VA Nurse Charged With Breaking Bones of Black Newborn In Case Involving 7 Babies In NICU
HENRICO COUNTY, VA – A former nurse from Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Central Virginia has been arrested and charged with malicious wounding and child abuse following a chilling investigation into injuries sustained by infants in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, 26, of Chesterfield County, is accused of causing “unexplainable fractures” to at least one Black newborn in the NICU. Authorities suggest that the case could extend to six other infants who suffered similar injuries in 2023 and 2024. Strotman, arraigned on Friday (Jan. 3), is currently charged in connection with one baby, though the investigation remains ongoing.
Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, a 26-year-old nurse from Virginia, has been arrested on charges of malicious wounding and felony child abuse.
The medical industry is full of suspected white supremacists, this is why we need a Black hate crime law pic.twitter.com/254nqW9M69
— Afro Elite (@TheAfroElite) January 6, 2025
A Disturbing Pattern Emerges
The investigation began after three infants in the NICU were discovered with unexplained fractures in late November and December 2024. These injuries bore striking similarities to those of four other newborns treated at the same hospital in 2023.
The multi-agency investigation—led by Henrico County Child Protective Services, the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, Virginia State Police, the Virginia Department of Health, and the Office of the Attorney General—is examining these incidents in-depth.
Legal Consequences and Ongoing Investigation
Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor emphasized the seriousness of the charges. “The maximum statutory penalty for felony child neglect is 10 years of incarceration, and the maximum statutory penalty for felony malicious wounding is 20 years,” Taylor stated.
Taylor also underscored that this arrest might be only the beginning. “While there has been an arrest for one nurse for allegedly inflicting injury on a single victim, this is an ongoing investigation spanning potential offenses committed in both 2023 and 2024,” she said. She further assured the public that the cases of the other injured infants are being thoroughly reviewed, and additional charges may follow if sufficient evidence arises.
Families React in Court
The arraignment was an emotional event for the families of all seven affected babies, several of whom left the courtroom in tears. Among them was Dominique Hackey, the father of one of the twins injured in 2023. Hackey expressed his anguish after the proceedings, saying, “I’m overwhelmed with emotions. I couldn’t help but break down. For that father and that mother (of the child Strotman is charged with injuring), I felt the same helplessness I felt when I learned my son had a fracture.”
Hackey recalled meeting Strotman briefly during his twins’ NICU stay. “I remember her being in the room. She was friendly and answered questions, but she wasn’t family like the other NICU nurses,” he said.
What’s Next
Strotman is set to appear in court again on March 24. Until then, the judge has prohibited her from contacting any children under 18. Meanwhile, the investigation continues, with authorities working to determine whether additional charges or defendants will emerge.
Disclaimer
The photo accompanying this article is a stock image and does not depict the baby mentioned in the report. Photo credit