On December 5, 2023, emergency services responded to a home on Northridge Drive in Lewisburg, West Virginia, for a report of an unresponsive three-year-old boy. Robert F. Reinhold III, 22, told investigators the child was attempting to kiss his sister when he pulled the child off and pushed him in the chest, causing him to fall and possibly hit his head on a dresser drawer; he initially claimed the child had fallen on his own onto the carpet. The child was transported to Greenbrier Valley Medical Center and then airlifted to Carillion Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Virginia, where he died on December 11, 2023. Both Reinhold and Kimberly A. Sears, 26, were charged with Death of a Child by a Parent, Guardian, or Custodian. The West Virginia DHHR had opened an investigation into potential child abuse in the home in September 2023, and Sears admitted knowledge of abuse dating back to June 2023.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Document 1 (WCHS) states: "Reinhold told investigators the 3-year-old was attempting to kiss his sister when Reinhold pulled the child off and pushed him in the chest, causing him to fall and possibly hit his head on a dresser drawer." This describes an inflicted injury — the child was pushed in the chest by Reinhold, resulting in injury and ultimately death.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Document 1 (WCHS) states: "Sears confirmed to investigators that the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources launched an investigation in September into potential child abuse in the home." Additionally, "Sears admitted to know about alleged abuse of the child dating back to June 2023." This clearly indicates a prior child protection investigation (DHHR probe in September) before the child's death in December 2023.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Document 2 (WVNS) states: "On December 6, 2023, Robert F. Reinhold III, 22, of Lewisburg, was arrested by the Lewisburg Police Department and charged with Child Abuse Resulting in Injury and Malicious or Unlawful Assault." He was later re-charged with "Death of a Child by a Parent, Guardian, or Custodian or Other Person by Abuse." Document 2 also states: "Kimberly A. Sears, 26, of Lewisburg was arrested in Roanoke, VA on Greenbrier County warrants and charged with Death of a Child by a Parent, Guardian, or Custodian." Both adults were arrested and charged in connection with the child's death.
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the text that are relevant to understanding this case. First, the West Virginia DHHR had already launched an investigation in September 2023 into potential child abuse in the home, yet the child died in December 2023, suggesting a potential child welfare system failure. Document 1 (WCHS) states: "Sears confirmed to investigators that the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources launched an investigation in September into potential child abuse in the home." Second, Reinhold gave inconsistent accounts to investigators: Document 1 notes he "initially told them the child fell on his own and had hit his head on the carpet floor" before later admitting he pushed the child. Third, the charge progression is notable: Document 2 (WVNS) explains that Reinhold's original charges of "Child Abuse Resulting in Injury and Malicious or Unlawful Assault" were dismissed on December 13 and he was re-charged with Death of a Child by a Parent, carrying 15 years to life.
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