Arkansas parents let rats bite their baby's head and face
Two teenage parents have been jailed after they let rats bite their newborn baby's head, face and body more than 100 times.
The baby girl, who lived with her parents in Magnolia, Arkansas, was just 15 days old and suffered so many injuries from the rats that she had to undergo extensive reconstruction surgery on her skull.
Her parents Erica Shryock, 19, and Charles Elliot, 18, pleaded guilty to permitting the abuse of a minor.
Parents Erica Shryock, 19, and Charles Elliot, 18, (pictured) have been jailed after pleading guilty to allowing rats to bite their newborn daughter's face
An examination revealed that the baby had 75 to 100 rat bites all over her body, including on her arms, fingers, hands and face.
The worst injury was an inch-wide gash on the baby's forehead that was so deep it exposed a portion of her skull.
The shocking injuries were detailed in an arrest affidavit, according to Arkansas Online.
The baby had 75 to 100 rat bites all over her body, including on her arms, fingers, hands and face
Social workers who visited the unnamed baby's home also found her cot filled with blood.
Investigators found bloody rat footprints throughout the house, as well as a baby's blanket that was soaked in blood.
Shryock and Elliott were living with a friend in the ramshackle house in Magnolia.
Bpth Shryock and Elliot have substance abuse issues and admitted to taking crystal meth and K2 in the days before the rat attack
Both parents admitted to doing crystal meth and K2 in the days before they found their daughter covered in the bites.
The court heard that the parents were both abused as kids themselves and ended up in care.
Both Shryock and Elliott were sentenced to five years in prison.
Defence attorney Joseph Churchwell said: 'They should have never been allowed to leave the hospital with the baby when she was born'
However, they will be eligible for parole after 304 days and will begin their terms with 293 days already served.
This means that is is likely that the two will be released from custody within 30 days, defense attorney Joseph Churchwell said.
Churchwell said in an interview after the court hearing: 'It's as good as we were going to get.
The court heard how both parents had violent childhoods and suffered physical and sexual abuse
'They should have never been allowed to leave the hospital with the baby when she was born.
'This is DHS' [Department of Human Services] fault. Why did they wait until this baby's face was chewed on by rats?'
The baby, who was born prematurely and weighed a little more than 4 pounds at birth, has now been adopted.
The worst injury was an inch-wide gash on the 15-day-old baby's forehead that was so deep it exposed a portion of her skull
Elliott reportedly has two other children in state custody
The court heard how both parents had violent childhoods and suffered physical and sexual abuse.
Both suffer from substance abuse and mental health issues.
Their house has since been condemned and burned down by the state.