Nine-month-old Renezmae Eva Medina was found dead at her home in Evanston, Wyoming, at approximately 4:30 a.m. on October 20, 2023. An autopsy could not determine a definitive cause of death but could not rule out asphyxia. Medical staff found unexplained bruising in the peri area and severe diaper rash with abrasions so extensive the rash was entering the flesh. The home was found to be covered in filth, including pet urine and feces on floors and walls, rotting food, and various hazards accessible to children such as knives and tattoo equipment. The parents, Tevin Medina and Bailey Bettinson, were arrested and charged with manslaughter and child abuse. Child protective services (DFS) had prior involvement with the household on two occasions in September 2022, and police had responded to the apartment over a month before the death following management complaints about living conditions, yet the children remained in the home.
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)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
The Wyoming News article describes diaper rash so severe that medical staff reported "the rash appeared to be entering into the flesh as well as the skin." This level of untreated diaper rash, along with the "unexplained bruising in the 'peri area,'" strongly implies a failure to seek or provide timely medical care for a deteriorating condition, constituting 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?
Tevin Medina shares the last name with the child (Renezmae Medina), and the article separately identifies a 3-year-old in the home as "Tevin Medina's stepdaughter," implying the stepdaughter is Bailey Bettinson's child from a prior relationship and that Renezmae is Tevin Medina's biological child. Both parents were charged with manslaughter and child abuse.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
The article identifies Tevin Medina and Bailey Bettinson as "the parents" of the infant. Since the 3-year-old is identified as "Tevin Medina's stepdaughter" (implying the 3-year-old is Bettinson's child from a prior relationship), Bettinson is the biological mother of Renezmae. She was charged with manslaughter and child abuse.
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)?
The Wyoming News article states: "DFS worked cases concerning the living conditions at the home a year earlier — on Sept. 6, 2022, and then on Sept. 21, 2022 — before Renezmae was born." Additionally, apartment management complaints about living conditions were sent to DFS along with photos and an incident report more than a month before the child's death. These are prior child protection reports involving the household and a sibling.
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?
The Wyoming News article states: "Tevin Medina and Bailey Bettinson were taken into custody March 26 after Uinta County Attorney Loretta Howieson Kallas filed charges one day prior." They were charged with manslaughter and child abuse.
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 systemic details are notable. The Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS) had worked cases concerning the living conditions at the home on Sept. 6, 2022, and Sept. 21, 2022 — before the child was even born. Additionally, an Evanston police officer responded to the apartment "more than a month before Renezmae's death" due to management complaints of bad living conditions for the children, and photos and an incident report were sent to DFS at that time. Despite these multiple touchpoints by law enforcement and child protective services, the child was not removed from the home and subsequently died. This represents a potential systemic failure by DFS and law enforcement to act on repeated warnings about the dangerous conditions. The autopsy also could not determine a cause of death, which is unusual — the medical examiner "could not rule out an asphyxia death" and recommended further investigation.
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