A registered nurse who formerly worked at a Long Island hospital has been arrested for allegedly lifting a two-day-old baby out of his crib face-down again.
The nurse, Amanda Burke, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanour, said Suffolk County Attorney Raymond Tierney Wednesday. However, the nurse’s attorney told CBS News that the charges were “not justified by all the facts.”
Burke was an employee of Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip, New York when the accident occurred on February 6, 2023.
An investigation into Burke’s behavior found that a Holbrook, New York, nurse worked in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit and was assigned to the two-day-old’s care. Tierney’s office said she approached the child, lifted him and quickly turned him over before “slamming” him facedown back into the bed.
Tierney said the incident was filmed by the boy’s father, who was outside the nursery. The parents informed the nursing staff, and Burke was directed to leave the hospital. She was separated hours later.
As of Thursday morning, Burke’s license as a registered nurse was still valid, according to public records reviewed by CBS News. The prosecutor’s statement said the office had informed the relevant authorities of the charges against Burke.
Burke turned herself in to the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday morning.
“The allegations against this accused, an individual charged with the care of our most vulnerable citizens, are truly troubling,” Tierney said. “I want to commend the members of the Suffolk County Police Department Special Victims Unit for their hard work on 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.
“Amanda is an outstanding, exemplary, and compassionate nurse who has never and will not do anything to endanger any infant or patient in her care,” Gottlieb said. “The child concerned was not injured or at risk of injury. The public prosecutor’s statements are outside the norm and are not justified by all the facts that will appear in court.”
Gottlieb did not respond to a follow-up question about the attorney general’s claim that Burke’s actions were filmed.
Burke’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 2, 2023, when she will be arraigned.
Kerry Brain
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