A nurse is accused of assaulting a premature 4-month-old girl at a Michigan hospital, allegedly leaving the infant with broken bones, bruises and injuries to her tongue, according to reports.
Kieran Ansley, 43, was fired from Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids after the allegations surfaced. She faces multiple counts of child abuse.
The baby was born four months premature and had spent months in the intensive care unit. She was recovering steadily and expected to return home in April, WOOD-TV reported.
Kieran Ansley, a former nurse, allegedly abused a 4-month-old girl born prematurely while the infant was recovering in a hospital. (Kent County jail; Google Maps)
“She was born at 23 weeks — 1 pound, 1 ounce,” the girl’s grandfather, Robert Steavens, told WOOD-TV. “And she made it through her due date, ready to go home. And then, two days before she was ready to go home, this happened.”
The child’s mother arrived at the hospital on April 2. As she neared the room, Ansley allegedly “jogged” over to stop the family before they entered and told them the infant had “slept through the night,” according to court records.
The mother then noticed that the baby’s tongue appeared “blue and black.” She also saw several bruises that had not been present the previous night.
According to court documents, Ansley said she had “seen this in the past” and that it was “not a big deal.”
During the investigation, a hospital employee said Ansley appeared “flustered” and “a little bit frustrated” that evening. The nurse was also described as “scatterbrained.”
Other staff members recalled that Ansley appeared “heated” and “overwhelmed,” court records state.
A staff log documented 32 entries into the baby’s room on the night of the alleged abuse. Ansley was linked to 27 of those visits, the records show, according to the news station.
News Outlet contacted Ansley’s attorney and the hospital seeking comment.
Defense attorney Damian Nunzio said Ansley has cooperated with investigators, spent “many years” caring for intensive-care patients and is a “very good person.”
“And we are confident that our investigation will let the truth come to light,” Nunzio added.
Ansley was released on bond and is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 10. The hospital terminated her employment after the allegations emerged.
The child, now 10 months old, is home and “doing wonderful,” Steavens said.
“We’ve been blessed, and we’ve watched the baby grow,” he said. “We’re trusting in God and healing as a family and trusting the process will move forward.”
