Nurse BREAKS Babies’ Bones — Walks FREE

A Virginia NICU nurse who systematically broke the bones of nine helpless premature infants has walked away with a plea deal that spares her admission of guilt, sparking outrage among families who trusted medical professionals with their most vulnerable newborns.

Story Snapshot

Erin Strotman pleaded no contest to nine felony child abuse charges after breaking bones of premature NICU babies through aggressive mishandling captured on video
Hospital failed to report initial injuries within required 24-hour timeframe, allowing Strotman to return and harm three more infants
Suspicious fractures mysteriously ceased during Strotman’s leave and resumed upon her return, establishing clear pattern of caregiver-caused abuse
Plea deal permanently bars her from nursing or child-related work but allows her to avoid admitting intent despite video evidence

Pattern of Abuse Discovered Through Surveillance

Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, 27, faced 20 felony charges after surveillance footage revealed her pressing body weight onto premature infants’ legs and bending their limbs backward to their heads at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Virginia. Medical experts ruled the resulting fractures—including broken femurs, tibias, and ribs—were impossible to occur spontaneously or through normal caregiving, even accounting for the fragility of premature babies. The injuries affected nine infants between 2022 and 2024, with fracture patterns so rare for immobile NICU patients that investigators immediately suspected intentional harm rather than accidental mishandling.

Hospital Failures Enabled Continued Harm

A Virginia Department of Health report exposed Henrico Doctors’ Hospital’s catastrophic failure to report four cases of suspected child abuse within the legally required 24-hour window in late summer 2023. Hospital administrators placed Strotman on paid leave during a Child Protective Services investigation but failed to identify her as the perpetrator. Upon her return to duty, three additional infants suffered identical broken bones within weeks, including a five-month-old who sustained a fractured left femur, right tibia, and multiple ribs. This institutional negligence allowed a dangerous pattern to continue, betraying the sacred trust parents place in medical facilities caring for their most vulnerable children.

Damning Evidence Contradicts Defense Claims

Strotman defended her actions as standard “gas-relief” techniques learned from colleagues, claiming she treated all babies equally and never intended harm. Prosecutors demolished this narrative by highlighting that injuries completely ceased during her absence and immediately resumed with identical patterns upon her return. Video evidence showed techniques prosecutors deemed “inconsistent with acceptable nursing standards,” including applying body weight to tiny legs and extreme bending motions. Medical testimony confirmed these mechanisms could directly cause the observed fractures, destroying any credibility to claims of accidental injury or normal care procedures visible to colleagues without complaint.

Sweetheart Plea Deal Raises Justice Concerns

On January 15, 2026, Strotman entered a no-contest plea to nine felony child abuse counts, slashing her exposure from 20 charges including malicious wounding. The deal allows her to accept sentencing as if guilty without admitting intent, permanently barring her from nursing or child-related work. Her defense attorneys expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating she “probably caused some, if not all” injuries but “never intended” harm. Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor claims the plea ensures justice for all nine mishandled babies, though families face waiting until June 2026 for sentencing while grappling with their children’s lasting injuries. This plea arrangement exemplifies a troubling pattern where institutional failures and lenient legal outcomes fail to fully account for systematic abuse of the defenseless.

NICU NURSE FROM HELL TAKES SWEETHEART PLEA DEAL AFTER BREAKING BONES OF MULTIPLE NEWBORNS https://t.co/6FA1xu9cTr via @crimeonlinenews #crimestories

— Nancy Grace (@NancyGrace) February 7, 2026

The case highlights critical vulnerabilities in NICU oversight, where covert abuse can flourish in high-trust environments absent robust surveillance and immediate reporting protocols. The hospital’s delayed response not only violated state law but enabled preventable harm to additional infants, eroding public confidence in pediatric care facilities. As investigations continue into broader NICU practices at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital, this case may establish precedents for mandatory video monitoring and accelerated abuse reporting requirements to protect newborns who cannot advocate for themselves against those entrusted with their care.