The mother of a child disfigured by more than 50 rat bites pleads guilty: prosecutor’s office

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (TNND) — Have A 6-month-old child who was seriously injured after being bitten by rats repeatedly pleaded guilty to multiple counts of negligence, according to prosecutors in Indiana.

The Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office said Angel Schonabaum appeared in court Thursday on three felony counts of neglect of her children, including neglect resulting in serious bodily injury, and two counts of neglect of dependents involving each of her three children.

Diana Mears, the prosecutor, said the incident occurred on Sept. 13, 2023, when Angel’s husband, David Schoenabaum, called 911 from their home and said he found his son covered in blood.

Mears said the infant was “severely maimed by rats” as the child suffered at least 50 wounds.

“A 6-month-old baby was found in a bassinet in a pool of blood with over 50 bites on her body, including her face and limbs,” Moers said, adding that the home was infested with rats. “The baby’s right hand received the most traumatic injuries: there is no flesh on all four fingers and the thumb, and the bones of the fingertips are exposed.

Mears said Angel was sentenced to four years in prison, while David was sentenced to 16 years in prison for similar neglect charges and for his role in the case involving their child.

Prosecutors drew attention to the difference in the sentences between the parents, noting that Angel was not home at the time of the rat bite incident.

“The father in this case was the only one living in the house at the time of the rat bite incident (the mother had gone and not returned for almost 2 weeks prior) and therefore his case is entirely separate from the facts on which we can prosecute the mother . for,” Mears said.

Mears added that Angel was prosecuted because she failed to provide “adequate living conditions for her children.” Angel also lost custody of the children.

“She was prosecuted for the deplorable conditions in the home for which she was responsible while living there and for which she was offered numerous services to help clean the home and was uncooperative and did not remove the children from the home. This case ultimately resulted in the loss of custody of her children,” Mears said in a statement.

“It is important to keep your living environment clean and free of litter, feces, debris and other hazards for your children and pets. If you’re struggling with mental illness, you need to seek help and remove children — and any animals — from unsafe and unsanitary conditions that pose a risk to their health and safety, and you’ll be prosecuted if you don’t “, added Mers.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: WKRC contributed to this report.