A former Virginia NICU nurse has been sentenced to three years in jail after pleading no contest to accusations that she abused nine premature babies in her care.
Erin Strotman, 27, was booked into jail on Friday, June 5, after being charged with nine counts of child abuse involving infants treated at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital between 2023 and 2024, according to jail records.
Strotman was first arrested on Jan. 3, 2025, in connection with an incident involving a baby at the hospital in November 2024. The arrest came after the hospital opened an investigation into multiple babies who suffered “unexplainable fractures” while in the neonatal intensive care unit.
The investigation eventually led to charges involving nine babies.
Strotman pleaded no contest as part of a plea deal on Jan. 15. She received a maximum sentence of 45 years, with five years for each baby she was accused of abusing, but the sentence was suspended down to three years.
Prosecutors said surveillance video connected Strotman to the incidents. The footage allegedly showed her mishandling babies in the NICU and causing broken bones, along with other abusive actions.
Henrico County Police previously said Strotman faced charges of malicious wounding and felony child abuse related to the November 2024 incident. Detectives also said they were re-examining earlier 2023 and 2024 cases as part of a wider investigation.
In December 2024, Henrico Doctors’ Hospital announced it would not admit any additional babies into its NICU after three infants were found with fractures in late November and December. Officials said those injuries were similar to an earlier incident involving four babies in the summer of 2023.
The Virginia Board of Nursing accused Strotman of using excessive force on infants, including putting heavy pressure on babies’ legs and abdomens and lifting them while only holding their heads, according to reports.
Strotman’s attorneys argued that her actions were based on techniques she had learned while working in the NICU and claimed she never intended to hurt the babies.
One of the injured infants was Noah Hackey, who suffered a fractured tibia while in the hospital’s NICU in September 2023.
His parents later received a letter from Henrico’s Department of Social Services stating that a Child Protective Services investigation found a Level 1 physical abuse finding involving Noah and an employee at the Henrico Doctors’ Hospital NICU, according to local reports.
After Strotman’s sentencing, her nursing license was revoked. She was also permanently barred from working as a nurse or healthcare professional.
HCA Virginia previously said it was shocked and saddened by the developments in the 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,” the organization said after Strotman’s arrest.
The statement also thanked hospital staff, law enforcement and other agencies involved in the 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,” HCA Virginia said.
