Mom of Baby Who Suffered 50 Rat Bites in Bassinet Gets Probation

Mar. 15, 2025

Angel and David Schonabaum.Photo:Vanderburgh County Jail

Vanderburgh County Jail

Content warning: This story contains graphic details.

The mother of a 6-month-old Indiana boy who was left seriously injured after beingfound with more than 50 rat bitescovering his body has been sentenced to probation, authorities said.

She was subsequently sentenced to four years in prison but was credited for the year she had already served behind bars, per the statement. A judge suspended the remaining three years and ordered Schonabaum to instead serve probation.

The sentencing comes weeks after her husband, David Schonabaum, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for his role in the attack. He was convicted of similar neglect charges and serious bodily injury, according to the statement.

Prosecutors said in the statement that the infant was in the father’s care at the time of the attack while the mother had moved out of the home weeks prior.

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According to the statement, the infant’s right hand suffered the most traumatic injuries, with all four fingers and the thumb “missing flesh and exposing the fingertip bones.”

The Department of Child Services had already been “providing services to the home to address the safety concerns associated with the conditions of the house," per the statement.

Prosecutors said Angel was “held accountable for the deplorable conditions of the home which she was responsible for when residing there— and for which she was offered multiple services to assist with clean-up of the home and did not cooperate or remove the children from the home. This matter has ultimately resulted in losing custody of her children.”

In addition to Angel’s sentence, she was ordered to have no contact with her children and undergo a mental health evaluation.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

source: people.com