New York Nurse Arrested After New Parents Caught Her ‘Violently Slamming’ Their 2-Day-Old Baby ‘Facedown Into His Bassinet’: Police

A registered nurse in New York has been arrested after she allegedly picked up a two-day-old newborn from his bassinet and then “violently slammed” him face-down back into it, according to authorities.

The incident allegedly occurred on Feb. 6 when the nurse, identified as Amanda Burke, was an employee of Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office said.

Investigators learned Burke was working in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit and was assigned to care for the newborn.

Burke approached the baby, picked him up and then quickly flipped him over before she “violently slammed him” back into the bassinet, face-down, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney alleged.

Officials said the incident was filmed by the infant’s father, who was outside the nursery at the time.

The parents notified the nursing staff about what happened and Burke was directed to leave the hospital and she was fired hours later, authorities said.

On April 12, Burke surrendered herself to the Suffolk County Police Department and was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, according to authorities.

Burke’s attorney, Robert C. Gottlieb, told CBS News that “this case should never have resulted in criminal charges” and the charges are “not justified by all the facts that will come out in court.”

Never miss a story — sign up for the Front Page Detectives newsletter. Be on the scene the moment news breaks.

Gottlieb added, "Amanda is an outstanding, exemplary, compassionate nurse who did not and would never do anything to endanger any infant or patient under her care. The baby involved was not injured or ever placed in any danger of injury."

Burke is scheduled to appear in court on May 2 for her arraignment, officials said.