Suspected Bone-Breaking NICU Nurse Allowed Visitation with Young Niece and Nephew

A former nurse from Virginia who is facing 20 charges related to infant abuse in a hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit has been granted a bond modification that allows her to visit her brother’s two young children. The bond modification, as reported by Fox 8 News, was granted during Erin Strotman’s hearing on Wednesday, permitting her to have supervised visits with her niece and nephew, both under the age of 8. The parents must closely supervise the visits, maintaining visual and auditory contact throughout each visit.

During the hearing, Strotman’s defense team argued that her sister-in-law, who is a behavioral analyst, is required to report any suspected child abuse. The sister-in-law testified under oath that she would fulfill this obligation. Shannon Taylor, the Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney, opposed the bond modification, stating that Strotman should not have any contact with minors.

The Virginia Board of Nursing had previously issued a temporary suspension against Strotman, 26, pending a hearing on July 23. Strotman worked at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in the NICU where several infants suffered bone fractures and other suspicious injuries before her arrest in January.

Additional charges were filed in March, and the indictments were unsealed in late April, outlining a timeline of alleged infant abuse over two years. Strotman started working at the hospital in 2019, and in December, NICU admissions were halted after three premature babies were found with bone fractures. Subsequently, seven injured infants were identified.

Strotman was placed on administrative leave in September 2023, returned to work in late 2024, and was terminated in January 2025 on the day of her arrest. She is facing 20 charges of felony malicious wounding and felony child abuse related to unexplained fractures in several NICU patients at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in 2023 and 2024. Her trial is set for February 9, 2026. To stay updated on the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.