Suffolk DA: Holbrook registered nurse charged with endangering welfare of child
On April 12 Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced the arrest of Amanda Burke, a registered nurse, for allegedly lifting a two-day old newborn and violently slamming him face-down into his bassinet while under her care.
“The allegations against this defendant, who is someone entrusted with the care of our most vulnerable citizens, are truly disturbing,” said District Attorney Tierney. “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.”
According to the investigation, on February 6, Burke, 29, of Holbrook, who, at the time of the incident, was employed by Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip and working in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), was assigned to care for the two-day old infant. Burke approached the newborn while he was lying in a bassinet, lifted him up, quickly flipped him over, and violently slammed him face down on the bassinet.
The infant’s father recorded a video of the incident on his cellular telephone through the nursery window. After viewing the recording, the infant’s mother confronted Burke.
When the parents notified other members of Good Samaritan Hospital’s nursing staff of Burke’s egregious act, Burke was directed to leave the hospital, and her employment was terminated within hours of the incident.
Burke is charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A misdemeanor.
The defendant surrendered to the Suffolk County Police Department this morning and, as required by current New York State Law, was issued a desk appearance ticket to appear at First District Court on May 2.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office has notified New York State’s Department of Education’s Office of Professional Discipline of the status and findings of the investigation; however, to date, Burke’s license to practice as a registered nurse has not been suspended.
Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.
