In Indiana, a 6-month-old baby boy was attacked by rats while he was sleeping in his crib. The boy’s parents, David and Angel Schonabaum, and his aunt, Delania Thurman, were arrested and charged with neglecting the child, according to the New York Post.
When the parents woke up, they found their baby covered in blood from more than 50 rat bites. The baby had bites all over his body, including his face, arms, legs, and fingers. Parts of his fingers were bitten off, exposing his bones.
The baby was taken to a hospital in Indianapolis and needed a blood transfusion because he had lost a lot of blood and his body temperature had dropped. The child lived with his family on South Linwood Avenue, along with his 3- and 6-year-old siblings and 2- and 5-year-old cousins. The Post reports that the family’s home was in a very bad condition with lots of clutter, trash, and rat feces. The police described it as one of the worst cases of neglect they had ever seen.
Sgt. Anna Gray told 14News,
“It’s really hard to see that and sometimes it’s really hard to maintain composure and be professional.”
The children’s father claimed that they had a rodent problem since March and had been getting treatment from exterminators, but the baby wasn’t the only child that had been bitten by rats.
Authorities had been involved with the family before due to reports of negligence and abuse. The Department of Child Services had made visits and discussed safety plans, but the neglect continued.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
