Iowa couple charged with shaking their 6-week-old baby to death

LITTLE ROCK, IOWA – An Iowa couple is behind bars after their tiny baby allegedly was shaken so badly he suffered abusive head trauma while still healing from earlier rib fractures.

On September 25, 2023, a six week old infant died as a result of inflicted trauma. The infant was in the care, custody, and control of his parents, Sydney and Brenan Schneidermann of Little Rock, Iowa.

On August 31, 2024, DCI agents arrested Sydney Schneidermann on one count of Murder in the First Degree (Class A Felony) and one count of Child Endangerment Resulting in Death (Class B Felony). Brenan Schneidermann was also arrested on one count of Child Endangerment Resulting in Death (Class B Felony). The couple is pictured at top.

Sydney and Brenan Schneidermann were taken into custody without incident and are being held at the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office.

According to charging documents:

On September 10th, 2023, at approximately 7:36PM, infant child WS (DOB: 08/16/2023) was taken to the Avera Hospital Emergency Room (ER) in Rock Rapids by his mother, SYDNEY SCHNEIDERMANN, after what SYDNEY described as a sudden episode where WS went limp in the arms of WS’s father, BRENAN SCHNEIDERMANN at their residence. At the ER, WS’s vitals were tested, and all came back normal. WS would have sporadic, short bursts of crying while at the hospital. It was documented that WS had unexplained, linear red marks on his jawline. WS was released from the hospital and taken home with instructions to follow up with their primary care provider the next day.

WS did not eat or suck on his pacifier during the night of September 10th, into the morning of September 11th. SYDNEY called the Avera Rock Rapids Clinic at 7:39AM to make an appointment for WS (according to SYDNEY, at this point WS had not eaten for approximately 14 hours). An appointment was made for 11AM on September 11th. The ER provider who originally examined WS the night before called SYDNEY and got an update on WS’s situation. SYDNEY was advised to bring WS directly into the ER by the medical provider. Immediately after arrival at the Rock Rapids hospital on September 11th, it was obvious that WS was in critical condition. His pupils were dilated, he needed assistance breathing, and his heart rate was dropping. The jawline marks documented the night before were now obvious bruises. WS was stabilized and life flighted to Avera Hospital in Sioux Falls. WS was quickly transferred to Sanford Children’s Hospital, also in Sioux Falls.

Doctors at Sanford Children’s Hospital said WS had bruising on his neck consistent with child abuse, a subdermal hematoma, and retinal hemorrhages caused by “acceleration-deceleration”, typically associated with a shaking in babies. WS had an extremely large amount of brain swelling.

WS died because of his injuries on September 25th, 2023. WS’s autopsy was conducted by the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner in Ankeny, Iowa. WS’s cause of death was ruled abusive head trauma with another significant findings of healing rib fractures. The manner of death was ruled homicide.

WS’s primary caregiver was his mother, SYDNEY, until WS was brought to the hospital on September 11th. WS was in the care of SYDNEY when WS sustained the final injuries which led to his death.

SYDNEY did not give any possible explanations for how WS sustained the injuries.

A search of digital evidence revealed SYDNEY’s cell phone, and an account belonging to her had researched Shaken Baby Syndrome three days prior to WS being brought to the hospital on September 10th.