Honk News (Richmond, VA) – Prosecutors have acquired text messages that shed light on the mental health of a nurse working in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at a Virginia hospital, who is facing allegations of mistreating at least one premature infant.
A 26-year-old woman, Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, faces serious charges of malicious wounding and felony child abuse related to an incident that took place in November at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Richmond. Videos reportedly depicted Stroman inflicting discomfort on a 5-month-old baby boy’s legs to such an extent that his feet were brought to his head.
On Wednesday morning, a bond hearing took place where prosecutors presented several of Strotman’s text messages as evidence, as reported by Richmond CBS affiliate WTVR. In a message from October 2023, she allegedly expressed that she had been pacing and felt as if she had taken “cocaine again,” despite not having done so. She expressed that she believed she might have a personality disorder.
“I feel manic,” she wrote. “It takes everything in me not to start s—.”
Just a day prior to her arrest, she allegedly sent a message stating she was “five seconds away from checking myself into crisis.”
The judge has once more refused to grant Strotman a bond, resulting in her continued incarceration.
Read More at Honk News – California Man who Molested Several Woman on Knifepoint Released from Jail on Court Order
According to earlier reports, the accusations against Strotman suggest that the alleged misconduct could involve more than a single occurrence. The hospital reported that three infants experienced “unexplained fractures” in November 2024. The hospital reported that four additional infants experienced comparable injuries during the summer of 2023.
Authorities from the Henrico County Police Division examined numerous recordings from within the NICU and successfully identified Strotman as the suspect. Investigators are diligently sifting through evidence, including extensive video recordings, in their pursuit of justice for every infant who endured mistreatment.
“We appreciate the families’ and public’s patience as we work as thoroughly and expeditiously as possible to investigate every piece of evidence in connection to these cases,” Henrico Police Chief Eric D. English said in a statement.
The hospital stated in a press release that Strotman was a “former employee.” The hospital temporarily closed its NICU as the investigation moved forward.
“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 statement said. “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.”
Latest at Honk News – 13-year-old Girl Kept Locked in Feces-covered Cage by Mother and Grandmother in Arizona; Died from Regular Beatings
In the summer of 2023, it was reported that Noah Hackey, one of the infants involved, sustained a broken tibia due to alleged abuse. Dominque Hackey shared with WTVR that his sons, Noah and Micah, were born prematurely at the hospital in August 2023 and had time together in the NICU.
At around two weeks of age, a noticeable discoloration appeared in Noah’s left leg. An X-ray revealed a break in the tibia. A report was submitted by the family to Child Protective Services, which concluded that an employee was accountable for the boy’s leg injury, though it did not identify the specific individual involved.