The criminal case against a 29-year-old Long Island nurse, who was accused of slamming a newborn baby boy face down into a bassinet in an intensive care unit, has been cleared by a state agency of misconduct, and is expected to be dropped on Monday. Amanda Burke faced charges last year of endangering the welfare of a child at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip.
The incident occurred in February 2023 while Burke was working in the NICU. Video footage taken by the baby's father through the nursery window captured the alleged acts. The child's parents reported the incident to the hospital and confronted the nurse.
"I told her, 'I don’t want you to touch my child, you just slammed him,'" recounted Consuelo Saravia, the mother. "And she told me, 'Oh no, if you think I mishandled him or anything, I’m sorry.'"
Despite being fired, an investigation by state officials concluded that Burke's actions did not constitute professional misconduct. They described the conduct as involving "alleged simple negligence," rather than "gross negligence."
"There was nothing that Amanda did that warranted them to take any action whatsoever," said Burke's attorney, Robert Gottlieb.
Following the conclusion of the investigation, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office initially stated their intention to continue prosecuting the case against Burke. However, as the trial was set to commence on Monday, it was learned that the charges will be dismissed.
"I can confirm that I’ve been informed by the District Attorney’s office that if I make a motion to dismiss the charges on Monday, they will be dismissed by the DA," said Burke's attorney.
A spokesperson for the DA's office essentially confirmed they would accept the motion based on the state's findings.
While it's uncertain if Burke is currently employed, state officials determined that she could retain her nursing license.