<P> As played by Jane Lynch , Diana Reid is Dr. Spencer Reid 's mother . She first appeared as a potential target of serial killer Randall Garner , the man who shot SSA Elle Greenaway . Like her son , Diana has a genius level IQ . She was once a university literature professor , but is no longer since her diagnosis of schizophrenia . She currently resides at the Las Vegas - based Bennington Sanitarium , where Spencer committed her when he was eighteen . Her husband , William Reid , left her when Spencer was a child . The reason William left is because he was aware Diana witnessed a murder , as a family friend avenged his own son 's murder . He was unable to live with this knowledge though he claims he tried ; he said `` the weight of knowing what happened was just too much '' . Much of Diana and Spencer 's time while he was growing up was spent with her reading to him . Spencer writes her a letter every single day because he feels guilty about not visiting her . In season 11 , Spencer takes some time off from the BAU to visit her . In `` Entropy '' , he reveals she has early signs of Dementia and when he first walked in her room , she did n't know who he was for three seconds . </P>
<P> As played by Jane Lynch , Diana Reid is Dr. Spencer Reid 's mother . She first appeared as a potential target of serial killer Randall Garner , the man who shot SSA Elle Greenaway . Like her son , Diana has a genius level IQ . She was once a university literature professor , but is no longer since her diagnosis of schizophrenia . She currently resides at the Las Vegas - based Bennington Sanitarium , where Spencer committed her when he was eighteen . Her husband , William Reid , left her when Spencer was a child . The reason William left is because he was aware Diana witnessed a murder , as a family friend avenged his own son 's murder . He was unable to live with this knowledge though he claims he tried ; he said `` the weight of knowing what happened was just too much '' . Much of Diana and Spencer 's time while he was growing up was spent with her reading to him . Spencer writes her a letter every single day because he feels guilty about not visiting her . In season 11 , Spencer takes some time off from the BAU to visit her . In `` Entropy '' , he reveals she has early signs of Dementia and when he first walked in her room , she did n't know who he was for three seconds . </P>
who plays dr reid 's mother on criminal minds
who plays dr reid 's mother on criminal minds
Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch