Gerrard Kaonga
Police have arrested a former hospital worker as part of an investigation into multiple babies being injured.
The Henrico Police department identified 26-year-old Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman as a suspect during an investigation into the injuries these babies sustained.
The hospital has confirmed that she was a former employee at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Virginia's Henrico Doctors’ Hospital, but have not revealed what her role was.
Strotman, from Chesterfield County, is facing malicious wounding and felony child abuse charges in connection with the incident, which the hospital said happened in late November or possibly December.
The hospital has issued a press release following the arrest of Strotman and said they will continue to assist in any way needed.
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The January 3 2025 statement read: “There has been an ongoing investigation into fractures sustained by patients in our NICU, and this morning, the Henrico County Police Department arrested a former employee of the hospital in connection with that investigation.
“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.
“We are grateful to those colleagues, who have dedicated their professional lives to the care and safety of our patients, as well as to law enforcement and the other agencies who have worked aggressively and tirelessly with us on this investigation.”
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In a previous statement they also alluded to there being previous instances of babies being injured back in 2023.
A statement from the hospital posted on their website on Christmas Eve said: “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.”
One of the parents of the babies has spoken out about the incidents and has raised concerns over why it took so long for ‘justice'.
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Father Dominique Hackey spoke to NBC News and said: “Whatever was done in the dark comes to the light. Sometimes you don’t necessarily want to know what was done.”
Speaking of the now arrested nurse, he said: “I remember her being in the room, she was friendly, she answered questions, but she didn’t stay and talk like the other NICU nurses did, she wasn’t family like the other nurses.”
He also said the hospital should be held accountable.
Strotman was put on paid administrative leave for a year when the 2023 issues came to light, she was then allowed to return back to the hospital in late 2024.