The criminal charges against Amanda Burke, a nurse from Long Island, have been dropped following an incident where she was accused of slamming a 2-day-old infant into a bassinet. The incident occurred in February 2023 at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip, New York, where Burke was working in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
The case was brought to light when a video was captured by the baby’s father, showing the alleged act. The video was then shown to hospital administrators and the child’s parents, leading to Burke’s immediate termination from her position at the hospital.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office initially charged Burke with endangering the welfare of a child. However, the charges were dropped just before her trial was set to begin.
Key Facts
- The state’s investigation into the incident found that Burke’s actions were not likely to cause physical injury to the newborn, which was a key factor in the decision to drop the charges.
- Despite the video evidence and initial charges, Burke was not disciplined by state officials and retained her nursing license. Her employment at Good Samaritan Hospital was terminated, but she was not banned from working in the healthcare industry.
- The case has highlighted the complexities of judging professional conduct in healthcare settings, with differing opinions on the severity of the incident and the appropriate response.
The decision to drop the charges was based on the findings of the New York State Department of Licensing, which concluded that Burke did not act with gross negligence. The department stated that the actions could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, indicating that the conduct involved “alleged simple negligence,” not “gross negligence”.
Burke’s attorney, Robert Gottlieb, expressed relief at the outcome, stating that the charges should never have been issued. He further clarified that while Burke’s actions could be interpreted as negligence, it did not rise to the level of issuing a warning or sanctioning her in any way. Gottlieb also mentioned that the baby was not injured in the incident.
NICU nurse Amanda Burke says she’s relieved the charges were dropped. After a video showing her roughly flipping a newborn onto its stomach, she says she received threats and hate messages. A NYS agency that licenses nurses says she is not guilty of gross negligence @NBCNewYork pic.twitter.com/eqEcwq5od7
— Pei-Sze Cheng (@PeiSzeCheng4NY) March 25, 2024
The incident and the subsequent legal proceedings have sparked controversy and concern among the public and the baby’s family. The baby’s grandmother expressed her displeasure with the situation and the decision to drop the charges, stating that the family was “very, very upset with this disgusting situation and decision these people have made about my grandson and this awful woman still working as a caregiver”.
Despite the charges being dropped, the incident has raised questions about the standards of care in neonatal intensive care units and the responsibilities of healthcare professionals. It underscores the importance of vigilance in the healthcare sector and the need for swift action in cases involving potential harm to patients.
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