A 22-month-old Racine child has died from head trauma, and police say a 28-year-old man who lived with the toddler’s mother is under arrest on suspicion of reckless homicide. The child was first rushed to a local hospital, then flown to a Milwaukee pediatric center, where doctors could not save the toddler. Racine police say the investigation is still very much active.
Officers were called to a Racine home on Monday after the child was found critically injured, according to WISN 12 News. Emergency crews took the toddler to Ascension All Saints in Racine before the child was flown to Children’s Wisconsin in Milwaukee. The outlet reports the child died on Wednesday and that police arrested the mother’s live-in boyfriend in connection with the injuries. Investigators told the station they believe the head trauma was not accidental and are still reviewing evidence.
Where the child was treated
The toddler was initially taken to Ascension All Saints, the community hospital that serves Racine County, before being transferred by air to Children’s Wisconsin, the region’s pediatric trauma center. The Spring Street campus is listed on the Ascension website as the Racine emergency facility, while Children’s Wisconsin operates the Milwaukee campus that handles pediatric critical care and trauma. Medical teams at Children’s Wisconsin routinely treat severe head injuries in infants and toddlers, and hospitals in the region regularly coordinate with law enforcement in suspected abuse cases.
Regional context
Abusive head trauma, sometimes described as shaken-baby syndrome, is among the most serious causes of fatal injury for children under 2, and hospitals in southeastern Wisconsin see these cases on a recurring basis. The state of Wisconsin’s 2025-27 executive budget and statewide safety programs highlight prevention work such as the Period of PURPLE Crying curriculum, which teaches caregivers how to recognize and cope with intense infant crying. Local reporting, including coverage by CBS58, has documented past increases in severe pediatric head-injury cases, a backdrop that helps explain why investigators treat incidents like this with urgency.
Legal next steps
Racine police say the arrested man is accused of reckless homicide, according to WISN 12 News, and the case is being referred to the Racine County District Attorney’s Office for charging decisions. If prosecutors file formal charges, court records, hearing dates, and bond or custody information will be released through the county court system or the district attorney.
The Racine Police Department is asking anyone with information about what happened to contact investigators, with contact details available on the city’s police page. We will update this report as officials release new court records or public statements.
