A Virginia NICU nurse, once trusted with the most fragile lives, has now admitted the legal consequences of what prosecutors say happened on her watch.
Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, 27, entered no contest pleas to nine felony child abuse charges tied to injuries suffered by newborn babies at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital. The plea was entered in Henrico County Circuit Court earlier this month, officially ending plans for a public jury trial in one of the most disturbing hospital abuse cases the area has seen.
A no-contest plea means Strotman does not admit guilt, but she accepts that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict her. The convictions will stand, and the case now moves straight to sentencing. The case centers on nine premature infants who suffered broken bones and other serious injuries while being treated in the neonatal intensive care unit. The injuries occurred over a stretch of time between 2022 and 2024 and initially raised alarms among hospital staff who could not medically explain the fractures.
As doctors and administrators reviewed patient records, a pattern began to form. Each injured baby had overlapping care periods connected to Strotman’s shifts in the NICU. Law enforcement later reviewed hospital surveillance footage. Prosecutors said the video showed Strotman handling infants in ways experts testified were unsafe for premature newborns, including forceful movements involving babies’ legs and incidents where she lost her footing while holding a child. Those findings led to criminal charges covering nine separate victims.
Prosecutors were preparing to take the case before a jury, but the no-contest plea closed that door. In court, the judge confirmed that Strotman understood she was giving up her right to a trial and appeals related to the convictions. Each count carries the potential for incarceration. Under the agreement accepted by the court, Strotman faces up to three years in prison.
Until sentencing, Strotman remains under strict supervision, including house arrest. She is also permanently barred from working as a nurse or holding any position involving the care of children or vulnerable adults.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 5.
