A registered nurse who formerly worked at a Long Island hospital was arrested for allegedly slamming a two-day-old baby facedown into his bassinet, CBS News reported on Wednesday.
Suffolk County district attorney Raymond Tierney announced that the nurse, Amanda Burke, has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, which is a misdemeanor. However, Burke’s attorney told the new outlet the charges are “not justified by all the facts.”
Burke worked for Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip, New York, when the incident allegedly happened on February 6, 2023, according to the report.
“An investigation into Burke’s behavior found that the Holbrook, New York nurse was working in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit and assigned to care for the two-day old. She approached the baby, lifted him and quickly flipped him over before she ‘violently slammed him’ back into the bassinet, face-down, Tierney’s office said in a statement announcing Burke’s arrest,” the report states.
Burke turned herself into the Suffolk County Police Department on Wednesday morning. Her nursing license was still active as of Thursday morning, although the district attorney said the “relevant authorities” have been notified, according to the report.
“The allegations against this defendant, who is someone entrusted with the care of our most vulnerable citizens, are truly disturbing,” Tierney said. “I want to commend the members of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit for their hard work in this case, and together we will continue to fight to protect the rights and safety of all Suffolk County residents.”
Burke’s attorney, Robert C. Gottlieb, told the outlet via email that “Amanda is an outstanding, exemplary, compassionate nurse who did not and would never do anything to endanger any infant or patient under her care” and said that the case “should never have resulted in criminal charges.”
“The baby involved was not injured or ever placed in any danger of injury. The District Attorney’s statements are off base and not justified by all the facts that will come out in court,” Gottlieb added.
Her attorney did not respond to further questioning about the district attorney’s claim that the incident was filmed, according to the outlet.
Burke is due to appear in court on May 2, 2023, for arraignment.
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