what this person was allowed to get away with, and regret that I should’ve spoke up sooner in hopes to prevent other children from getting hurt. ”
Hackey initially shared his story with the local news station, WTVR-TV, last month. He disclosed the perplexity surrounding his one twin son’s injury, as he had suffered an unexplained fracture to his tibia in September 2023. His mother, who was once a NICU nurse, promptly reported the injury to social services.
Henrico CPS informed them a year later that their son had been a victim of physical abuse by an unnamed hospital staff member. Additionally, in October, county police revealed the existence of other similar cases.
The hospital made the decision to shut down its NICU on December 24 due to the three recent incidents. However, the identity of the alleged assailant remained unknown until Strotman’s arrest was announced by the police on Friday.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we are not admitting any additional babies into our NICU at this time,” the hospital said on Christmas Eve. “While fractures occasionally happen with pre-term babies since they lack full fetal bone development, we are actively working to determine how these fractures occurred.”
Hospital officials have acknowledged that fractures can occur in premature babies. However, they took immediate action to enhance security measures, including the installation of advanced surveillance systems. In addition, they promptly informed the police following the occurrence of a second series of attacks.
The hospital has implemented several safety measures to ensure the well-being of the patients. These measures include comprehensive training on general safety and the ability to recognize and report signs of abuse. Additionally, doctors are conducting thorough head-to-toe examinations of the patients. To further enhance safety, a system has been put in place where each healthcare provider is accompanied by another clinician whenever they enter a baby’s room.
After apprehending Strotman for an incident that occurred on November 10, the police were provided with a substantial amount of surveillance video footage. They are currently in the process of reviewing the footage to gather additional evidence.
“We appreciate the families’ and public’s patience as we work as thoroughly and expeditiously as possible to investigate every piece of evidence in connection to these cases,” Henrico Chief of Police Eric English said in a statement. “I would also like to acknowledge the unwavering efforts of our detectives who continue to comb through hundreds of hours of footage and extend my sincere gratitude to Henrico’s Child Protective Services (Department of Social Services), the Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, Virginia State Police, the Virginia Department of Health, and the Office of the Attorney General for their assistance in this matter.”
Police are currently collecting evidence in all of the remaining incidents, although no charges have been filed in Hackey’s case.
Henrico police stated on Friday that Strotman, a Midlothian resident in the suburbs of Richmond, is being investigated in connection with several similar cases from 2023 to 2024, including both active and inactive cases.
“All of the previously closed cases related to these incidents have been reopened,” police said in a statement. “All of the families involved in this current broader investigation have been notified.”
Authorities stated that they were unable to disclose further information due to health care privacy laws.
“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,” HCA Healthcare, which owns the hospital, said in a statement.
If you have any information, please contact the detectives at police@henrico.gov, visit P3tips.com, or call Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000. Additional charges may apply.
According to court records, Strotman has a history of minor traffic offenses.
The Henrico Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court had scheduled her arraignment for Friday morning.
The Hackey family’s son has made a full recovery from his fracture and is currently in good health.
“According to his father, he is an incredibly adventurous little boy.”