What a traumatic way to grow up.
Rob and Michele Reiner‘s daughter Romy was reportedly terrified of her brother Nick long before he was arrested for allegedly murdering his parents.
Related: Reiner Murder Timeline
Speaking to DailyMail.com, a source told the outlet on Sunday that the 27-year-old “lived in fear” of her older brother:
“It feels like Romy has been scared of Nick since she was a child.”
Wow. That’s so, so difficult.
Related: Nick Is In Solitary Confinement & Remains On Suicide Watch After Murders
The 32-year-old openly struggled with his mental health and addiction issues since he was a teenager, spending time in and out of rehab and even winding up homeless. He would reportedly have drug-fueled rages, which frequently led to him destroying his parents’ guesthouse, where he was most recently living.
His erratic behavior hit a breaking point last weekend when he allegedly stabbed his parents to death. According to TMZ, Nick was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and his behavior had spiraled in recent weeks when doctors changed his medication. Awful.
Romy was the one to find her parents dead, and according to reports, she told cops Nick should be a suspect because he was “dangerous.”
Her fear came after a lifetime growing up alongside Nick — and it wasn’t based solely on his drug use. The source went on:
“Even before his drug addiction, his outbursts were frightening because they seemed to come out of nowhere. She tried to stay out of his way as much as she could but it wasn’t easy.”
Sadly, the up-and-coming actress apparently “didn’t think it was a good idea” for Nick to be living in their parents’ guesthouse:
“Nick was so volatile that she didn’t think it was a good idea for him to be living in a guesthouse [which he once smashed up in a drug-fueled fit of rage] on the grounds of her parents’ home. She didn’t even like the idea of him living across the street from her.”
Romy lives in a home across the street from her parents’ mansion. Despite her worries, she knew there wasn’t much she could do. The source explained:
“But she knew they moved him in so they could keep a close eye on him and give him a roof over his head.”
As a result of this fear, Romy grew close to her other older brother, Jake:
“There were plenty of times when Romy would be upset with Nick, and naturally that made her much closer to Jake.”
Because Jake “was feeling the same way about Nick, … Romy was able to talk about it when she didn’t want to burden their parents.” A second insider doubled down:
“There were plenty of times when Romy would be upset with Nick, and naturally that made her much closer to Jake.”
All that said, Romy never abandoned Nick — she cared deeply for him and would often call him her “best friend.” She and her parents “tried to include” Nick as much as possible in family gatherings, at least “when they were talking to him,” the first confidant expressed:
“Anytime that her parents looked overwhelmed or asked for help, Romy and Jake were there for Nick. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but she never disowned Nick.”
Addressing their state of mind in the aftermath of these horrendous killings, the second insider pointed out:
“She and Jake are numb right now.”
Oof.
They also share an older step-sibling, Tracy, 61, who Rob adopted amid a previous marriage. Our hearts go out to them and the whole family. It’s such a terrible situation.
[Image via Michele Reiner/Instagram]
