In a deeply disturbing case that has shaken parents, caregivers, and the disability community, a nurse taken into custody after surveillance video showed him allegedly assaulting a child with disabilities is now at the center of a Suffolk County investigation.
The video, recorded inside a family’s home, revealed moments no parent should ever have to witness. And honestly, it’s the kind of story that makes your stomach turn.
According to police and the family, the incident happened inside the Port Jefferson Station home of five-year-old Maverick, a child with severe disabilities. The footage allegedly shows the nurse acting aggressively while the child was supposed to be under professional medical care.
What the Surveillance Video Allegedly Shows
The surveillance footage is at the heart of why this case has gained so much attention. According to Suffolk County police, the video allegedly shows Bruno Valenzuela, 34, striking, grabbing, and roughly handling Maverick, a five-year-old boy with cerebral palsy and complex medical needs.
Instead, officials say the video shows several minutes of disturbing behavior while the parents were not home.
On Dec. 20, Valenzuela was caring for Maverick when the child began coughing and crying. Police said Valenzuela “aggressively slapped the child on his back and chest,” which later resulted in visible bruising. As a result, the family felt something was wrong and took action. Two days later, they brought Maverick to Stony Brook University Hospital to document the injuries. Shortly after, on Dec. 22, they filed a police report.
What makes this case even heavier is Maverick’s condition. His father, Christopher Brower, shared that Maverick has cerebral palsy, is nonverbal, non-ambulatory, and has complex medical needs. That means this child could not cry out for help in words. He couldn’t defend himself. And that reality hits hard.
The video was later shared with News 12, and once authorities reviewed it, Special Victims Unit detectives began a full investigation. Eventually, just after 9 p.m. one night, Suffolk County police arrested Valenzuela at his Brentwood home. The arrest sent a clear message, but for many families, it also raised serious questions about trust, oversight, and how vulnerable children are protected inside their own homes.
Family Reaction, Arrest Details, and Agency Response
For the Brower family, this situation is more than a headline. It’s personal. This nurse had been in their home for years. Valenzuela was reportedly employed by the Christian Nursing Registry in Smithtown and had worked with the family for about 3.5 years. That long-term relationship is what makes the alleged betrayal feel even deeper.
After the arrest, Valenzuela was fired from his position. The nursing registry also released a statement through its director, Camille Harlow, expressing shock and heartbreak. She told News 12: “We were horrified. In 38 years, we’ve never had this happen. He was with that family for 3.5 years and had a wonderful rapport with the family and the child. We’ve cooperated with every entity that has requested information from us. Immediately, the nurse was terminated and reported to the state licensing department. The father continues to use our agency. We’re heartbroken. We love this child. We love this family. We are as heartbroken as Mr. Brower.”