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Now 16 months old, Noah Hackey has since recovered from his injury. (Courtesy of Dominique Hackey) |
The father of one of the newborns involved in a shocking attack at a hospital's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) has spoken out, shedding light on a troubling pattern. He revealed that the babies targeted in the incident all had one significant factor in common.
In a statement, the father expressed his grief and disbelief, emphasizing the need for justice and accountability. "Our hearts are broken, and we’re struggling to understand why this happened," he said. "What we do know is that the babies involved shared one undeniable connection."
While further details about the commonality remain under investigation, authorities are working diligently to uncover the motive behind the attack and ensure the safety of other patients.
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Erin Strotman is pictured in her mugshot taken on Jan. 3, 2025. The registered nurse from Virginia faces charges of child abuse and malicious wounding in connection with an incident involving a newborn at a Richmond-area NICU. Investigations into six similar cases are underway. (Henrico County Sheriff's Office) |
The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, prompting hospital officials to review their security measures. In a statement, the hospital assured the public that they are cooperating fully with authorities and taking steps to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Families of the affected infants are calling for answers and justice, with the father adding, "Our children deserve better, and we will not rest until we have the truth."
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Noah has recovered from a mysterious bone fracture that investigators say was caused by child abuse at a Virginia hospital where he was treated in the neonatal intensive care unit. (Courtesy of Dominique Hackey) |
Father of NICU Victim Reveals Shared Trait Among Targeted Infants
The father of a Virginia toddler who suffered a mysterious bone fracture as a newborn in a Richmond hospital's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) has shared a key detail about the victims.
According to Dominique Hackey, whose son Noah sustained an unexplained fractured tibia in September 2023, all the affected babies were boys.
“They had different injuries, came from diverse families, and had nothing else in common other than being boys,” Hackey told Fox News Digital. “Two of the boys even had multiple injuries. So far, we haven’t been able to identify any other pattern.”
The Henrico Doctors’ Hospital shut down its NICU on Christmas Eve following revelations of a series of "unexplainable fractures" in newborns—three in the past two months and another four from 2023.
Authorities arrested Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, a 26-year-old registered nurse, on charges of malicious wounding and child abuse in connection with one incident. Investigators are reviewing six additional cases, including Noah's, as well as three cases from 2023 that were initially closed due to insufficient evidence.
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One of Hackey's twin sons is shown with a supportive brace on his ankle after he suffered a strange injury, which investigators later deemed to have been caused by a hospital worker in a twisted case of child abuse. (Courtesy of Dominique Hackey) |
While speculation on social media suggested the nurse may have targeted infants based on race, Hackey refuted this, noting that only two of the victims were Black.
Hackey, who has been in contact with all but one of the other victims’ families, described the devastating realization that his son’s injury was not an isolated incident.
He recalled that during his family’s NICU stay, Strotman was “nice” but otherwise unremarkable. “It didn’t matter whether you were there all day or not. This person still found a way to hurt our children,” he said. “The first emotion my son ever experienced was pain. That’s not supposed to happen. It should’ve been joy, laughter, and love.”
Hackey also revealed that he only recently learned Strotman had been placed on paid leave during the investigation, a sign the hospital suspected misconduct long before her arrest.
The hospital is cooperating with investigators and has provided hundreds of hours of surveillance footage. It has since implemented 24-hour video surveillance in its NICU and requires a second clinician to be present whenever staff members enter a room. Parents now have the ability to livestream their newborns’ rooms for added security.
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Now 16 months old, Noah Hackey has since recovered from his injury. (Courtesy of Dominique Hackey) |
In a statement, the hospital expressed its shock and sadness over the investigation. “We remain focused on caring for our patients and supporting our colleagues who have been deeply impacted by this investigation,” the statement read.
Hackey and his wife are moving forward with their now-healthy twins, despite the trauma of their NICU experience.
“After two miscarriages, having twins is a miracle,” Hackey said. “Being told you might lose one during the pregnancy and then seeing them both here—it’s truly a blessing. I’m going to do everything I can to protect them.”
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Micah and Noah Hackey are now 16 months old. Noah has recovered from his injury and is now so active his parents "can barely keep up," his father told Fox News Digital. (Courtesy of Dominique Hackey) |
Authorities have asked anyone with information about the case to contact Henrico police via email at police@henrico.gov, visit P3tips.com, or call Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000.