An Indiana father has been given a 16-year prison sentence for neglect after his infant son was discovered with over 50 rat bites.
The severely injured child was found in a pool of blood at the family’s home, as reported by Fox 59. Just days before, the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) had visited the home following alarming complaints from two older siblings, who mentioned to their teachers that “mice bit their toes while they were sleeping.” During the DCS visit, the boy’s aunt, Delaina Thurman, downplayed the situation, attributing the marks to scratches from the bed frame.
This incident occurred in 2023 when police responded to a call from the father, David Schonabaum, who reported that his six-month-old son was bleeding profusely. Upon their arrival, authorities found the baby gravely injured, with rat bites on his forehead, cheek, and nose. Medical professionals later indicated that these injuries would likely lead to permanent disfigurement.
Prosecutors emphasized that the father had continuously ignored warnings from DCS over the past two years to improve their living conditions, which were described as “unclean, unsanitary, and rat-infested.” They underscored the severe consequences of his neglect, pointing out that the child’s lifelong disfigurement was a direct result of his failure to rectify the hazardous environment.
The infant’s mother, Angel Schonabaum, has recently accepted a plea deal and is currently awaiting sentencing in the coming weeks.
