New parents Fidel Sinclair and Consuelo Saravia’s newborn son, Nikko, was in the neonatal intensive care unit for observation while receiving antibiotics when he was allegedly mishandled by a newly hired nurse. Sinclair went to see him and saw through the window that the baby was crying. The new dad was filming his baby through the drawn curtains and apparently caught the nurse at Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip, New York, flipping his 2-day-old son over from his back to his belly and slamming his face into the bassinet.
Sinclair told NBC News that he felt lucky he could see his son between the curtains enough to record what happened because the room lacked security cameras. "I don’t know, it just broke me," Sinclair said. "I didn’t know what to do."
Sinclair credits divine intervention for the timing.
According to NBC News, he says it was divine intervention that put him at the right place at the right time. “If it wasn’t for God … we would have never seen none of that happen.” Sinclair told the new outlet. “And that would have kept happening through the night, not only to him, but to the other babies, too.”
Nikko’s mom was deeply affected by seeing the film of the alleged assault on her newborn son. Saravia shared her heartbreak with NBC News as well. “I couldn’t stop crying. I couldn’t even sleep,” she said.
Nikko's mom confronted the nurse.
The new mom showed the video to hospital staff and administrators and told NBC News that she also confronted the nurse, letting her know she did not want her to touch her child and admonishing her for slamming down Nikko.
According to Saravia’s statement to NBC News, the nurse didn’t directly admit to anything but was apologetic. “She said, ‘Oh no, if you think I mishandled him or anything, I’m sorry.'”
An investigation is underway.
Catholic Health which operates Good Samaritan University Hospital, shared in a statement with NBC News that “Upon learning of this incident, swift and immediate action was taken, including conducting an investigation and consequently terminating the individual involved.”
Hospital administrators also noted that they reported the NICU nurse to the New York State Department of Health for further review.
The health department is now involved.
The New York State Department of Health has an open ongoing investigation, and according to Fox News, it is taking the "disturbing" allegations seriously. Comments, however, can’t be made on open investigations.
Hospital complaints are confidential until the investigations are over and the findings are shared with the complainants. NBC News also reported that the Suffolk Police Department has its Special Victims Unit looking into the case.
Nikko now is safely at home with his family, but even little things such as slightly irregular breathing are making his parents nervous, according to NBC News.
