Police: Man, 19, arrested after infant daughter suffers head trauma

Brendan Rehmer, of Neptune Beach, is charged with aggravated child abuse

NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. – A Neptune Beach man was arrested after officers were called when one of his twin babies suffered severe head trauma while in his care, according to a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office report.

Brendan Rehmer, 19, is charged with aggravated child abuse.

The arrest report, which News4Jax obtained Monday, states doctors told detectives that the injuries the baby girl had could only be from shaking or slamming the infant's head. 

Emily Frazier, the child's mother and no longer with Rehmer, said although he had visitation rights, he wasn't supposed to be left alone with their children.

Frazier said Monday she had a bad feeling when she dropped off her twin girls with their father last month.

"It's like every time they go over there now, my gut's telling me something bad is going to happen," she said. 

According to the arrest report, Rehmer had his twin daughters for the weekend and when his family left him with the babies one night, he told police that one of the girls started screaming loudly, like she was hurt. 

The report states Rehmer told police he tried to calm the baby down and, at some point, the 7-month-old became limp and unresponsive. 

“He told me that he was changing her diaper because she was cranky and once he got done, he had picked her up and she was lifeless," Frazier said.

Police said paramedics rushed the baby to the emergency room after Rehmer called 911.

The report describes the child as having a "subdural brain hemorrhage in the front and rear portions of her brain."

A nurse told police that Rehmer’s story wasn’t consistent with the baby’s injuries, and that the baby had "abusive head trauma," the arrest report said.

“I was heartbroken that she was there," Frazier said. "All I could do was cry and hope that my baby was OK."

Police said Rehmer continued to tell them he had no idea what happened to the baby. But Frazier said she doesn’t believe him.

“I don’t feel like he’s innocent," Frazier said. "I feel like he’s guilty for what he did to my daughter."

Rehmer was released from jail just hours after he was booked -- posting a $75,000 bond. 

News4Jax went to Rehmer's home Monday to get his side of the story, but his mother said they couldn't comment. 

Thankfully, Frazier said, her daughter who was injured is expected to make a full recovery.


About the Author:

Corley Peel is a Texas native and Texas Tech graduate who covered big stories in Joplin, Missouri, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Jacksonville, Florida before returning to the Lone Star State. When not reporting, Corley enjoys hot yoga, Tech Football, and finding the best tacos in town.