The trial of a Blaine woman accused of torturing and sexually assaulting four children known to her was pushed back for the 12th time on Wednesday in Whatcom County Superior Court.
Tana Perkins Reneau, 53, was charged with 11 felonies on June 5, 2023. She pleaded not guilty to all charges and was released on $500,000 bail in the following weeks. A no-contact order was put in place between her and the children.
If Reneau is convicted, she faces up to life in prison.
Jury trial reset for Blaine woman accused of physically, sexually abusing four children
According to court records, an investigation into Reneau began after the children came forward about the abuse, which allegedly occurred between January 2020 and May 2023. Child forensic interviews conducted by staff at Brigid Collins Family Support Center found that some of the physical pain suffered by the children “was equivalent to that produced by torture.”
Blaine woman accused of torturing 4 children charged with nearly a dozen felonies
Reneau taught in the Kennewick School District for 13 years before moving to Blaine in 2011. She ran multiple times for a seat on the Blaine School Board, though she was never elected, and she served on multiple curriculum and technology adoption committees in Blaine schools. She was also involved with North Whatcom County Young Life ministry.
Reneau’s trial was initially scheduled for Aug. 28, 2023, and has since been pushed back multiple times. Court records state that the continuances were requested so that more evidence could be obtained.
Reneau’s defense attorney, Todd Anderson, said at the status conference on Monday that at least 10 more witness interviews still need to be completed before he and his client will be ready to move to trial. He said he has been requesting the interviews for “quite some time,” and that a change of the attorney prosecuting the case for the state has slowed the process down.
Anderson requested that Reneau’s trial be continued to Aug. 4, though he said the date was likely just a placeholder and would need to be moved back again. The state did not object, and the judge granted the motion.
Reneau did not attend the hearing, in person or via remote feed.
