A nurse is accused of assaulting a 4-month-old premature baby girl at a Michigan hospital, allegedly leaving the infant with broken bones, bruises and injuries to her tongue, according to reports.
Kieran Ansley, 43, was fired from Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids and faces multiple child abuse charges.
The baby was born four months premature and had spent months recovering in the intensive care unit. She was making progress and expected to return home in April, WOOD-TV reported.
Kieran Ansley, a former nurse, allegedly abused a 4-month-old girl born prematurely while the infant was recovering at the hospital. (Kent County jail; Google Maps)
“She was born at 23 weeks: 1 pound, 1 ounce,” the girl’s grandfather, Robert Steavens, told WOOD-TV. “And she made it through her due date, ready to go home. And then two days before she was ready to go home, this happened.”
The girl’s mother arrived at the hospital on April 2. As she neared the room, Ansley allegedly “jogged” to intercept the family and told them the infant had “slept through the night,” according to court records.
The mother then noticed that her daughter’s tongue appeared “blue and black.” She also saw several bruises that had not been present the previous night.
Court documents say Ansley responded that she had “seen this in the past and it was not a big deal.”
MORE STORY: UC Santa Barbara Students Return to Homes on Eroding California Cliffs
During the investigation, a hospital employee said Ansley appeared “flustered” and “a little bit frustrated” that night. The former nurse was also described as “scatterbrained.”
Other staff members said Ansley appeared “heated” and “overwhelmed,” according to court records.
A staff log from the night of the alleged abuse recorded 32 entries into the baby’s room. Ansley was connected to 27 of those visits, the records show, according to the news station.
News Media contacted Ansley’s attorney and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital for comment.
Defense attorney Damian Nunzio told the outlet that Ansley has cooperated with the investigation, spent “many years” caring for ICU patients and is a “very good person.”
“And we are confident that our investigation will let the truth come to light,” Nunzio said.
Ansley was released on bond and is expected to appear in court on Nov. 10. She was fired after the allegations emerged.
The child, now 10 months old, has returned home and is “doing wonderful,” Steavens said.
“We’ve been blessed, and we’ve watched the baby grow,” he added. “We’re trusting in God and healing as a family and trusting the process will move forward.”