Long Island Nurse Arrested After Attack on Disabled Child

A nurse in Long Island was caught on camera repeatedly slapping a disabled 5-year-old patient. This shocking incident didn’t lead to an arrest until a local news segment aired.

Bruno Valenzuela, 31, was taken into custody on Thursday night around 9 p.m. at his home in Brentwood, just hours after News 12 Long Island broadcasted the distressing footage and raised questions about the lack of action following the December 22 incident at the family’s home in Port Jefferson.

In the recorded video, Valenzuela appears to be listening to music with headphones, initially ignoring the child’s pleas. After checking on the boy, his frustration escalates, and he strikes the child’s chest multiple times while shouting.

“It was because of the news reports that Suffolk police came out and arrested my son,” the child’s father, Christopher Brower, remarked to the Post.

Detective Brower, experienced in law enforcement, felt compelled to make the situation public since no arrests had been made up to that point.

He mentioned that investigators seemed to hit a wall, requiring a doctor to confirm that Valenzuela’s actions were “not medically necessary”—a demand he found baffling given there was video evidence.

“I’m a detective. I’ve made over 500 arrests in my life. I’ve never heard this before. You have everything on tape, and now you’re telling me I need a doctor to say it wasn’t necessary to hit and strangle my son?” he expressed, clearly frustrated.

Additionally, Brower stated that he had been informed by the Special Victims Unit detective that progress on the case would be slow due to her workload and upcoming leave. “They couldn’t seem to care. It’s embarrassing to say we’re in the same job,” he lamented.

Valenzuela, who had previously claimed to have a close relationship with Brower and his family, was fired from his job at the Christian Nursing Registry and charged with endangering the welfare of a disabled person and a child.

A spokesperson for the agency emphasized that this incident was unprecedented in their long history, noting, “He had been with the family for three and a half years and had a great relationship with them.” The agency also expressed sorrow over the situation, stating, “We love this child. We love this family. We are just as heartbroken as Mr. Brower.”

Valenzuela is set to be arraigned in Suffolk County Court on Friday. The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office reported that the arrest followed a “complete and thorough investigation,” asserting that media coverage didn’t sway their decisions regarding the investigation or subsequent arrests.