Nurse Arrested After Surveillance Video Allegedly Shows Him Beating 5-Year-Old with Special Needs By Angel Saunders

A nurse in New York was arrested this week after he was allegedly seen on camera assaulting a child with special needs.

On Thursday, Jan. 15, Suffolk County Police announced the arrest of Bruno Valenzuela “for slapping a disabled child while in his care at a residence in Port Jefferson,” in December, according to a press release.

The child, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, was under the home health aide’s care while at home on Dec. 20, 2025.

Valenzuela was employed by the Christian Nursing Registry in Smithtown when he allegedly slapped the 5-year-old aggressively in the back and chest, leaving bruises.

His parents reportedly had concerns over the child’s bruises and change of behavior around Valenzuela, prompting them to check their home security systems, where they discovered the alleged abuse, per Greater Long Island. 

News 12 Long Island shared a brief clip to social media, which appeared to show Valenzuela striking the crying child.

Valenzuela was also seen changing the child’s clothes before the child began to cry, per surveillance video also obtained by FOX 5 NY. The cries grew louder as the staffer cleaned the area around the boy.

A screenshot of the footage was shared in a Friday, Jan.16 article published by the news station, showing the 5-year-old blurred out with Valenzuela appearing to reach over to the child’s chest area.

“The video then shows Valenzuela repeatedly slapping the child’s chest more than 10 times while the child lies flat on his back, causing the child’s body to shake, according to a review of the footage. The child’s cries intensify as Valenzuela picks him up and shakes him, moving him left and right,” FOX 5 NY reported.

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He was also reportedly heard repeatedly telling the child to “relax,” saying “relax, relax” and “just relax.”

On Dec. 22, 2025, the child’s family took him to Stony Brook University Hospital and filed a police report. Special Victims Unit detectives launched an investigation.

Suffolk County Police said in its press release that Valenzuela was arrested Thursday and held in their custody overnight. He was charged with Endangering the Welfare of an Incompetent or Physically Disabled Person, a class E felony, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

Additionally, he is no longer employed by the Christian Nursing Registry.

An arraignment for Valenzuela was held on Friday, where he pleaded not guilty to both charges and was released under non-monetary conditions, according to court records seen by PEOPLE.

PEOPLE reached out to attorneys for Valenzuela for comment.

PEOPLE reached out to the Christian Nursing Registry for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. 

“We’ve been here 38 years and this has never happened before. The nurse’s documents were all up-to-date including a background check. He had been with the family for three and a half years. The family continues to use the agency,” a spokesperson for the company told FOX NY. 

Camille Harlow, director at Christian Nursing Registry, told Greater Long Island that Valenzuela was “like part of the family.”

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She reportedly claimed that the father reviewed past video footage and saw no previous issues.

“From what we can tell, this was a one-time incident,” Harlow said. “We’re thinking that he just snapped.”

Detectives are asking anyone who believes they could have a family member who is a victim of Valenzuela to contact the Special Victims Section at 631-852-6184.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.