‘Horrific is a good word for it.’ Documents detail alleged abuse by ex-Kennewick teacher

Probable cause documents released by Whatcom County Superior Court detail the alleged child abuse by a Blaine mother of six, who is a former Kennewick teacher and current school board candidate.

Tana Perkins Reneau, 51, was arrested by Whatcom County sheriff’s deputies June 2 on investigation of child rape and child assault.

Her arrest followed an investigation by the state Child Protective Services and Whatcom County detectives into complaints by three underage girls and a boy who said she had physically and sexually abused them as punishment, said court documents.

“Horrific is a good word for it,” Whatcom County Superior Court Commissioner Jonathan Richardson said Monday during Reneau’s first appearance in court.

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.”

Medical exams by a nurse found scarring and markings consistent with abuse. Two of the children were found to have chipped teeth as the result of being hit, state the documents.

Some of the children were forced to sleep naked in the shower or in the garage or without blankets or pillows. All four children were forced to run laps, the documents said.

The children were allegedly punched and hit with household items including boards, cords and a shovel, the documents state.

One child was severely beaten and then sexually assaulted by Reneau, the documents state. One child was sexually assaulted as punishment for perceived stealing, according to the documents.

Three of the children are Black and reported that Reneau called them a racial slur, according to the documents.

“It’s a very egregious case,” said Deputy Prosecutor David Graham “(The probable cause document) has some very specific and very disturbing allegations and, in the state’s view, there is a community safety concern.”

The court issued a no-contact order that keeps her from contacting the four unnamed victims. Reneau’s bail was set at $500,000. She remained in custody as of June 6, according to jail records.

Court documents show prosecutors are considering formal charges of first-, second- and third-degree degree child rape and four counts of second-degree child assault.

She also faces one count of drug possession involving a vial of prescription drugs, Gabapentin, found in her bra that did not belong to her. She said it was for one of her sons. The drug is an anti-seizure medication that also is used for nerve damage pain.

Teaching career

Reneau is a Kennewick native who taught in the Kennewick School District for 13 years before moving to Blaine in 2011.

She was hired in 1998 by the Kennewick School District and taught 5th grade at Southgate Elementary and then at Eastgate Elementary, according to a district spokesperson.

It’s unclear whether she ever taught in Blaine schools, but she served on multiple curriculum and technology adoption committees.

She has a master’s degree in elementary level teaching from Washington State University and a bachelor’s in business administration from Linfield University, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Reneau has filed to run for an open seat on the Blaine School Board and will face two other candidates in the Aug. 1 primary. She previously ran unsuccessfully for the school board in 2019.

She also has been involved with North Whatcom County Young Life ministry and as a leader in a program called YoungLives, which aims to offer guidance, resources and support to teen mothers.

In 2021, Reneau opened a candy company called Better Buttermint Co., where she employed young adults with developmental disabilities.

At least one of her children lives with an expressive language disorder that affects his motor and verbal skills. Reneau told the Northern Light newspaper that her child’s skills noticeably improved while working for the company.

In all, Reneau has six children, four of whom are adopted.

Reporter Eric Rosane with the Tri-City Herald in Kennewick, Washington, contributed to this report.