The father of a Virginia toddler who suffered a mysterious bone fracture as a newborn in an area hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit emphasizes that a chilling connection binds the victims together, even amidst uncertainty regarding the motivations behind these incidents.
They were all boys.
These boys endured a variety of injuries, emerged from diverse family backgrounds, yet none had any identifiable commonality, or so reflects Dominique Hackey, whose son, Noah, experienced a fractured tibia under perplexing circumstances in September 2023.
In a startling turn of events, Henrico Doctors’ Hospital suspended its NICU operations on Christmas Eve, following the initiation of an internal inquiry into several “unexplainable fractures” observed amongst newborn patients. Particularly alarming were three incidents from the preceding two months, echoing the patterns of four similar cases from 2023.
Police arrested 26-year-old registered nurse Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman last Friday, charging her with malicious wounding and child abuse related to one of the cases under investigation, which now encompasses six separate incidents, including the Hackeys’ situation alongside three other previously closed cases revived due to insufficient evidence.
The name of the particular victim Strotman has been charged with harming is withheld, safeguarded by court regulations regarding health care and juvenile privacy. She is expected to return to court in March.
WATCH: Father reveals details of newborn’s mysterious attack before hospital closed NICU unit
Up until last month, Hackey believed his son Noah’s case was tragically unique. Previous to the revelations, he had been informed that child abuse was suspected in causing his son’s injury, but law enforcement lacked sufficient evidence for criminal charges. His perspective shifted abruptly upon learning of the hospital’s NICU closure from a friend who sent him a news story. This marked the beginning of his journey to raise awareness about the alarming events affecting his son, born at just 28 weeks and six days.
Reflecting on those early days, Hackey recalls Strotman; their interactions were fleeting, and while she appeared pleasant, she faded into the background of their larger NICU experience.
“Ultimately, it made no difference whether you were present every day or just occasionally stopped by. This individual managed to inflict harm on our children regardless,” he conveyed, a sense of profound sorrow spilling from his words. “The first emotion my son faced was pain—an unbearable reality that rattles deepest into my core—when every child deserves to experience joy, loved and cherished, not this kind of dread.”
Disturbingly, Hackey has come to learn that Strotman had been placed on paid leave prior to her arrest, hinting at hospital suspicions about her actions long before formal charges were pursued. As he struggles for updates, law enforcement has confirmed their belief that his child’s injuries stemmed from severe child abuse.
The hospital is working alongside investigators, providing extensive surveillance footage. “This development has shocked and saddened us. We remain focused on caring for our patients while supporting our colleagues grappling with these circumstances,” the hospital noted in a public statement.
Notifications regarding Noah’s injury indicated it had been sustained a day earlier than previously communicated. During the time of his injury, cameras were not yet in place, but measures have since tightened—24-hour surveillance was installed, parents now have the capability to stream their infant’s room live, and no staff may enter unaccompanied.
While law enforcement has remained tight-lipped about many case details due to health care privacy laws, they urge anyone possessing relevant information to reach out to detectives at police@henrico.gov, visit P3tips.com, or call Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000.
Hackey remarked, “Learning that Strotman was put on paid leave sent shockwaves through our community; it proved the hospital harbored suspicions long before the police announcement,” implying a larger network of concern amidst the harrowing events.
In light of the investigation’s complexities, Hackey has enlisted legal counsel to ensure his family’s interests are protected. Both of his sons are reported to be thriving now, comforting him as his family strives for normalcy, even after enduring such profound trauma.
Fox News’ Ashley Papa and Brooke Curto contributed to this heartfelt report.
