Former NICU nurse faces more child abuse charges

HENRICO, Va. (WWBT) - A former Henrico Doctors’ Hospital NICU nurse accused of injuring multiple babies was back in court on Tuesday.

The Commonwealth brought six new indictments against Erin Strotman that involve three babies:

• Malicious wounding and class 4 child neglect from Nov. 10, 2024 (Baby Y.H.)
• Malicious wounding and class 4 child neglect from Oct. 24 to Nov. 24, 2024 (Baby H.W.)
• Malicious wounding and class 4 child neglect from July 1 to Sept. 1, 2022 (Baby A.W.)

Strotman now faces a total of 12 charges. She was served new indictments on Tuesday and arraigned on Wednesday.

“We have nine babies that are identified in this matter,” Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor said. “We have charges for, again, the ’24 babies, and for this ’22 baby, and we are continuing to work on the families that were impacted in 2023.”

There were four babies harmed in 2023. Currently, those are the only cases without charges.

Taylor says they learned of a ninth baby after the family came forward, and an investigation showed injuries consistent with other babies hurt that had been linked to Strotman.

Taylor added that Henrico Doctors’ Hospital did not report those injuries to Child Protective Services (CPS), as it should have, and her office is exploring ways to hold the hospital accountable.

“There are circumstances where a corporate entity can be held criminally liable. It also would involve some type of management personnel that is also involved with that. So it’s just a matter of trying to figure out where we are in the process and what that looks like,” Taylor said.

Strotman was granted a $25,000 bond on Feb. 12, with terms that include house arrest with her parents and wearing a GPS monitoring device.

Strotman is also not allowed to be in the presence of minors or vulnerable adults or provide care to them.

On Tuesday, she waived her right to a jury trial and will be tried by the court.

Her defense attorneys are requesting a two-week bench trial, which would begin next February, but this depends on when the experts are available.

Apart from the arraignment, Strotman’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 28.