Trigger Warning: This article contains references to child abuse that some readers may find distressing.

An unlicensed daycare in North Carolina has come under fire after a child in their care suffered a non-accidental head trauma, making the chances of his survival slim.

The incident took place at Sunrise to Sunset Childcare on Cloverdale Drive when caregiver Brooke Ashley Reiner, 26, threw the eight-month-old infant into a changing table, causing severe damage to his brain. According to a report by Law&Crime, she also allegedly hit him in his face, head, and abdomen with her hand.

According to police, the infant suffered a brain bleed and a “separation” of his brain’s hemispheres. The affidavit said, “The child remains in intensive care after having undergone brain surgery where his brain hemispheres separated as well as external bruising. The survivability for the child is slim.”

Reiner, however, has denied the allegations, saying she was changing the infant’s diaper when his “eyes rolled back in his head, and he began to have a seizure.” She said the infant’s body “stiffened, and his arms coiled up into his chest.”

In November 2024, Reiner wrote on a Facebook post about her daycare service as a way to “stay at home as a single mom” for her then-six-month-old child. She also claimed she was “working” on getting licensed to take care of other children and hoped to receive one within several months.

A 2026 advertisement for her daycare described her as CPR and first-aid certified. Investigators looking into the matter did not find any registered daycare under Reiner.

She currently faces two counts of intentional child abuse, resulting in serious bodily injury, along with one count of providing unlicensed childcare resulting in a serious injury. A grand jury indicted Reiner, with her next court date set in early August. Her bond has been set at $5 million. The baby, as per last reports, is still in a serious condition.

There might also be minor charges that might be leveled against Reiner, such as operating a child care facility without a license, which constitutes a Class 3 Misdemeanor. The case has brought scrutiny on the existing childcare laws in North Carolina. According to The Atlantic, around 45 licensed programs were shut down in the fourth quarter alone in 2025, leaving families of more than 18,000 children to look for informal systems of care.

Disclaimer: Inquisitr could not independently confirm the facts of this incident and is reporting based on the information available.