Western Washington Woman Accused of Torturing Four Children Charged With Nearly a Dozen Felonies

Denver Pratt / The Bellingham Herald (TNS)

The Blaine woman accused of torturing four children over several years has been officially charged with nearly a dozen felonies and could face life in prison if convicted.

Tana Perkins Reneau, 51, was formally charged Tuesday in Whatcom County Superior Court with four counts of second-degree child assault (domestic violence); three counts of first-degree incest (domestic violence); one count of first-degree child rape (domestic violence); one count of second-degree child rape (domestic violence); one count of third-degree child rape (domestic violence), and one count of second-degree assault (domestic violence), all related to the years-long physical and sexual abuse of four children, according to court records.

Each of the 11 felony charges includes at least three aggravating factors that would allow prosecutors to seek an exceptional prison sentence for Reneau above the standard range for her crimes.

For each of the felony charges Reneau is facing, prosecutors allege that Reneau's conduct during the crimes manifested deliberate cruelty to the victims, that the crimes involved domestic violence and that the crimes were part of "an ongoing pattern of psychological, physical, or sexual abuse of a victim or multiple victims manifested by multiple incidents over a prolonged period of time," the court documents state.

Each of the assault charges state that Reneau intentionally assaulted the four children, which caused bodily harm greater than transient pain or minor temporary marks, to each of the children. The charges also include allegations that Reneau had previously engaged in a pattern or practice of either assaulting the children creating bodily harm greater than transient pain or minor marks, or that the children were caused physical pain or agony "that is equivalent to that produced by torture," the documents state.

The abuse of the children is alleged to have occurred from January 2020 through May 2023, according to court records. Three of the four children are Black and Reneau, who is white, called them racial slurs, the court documents show.

Reneau has six children, four of whom are adopted.

Reneau, who is a former teacher and current candidate for the Blaine School Board, is currently incarcerated in the downtown Whatcom County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail, jail records show.

Her arraignment is scheduled for June 16.

Whatcom County deputy prosecuting attorney Kacie Emerick said Wednesday that if convicted, Reneau is "facing a significant sentence" that could include life in prison as part of an indeterminate sentence. Emerick said the county prosecutor's office has not yet made any decisions regarding sentencing at this time.

Emerick declined to say whether Reneau will face additional charges or whether her husband will also face charges, saying it's "an active investigation."

The Herald has reached out to the Whatcom County Public Defender's Office to see whether it is representing Reneau and whether a defense attorney has been assigned to her case yet.

Three female children ranging in age from 7 to 14 years old and one male child over the age of 10, all of whom were known to Reneau, came forward with allegations that Reneau had been physically and sexually abusing them as punishment, The Herald previously reported.

Whatcom County Sheriff's Office detectives were assigned the case after a report was made to Child Protective Services.

Child forensic interviews done by Brigid Collins Family Support Center found that some of the physical pain allegedly inflicted upon the children was equivalent to torture. Medical exams found scarring and markings consistent with abuse and two of the children had chipped teeth, according to court records.

Some of the children alleged Reneau forced them to sleep naked in the shower, garage or without blankets or pillows. All four alleged that Reneau forced them to run laps, the court documents state.

Reneau allegedly physically abused the children using closed fists and household items, including wooden boards, cords and a shovel, the court records state.

One child alleged that after they were severely beaten, Reneau sexually assaulted them while examining the injury, while another child alleged Reneau sexually assaulted them as punishment for perceived stealing, the documents show.

Three of the four children are Black and reported that Reneau called them racial slurs. The charging documents show that Reneau inflicted more severe abuse upon the three Black children.

A domestic violence no-contact order has been put in place between Reneau and the four children.

Reneau previously taught in the Kennewick School District in the Tri-Cities for 13 years before moving to Blaine in 2011, The Herald previously reported.

Since moving to Whatcom County more than a decade ago, Reneau has served on multiple curriculum and technology adoption committees, but it's unclear whether she's ever taught in Blaine schools.

Reneau received her master's degree in elementary level teaching from Washington State University and a bachelor's in business administration from Linfield University, according to her LinkedIn profile.

She has also filed to run for an open seat on the Blaine School Board and will face two other candidates in the Aug. 1 primary. She previously ran unsuccessfully for the school board in 2019.

Reneau will remain on the school board ballot, according to Whatcom County Auditor Diana Bradrick.

"A candidate who is in jail, but has not been convicted of a felony, may be ... on the ballot as long as they meet all the other qualifications — a registered voter within the district of the position they have filed for. Therefore, Ms. Reneau remains on the ballot," Bradrick said Wednesday in an email to The Herald.

Reneau has also been involved with North Whatcom County Young Life ministry and was a leader in the YoungLives program, which aims to offer guidance, resources and support to teenage mothers.

Reneau opened a candy company in 2021, called Better Buttermint Co., where she employed young adults with developmental disabilities, The Herald previously reported.

Reneau was also the director of Lions Camp Horizon, which is a recreational camp for children and adults with physical and mental disabilities.

Reneau has been suspended without pay from her position as director with the camp, The Blaine Northern Light first reported. The camp has appointed an interim director, according to its website.

Reneau's public defense attorney who appeared with her for the purposes of her first appearance in court Tuesday said Reneau had lost her job with the camp due to the allegations of abuse.

The Herald has also reached out to Child Protective Services, Brigid Collins Family Support Center, the Blaine School District and School Board, Young Life and Lions Camp Horizon for more information and comment.