Chapter 16 - Reena’s Criminal Case
The dependency case and criminal case were separate.
Reena was eventually charged after months of investigation.
Not attempted murder.
Not kidnapping.
Charges centered on:
Child endangerment.
Unlawful restraint/confinement.
Failure to seek timely medical care for Drew’s fracture.
An assault-related count tied to the stair incident was contested because intent was disputed.
She had pulled him.
He fell.
Prosecution did not claim she deliberately broke his leg.
Good.
The older injuries were included as context where supported but not all charged individually.
Could prosecutors prove Reena caused every one?
No.
They did not try.
The case resolved by plea.
Reena admitted:
Locking Drew and Lily in the basement room for extended periods as punishment.
Withholding meals on some occasions.
Failing to obtain timely care after Drew’s leg injury.
Using physical force to move Drew toward basement door before fall.
She pleaded to two felony child-endangerment counts and one misdemeanor unlawful-restraint count.
Sentence:
Fourteen months in county custody followed by three years supervised probation.
Mandatory parenting intervention.
Individual therapy.
No unsupervised contact with minor children unless dependency court later authorized.
Some people wanted ten years.
Some said jail would destroy reunification.
Both emotions understandable.
The judge emphasized:
“Punishment and family repair are separate questions.”
Exactly.
Reena’s parental rights were not automatically terminated by criminal plea.
Dependency court still had to decide future custody based on child safety and best interests.
May you like
Real life has multiple tracks.
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