Broken Trust: Ex-Nurse Arrested for Alleged Child Abuse and Malicious Wounding in Richmond Hospital
An ex-nurse, 26-year-old Virginia NICU Nurse Arrested for Allegedly Breaking Babies … – LifeZette”>Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, has been arrested and faces charges of child abuse and malicious wounding after three infants were found with unexplained fractures in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. The Henrico County Division of Police announced Strotman’s arrest on Thursday, January 2.
Strotman, a resident of Chesterfield County, is accused of child abuse in the form of a felony and malicious wounding. The charges stem from incidents that occurred in November and December 2024, as reported by NBC News and court records. Despite the injuries being found in three newborns, the formal charge focuses on a specific case from November 11, 2024, or earlier. Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor acknowledged similar past incidents involving four infants with unexplained injuries at the same hospital during the summer of 2023.
Henrico Doctors’ Hospital confirmed the fractures and promptly informed the affected families and provided authorities with video material from the NICU cameras. In response to the incident, the hospital has temporarily suspended new admissions to its NICU as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of its newborn patients.
Strotman remains jailed without bail at the Henrico Regional Jail, pending her court appearance. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison for child abuse and up to 20 years for malicious wounding, according to Taylor. As of now, Strotman’s lawyer has not responded to media requests for comment, and neither the hospital nor authorities have disclosed further details about the nature of the infants’ injuries.
The Virginia Department of Health Professions revealed that Strotman obtained her nursing license in May 2019, which remains active despite her arrest. The hospital declined to provide details about how long Strotman had worked there, only confirming that she is no longer employed.
Henrico Doctors’ Hospital, which handles approximately 4,500 births annually, has implemented new security measures in its NICU. These include live-transmission cameras for constant monitoring and enhanced safety training programs for NICU staff.
Laura Petrosky, assistant vice president of strategic communications at HCA Virginia, the hospital’s parent company, expressed the organization’s deep concern over the events. Petrosky assured that the company remains committed to the community and patient safety, collaborating closely with authorities and supporting both patients and employees throughout the investigation.
Henrico Police Chief Eric D. English urged patience from families and the public, emphasizing that authorities are thoroughly reviewing all available evidence to ensure justice is served. English confirmed that police are reexamining cases from 2023 and 2024 as part of a broader investigation to determine if any patterns of abuse have gone unnoticed in previous years.
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