Allegheny County

Local mother accused of trying to drown her baby appears in court, case moving forward

PITTSBURGH — The case against a mom accused of trying to drown her baby girl is moving forward to the Court of Common Pleas. She waived her preliminary hearing on Tuesday.

Rainelle Wolfe didn’t want to make a comment to Channel 11 after she walked out of court today, but her boyfriend told us, “she’s innocent.”

According to investigators, Wolfe was staying with her 1- and 2-year-old daughters at the Drury Hotel in Robinson. A fourth person was also there, but police have not identified them.

That witness told investigators that Wolfe became angry with the baby after she soiled herself. Police say Wolfe then threw the baby girl into the hotel bathtub, and held half of her face in 1-2 inches of water while the tub continued to fill up.

As part of waiving the hearing, Wolfe’s defense attorney was able to get her aggravated assault charge, which is a felony, reduced to a simple assault charge, which is a misdemeanor.

Her attorney did not want to comment on camera.

Wolfe’s children are now staying with someone else under CYF supervision.