LA PLATA, Md. — Renee Daytona Roberts, 45, received a 15-year prison sentence on March 27, 2025, for first-degree child abuse causing severe injury, Charles County State’s Attorney Tony Covington announced. Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West handed down the sentence, suspending 10 years of a 25-year term, with five years of supervised probation to follow. The ruling came after Roberts pleaded guilty on March 13, 2025, to brutally assaulting a 7-year-old child in a Waldorf parking lot.
The incident occurred on January 8, 2024, when Charles County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a child assault at Patient First in Waldorf. Upon arrival, officers found Roberts restrained by bystanders on the asphalt, while the juvenile victim was secured in a bystander’s vehicle. The child, transported to a hospital, was diagnosed with two skull fractures and brain bleeding. Roberts resisted arrest but was taken into custody at the scene.
Investigators determined that Roberts had lifted the child above her head and slammed her onto the concrete, an act witnessed by bystanders who intervened. Surveillance video captured the assault, corroborating accounts. During questioning, Roberts admitted to the abuse, claiming it stemmed from the child’s inability to fully recite a religious prayer. The investigation highlighted the severity of the attack, which left the victim with life-altering injuries.
At the sentencing hearing, the Assistant State’s Attorney described the act as “quite frankly unimaginable and quite shocking to see.” She urged Judge West to impose a significant penalty, stating, “Certainly, there needs to be a heavy punishment for this and there needs to be protection of this child.” Judge West, reflecting on the case, told the court, “The damage is tremendous. The level of sadness is tremendous. The video is shocking,” before delivering the sentence.
Roberts faced a single count of first-degree child abuse with severe injury, which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years under Maryland law. The court suspended 10 years of that term, meaning Roberts will serve 15 years in prison, followed by probation. The case underscores the legal system’s response to violent child abuse, prioritizing both punishment and victim safety.
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office and State’s Attorney’s Office collaborated to secure the conviction, relying on witness testimony, video evidence, and Roberts’s own admission. Covington’s office emphasized its commitment to prosecuting such crimes, though no further statements were released post-sentencing.
