Virginia State Police arrested a registered nurse in November in connection with a perverse assault that left a vulnerable newborn with “unexplained fractures” in a hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. Additional charges may be filed as detectives continue to investigate six similar cases.
The suspect, Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, 26, was booked into the Henrico County Jail around 1:15 a.m. Friday on charges of felonious bodily harm and child abuse.
A series of embarrassing injuries to infants in the NICU at Dr. Henrico Hospital in Richmond in November and December prompted officials to launch an internal investigation and close the unit to new patients on Christmas Eve. Ta.
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Erin Strotman in a mugshot taken on Friday, January 3, 2025. A registered nurse from Virginia is facing charges of child abuse and serious bodily injury in connection with an incident involving a newborn at a Richmond-area NICU. (Henrico County Sheriff's Office)
Strotman's registered nurse license was first issued in 2019 and is valid until May 2026, according to public records.
“From late November to December, three infants were found to have unexplained fractures in the NICU at Henrico Doctors Hospital. This is similar to an incident involving four infants in the summer of 2023. ,” the hospital said in a statement.
Concerned parents reported the injuries to Child Protective Services last year.
“Finally, we have some answers as to who abused our son. I would like to say that it was a happy moment to learn of her arrest, but when we learned the details of the other babies, we were saddened and… I have nothing but regrets,” Dominic Hackie, the father of one of the victims, told Fox News Digital on Friday. “It breaks my heart to learn the extent of this person's crimes to allow him to get away with it. I regret that I should have spoken out sooner to prevent other children from being hurt.”
One of Hacky's twin sons. He was pictured wearing an ankle brace after sustaining a bizarre injury. Investigators later attributed the injuries to hospital staff in a twisted case of child abuse. (Courtesy of Dominic Huckey)
Hacky first told his story publicly on a local news station. WTVR-TV Last month, he revealed the confusion surrounding an injury to one of his twin sons. He suffered a mysterious fracture in his tibia in September 2023. His mother, herself a former NICU nurse, reported the injury to social services.
It was a year later that Henrico CPS told them they had concluded their son was the victim of physical abuse by an anonymous hospital employee. Then in October, county police reportedly told police about other similar incidents.
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The hospital announced the closure of its NICU on Dec. 24 following three recent incidents, but the alleged perpetrator remained unknown until police announced Strotman's arrest on Friday. It remained.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we will not be admitting any additional newborns to the NICU at this time,” the hospital announced on Christmas Eve. “Fractures can occur in preterm infants because the fetal bones are not fully developed, and we are actively working to understand how these fractures occur. Masu.”
Noah Huckey is now 16 months old and has recovered from his injuries. (Courtesy of Dominic Huckey)
Hospital officials had previously said fractures can occur in premature babies, but they still beefed up security, installed new surveillance systems and called police after the second series of attacks. did.
New safety measures include training on general safety and how to identify and report signs of abuse, a head-to-toe examination of patients by physicians, and separate clinical visits each time each provider enters the infant's room. It included an observer system with a doctor accompanying the patient. said the hospital.
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They also turned over hours of surveillance video to police, who were still reviewing the footage after Strotman was arrested in connection with the Nov. 10 incident.
“We appreciate the patience of the families and the public as we investigate all evidence related to these incidents as thoroughly and expeditiously as possible,” Henrico Police Chief Eric English said in a statement. “We would also like to thank our detectives for their tireless efforts in reviewing hundreds of hours of footage, and would like to express our sincere gratitude to Henrico Child Protective Services (Department of Social Services), the Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, and the Virginia State Police.” We would like to thank the Virginia Department of Health, and the Attorney General's Office for their assistance in this matter.”
No charges have been filed in Hackey's case, but police said they are actively gathering evidence in all remaining cases.
We finally get some answers as to who abused our son. I wish I could say that it was a happy moment when I learned that he had been arrested, but when I learned the detailed circumstances of the other babies, I felt nothing but sadness and regret.
Strotman is a resident of Midlothian, a suburb of Richmond, and authorities are investigating her in connection with similar incidents, some of which are inactive, that occurred between 2023 and 2024, Henrico police said Friday. It was announced on .
“All previously resolved cases related to these incidents have been reopened,” police said in a statement. “All families involved in this ongoing extensive investigation have been notified.”
Officials said they could not release much additional information because of medical privacy laws.
A Google Maps image shows the hospital's ambulance bay. Police say a registered nurse was involved in at least one attack on a newborn in the neonatal intensive care unit, and authorities are stepping up safety measures. (Google Maps)
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HCA Healthcare, which owns the hospital, said: “We are shocked and saddened by the developments in this investigation, and our colleagues who continue to care for our patients and have been deeply personally affected by this investigation.'' We are focused on providing support.” In a statement.
Because additional charges may be filed, police are asking anyone with information to contact detectives at police@henrico.gov, visit P3tips.com, or call Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000. I'm calling you to call.
Court records show Strotman's only previous violations of the law were minor traffic violations.
She was scheduled to be arraigned Friday morning in Henrico Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.
As for the Hackey family, their son has recovered from the broken bone and is doing well.
“He's a very adventurous boy,” his father said.
