Brooke Ashley Reiner allegedly slammed an 8-month-old boy into a changing table at her unlicensed North Carolina daycare, causing severe brain trauma that doctors say separated the child's brain hemispheres and left him with a "slim" chance of survival, according to court documents.
Background
Reiner operated Sunrise to Sunset Childcare from her home in the 200 block of Cloverdale Drive in Smithfield, N.C. The investigation began on July 6 when doctors at WakeMed Raleigh hospital contacted the Smithfield Police Department about a child who suffered "severe head trauma" that was described as "non-accidental," a probable cause arrest affidavit said.
According to the complaint, Reiner told investigators the boy had woken up from a nap and she was changing his diaper when his "eyes rolled back in his head, and he began to have a seizure." She claimed she grabbed the baby's shoulders and tried to get his attention by shaking him. The defendant said the boy's body "stiffened and his arms coiled up into his chest" before paramedics rushed him to the hospital.
Records show Reiner wrote on her Facebook page in November 2024 that she started the daycare service as a way to "stay at home as a single mom" for her then-6-month-old. She said she was "working" on getting licensed and hoped to receive one within a few months.
The Investigation
Authorities say Reiner slammed the baby's head and threw him into the changing table during the July 6 incident. She allegedly struck the child in his face, head and abdomen with her hand, according to police.
Doctors told investigators the boy suffered a brain bleed and a "separation" of his brain's hemispheres. The child remained in intensive care after undergoing brain surgery where his brain hemispheres separated as well as external bruising, the affidavit said.
A grand jury indicted Reiner earlier this month on multiple charges related to the attack.
Key Takeaways
- Brooke Ashley Reiner is charged with two counts of intentional child abuse with serious bodily injury and one count of providing child care without a license with serious injury
- The 8-month-old victim suffered catastrophic brain injuries, including a brain bleed and separation of his brain's hemispheres, police say
- Doctors described the child's survivability as "slim" following emergency brain surgery
- Reiner operated an unlicensed daycare called Sunrise to Sunset Childcare from her Smithfield, N.C. home
- She was arrested and remained in Johnston County Jail on a $5 million bond
What's Next
Reiner is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 5 for her next scheduled hearing. The case remains under investigation by the Smithfield Police Department.