Racine caregiver charged with homicide in death of infant

UPDATED on June 19, 2024 at 12:04 p.m.

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A news release issued by the Racine Police Dept. on Friday, July 19 confirms that Andi Praeger served as a caregiver in the home of a deceased child. Praeger now faces homicide charges in the death.

The report says that the initial call to the Racine Fire Dept. was regarding an unresponsive infant, leading responders to transfer the child to a hospital. The child was then airlifted to Milwaukee due the severity of the injuries, which ultimately claimed his life.

Police ask anyone with information to contact them at (262) 635-7756. Anonymous information is also accepted by calling Crime Stoppers at (262) 636-9330 or by using the P3 Tips online service.

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A Racine woman has been charged with first-degree reckless homicide in connection with the death of an 11-month-old infant. The charges originated with a Thursday, July 11 call for a report of child abuse that officers responded to, during which the child was being treated for multiple injuries.

Andi M. Praeger, 25, is accused of recklessly causing the death of the baby, who died at a hospital on Wednesday, July 17.

According to the criminal complaint, the infant was initially treated for severe injuries, including a spinal contusion, bleeding on the brain and bleeding behind his eyelid at Ascension Hospital and Children's Hospital in Milwaukee.

Detectives stated that Praeger was the primary caregiver for the child on the day of the incident, July 11, although she was not the child's parent.

During an interview, Praeger reportedly told investigators she did not intentionally harm the infant. Detectives say that Praeger initially claimed the infant might have hit his head accidentally. She later demonstrated how she put the baby down, allegedly showing more force than she initially described.

Praeger is quoted as saying, "Maybe he bonked his head a little too hard and I tried putting him down, and it was not intentional."

She faces a Class B felony, which could result in a prison sentence of up to 60 years.