Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman Henrico Doctors Hospital NICU nurse charged after multiple babies found with unexplained fractures from 2023 and 2024 as police are now reviewing video amid concern there may be more victims.
A former employee of Henrico Doctors’ Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Virginia has been charged following an investigation into babies found with ‘unexplainable fractures.’
Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, 26, of Chesterfield County, VA was charged with malicious wounding, felony child abuse and neglect in connection to an incident that occurred in November of 2024, according to a release by the Henrico County Police Division on Friday.
HCA Healthcare confirmed that Strotman is a former employee of the hospital.
Unexplained fractures from 2023 and 2024
The former worker’s arrest follows the hospital saying that 3 babies were found with ‘unexplainable fractures’ in late November and December of 2024, adding that these incidents were similar to an incident involving four babies in 2023, WTVR reported.
According to online court records, the offense date for both charges is Nov. 10, 2024, WRIC reported.
A Henrico County Police spokesperson said cops are ‘reviewing dozens of videos from inside the NICU’, sparking fears more victims may emerge.
Due to these incidents and an ongoing investigation into their circumstances, the Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in a December 24 release said the hospital’s NICU would not be accepting additional admissions until further notice.
It has not been revealed where on the body the fractures occurred or if any complications or lasting damage resulted from the injuries.
Due to the ‘sensitive nature’ of these cases, police said updates will be provided when available so as not to compromise the investigation.
The healthcare system provided the following statement in part in regards to Strotman’s arrest:
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 have been assisting law enforcement in their ongoing investigation and will continue to do so.
‘While fractures occasionally happen with pre-term babies since they lack full fetal bone development, we are actively working to determine how these fractures occurred.’
Preterm births – are defined as a birth before 37 weeks gestation. Such infants are at a high risk of injury because they did not have enough time to form strong bones in the womb. These weaker bones are more prone to fracture.
Fractures in preterm infants typically heal well when the babies are handled extremely gently and are given supplemental calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus, all of which help to fortify bones.
Noah Hackey NICU baby with unexplained fracture
Noah Hackey was among the babies to suffer an injury in 2023, with his parents, Tori and Dominique, discovering he had a fractured tibia while in the hospital’s NICU in September of that year according to 12 On Your Side.
The couple received a letter from Henrico’s Department of Social Services, which stated that ‘following a [thorough] CPS investigation this agency has determined the disposition of this report to be founded level 1 for physical abuse of Noah by an employee by the Henrico Doctor’s Hospital NICU,’ according to WTVR.
However, the employee wasn’t identified at the time.
According to her Facebook page, Elizabeth Strotman, a registered nurse, joined HCA Healthcare’s Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Richmond, Va., in June 2019.
The case at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital’ NICU unit echoes that of British serial killer nurse Lucy Letby, although there have been no deaths reported.
Anyone with questions or concerns related to the HCA Virginia Health System can contact the public relations department with the healthcare system.
Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact Henrico Police Det. M. Lynch at [email protected].
