Child is disfigured

Horror parents idle: Rats ate baby

David S. (32) and mother Angel S. (29) have already pleaded guilty. David has already been sentenced to 16 years in prison, the mother will be sentenced on October 24.(Bild: Vanderburgh County Jail)

A shocking case of child neglect has shocked the USA. A couple in Evansville in the US state of Indiana left a six-month-old baby unattended in a completely neglected house for so long that rats almost ate it alive - the child is forever disfigured. Executives and lawyers speak of unprecedented cruelty.

The child's father, David S., contacted the emergency services after finding the six-month-old baby covered in blood in his crib.

More than 50 rat bites
When the emergency services arrived by helicopter, they discovered that rats had already gnawed several of the boy's fingers down to the bone. In addition, the baby had lost so much blood that urgent action was required. The child could ultimately only be saved by a blood transfusion, but is severely disfigured for life. 

Doctors counted over 50 rat bites on the boy's body and several fingers had to be amputated.

Several fingers amputated
David S. (32), sentenced to 16 years in prison, and the mother, Angel S. (29), have already pleaded guilty. The house in which the couple lived with a total of five small children was so filthy that rats could be found throughout the house.

"That was our baby"
David S. told "14News" in an interview: "We loved him, we took care of him. We have lots of videos of us playing with him and him being happy. He would giggle and love to be tickled and laugh. That was our baby." 

Prosecutor Diana Moers said: "This case is horrific and we will have to live with the images of this baby forever." Evansville police described the couple's home as an "absolute house of horror". A neglected dog was also found among the dirt and manure.

Delaina T. lived with the couple, but claims to have known nothing of the abuses.(Bild: Vanderburgh County Jail)

Children placed with foster families
The case also sheds a shocking light on the failure of the authorities: Four days before the incident, a social worker had visited the family and noticed bite marks on the feet of three children, but no further action was taken. All the children are now living in foster families.

None of the neighbors, including Delaina T. - an aunt of the children - who had lived with the raven parents for some time, claim to have heard the child's screams.