Inset: Erin Strotman (Henrico County Jail). Background: Henrico Doctors” Hospital (Google Maps).
A Virginia nurse, found guilty of harming nine premature infants who experienced “unexplained fractures” in a hospital’s intensive care unit, is set to be released from prison in three years or less.
Erin Strotman, 27, faced accusations of inflicting limb fractures on nine babies at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. As previously detailed by Law&Crime, Strotman faced charges in January 2025 for malicious wounding and felony child abuse related to an incident in November 2024. Further investigations linked her to additional cases of child abuse.
Hospital records indicated that in November, three babies endured “unexplained fractures.” Similar injuries were noted in four other infants during the summer of 2023, according to the hospital.
Allegations include video evidence showing Strotman pressing a 5-month-old baby boy’s legs until his feet touched his head.
In January, Strotman entered a no contest plea to nine child abuse charges concerning incidents from 2022 to 2024. She was convicted the following month, as documented by court records.
According to Law&Crime’s review of court records, Strotman received a 45-year prison sentence—reflecting the maximum penalty of five years per child under Virginia law. However, as per a plea deal with local prosecutors reported by CBS affiliate WTVR, she will ultimately serve only three years, with the judge suspending all but four months of each sentence.
Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor told reporters that she negotiated the sentence with Strotman’s defense lawyers in exchange for the pleas. She said that there would be challenges in prosecuting the case due to a lack of video evidence for some of the babies, the hospital’s delay in reporting the abuse, and the Henrico hospital’s care guidelines prior to 2024, which did not track which nurse provided care to which infant.
“It wasn’t my choice that I wanted to actually do three years,” Taylor said, but she explained that she was limited by the state’s sentencing guidelines, “as unimaginable as it is.”
Strotman’s lawyers had reportedly argued that she never intended to harm the children, and that she was using a specific gas-relief technique she learned while at the hospital.
Local NBC affiliate WWBT reported that Strotman spoke to the families at the hearing.
“I would like to sincerely apologize for the accidental harm that was inflicted on the babies,” she reportedly said, adding: “I never intended to hurt your children and I am so sorry.”
Ashli Mason, one of the parents of an injured child, said she was pleased to see Strotman — who had not been in custody since her arrest — be detained immediately after the sentencing hearing.
“I now know that my child’s abuser is behind bars, and will be going behind bars, and I’m happy with that,” Mason said.
In April 2025, the Virginia Department of Health reported that an investigation determined that the hospital “failed to prevent abuse” in connection with Strotman’s care of the babies.
The judge denied Strotman’s lawyers’ request for home confinement, per WTVR. According to the station, her lawyers said she could potentially be released for good behavior after serving 65% of her sentence.
