Parents believe newborn's mysterious mark was result of abuse in hospital's NICU

MADISON, Wisc. -- (WJW) -- A couple from Wisconsin believes their daughter may be one of several victims of a nurse accused of abusing newborns in a Madison NICU.

WISC reports baby Finnley was born in June 2017. She was born with a Vein of Galen malformation. One in three children with her condition are dead by the time they turn four days old.

Finnley was born at Meriter Hospital, taken to the NICU and, as scheduled, transferred to another hospital seven hours later.

It was after she was transferred that a mysterious mark was spotted on her back.

“She was born on Monday,” said her father, Pierro Wipperfurth. “On Thursday a bruise was discovered.”

Pierro and his wife, Heather, said they were actually investigated by Child Protective Services but were cleared.

“They didn't look at the bruise and think it was a medical bruise,” said Pierro. “They called CPS, CPS cleared us, we said, 'OK, if it wasn't us it had to be somebody. That leaves who'?”

For months, that question went unanswered.

Then in February, news broke that a nurse had been suspended and a criminal investigation launched following unexplained injuries inside Meriter Hospital's NICU.

“When we saw the story, I immediately called the police department,” Pierro said.

According to investigators from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, five newborns at the hospital were found to have injuries ranging from bruises to a skull fracture. The Wipperfurths believe Finnley is another of the victims.

“I mean look at her,” said Pierro. “She's up against life or death and you got some predator beating her up.”