After Erica Shryock, 19, and Charles Elliot, 18, brought their baby to the hospital, they found themselves facing charges for child endangerment. In an article in PEOPLE, the couple’s 15-day-old child (whose sex has been withheld by the police) had to undergo facial reconstruction surgery after they were found with at least 100 rat bites.
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According to her statement, Shryock awoke at 5:30 am on Sunday when she heard her child crying. When she went into the child’s room, she discovered the child covered in blood. Elliot allegedly claimed that he found bloody rat footprints in the child’s crib earlier.
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Doctors counted over 100 bites on the child’s arms, hands and face. Detectives also said one facial wound exposed the baby’s skull. Doctors believe the child was fed on by rats for several hours before being discovered.
Shryock and Elliot allegedly acknowledged that they knew they had a rodent infestation, but did nothing about it. Upon investigation of the couple’s home, bloody rodent footprints and rat droppings were discovered.
Neither parents has entered a plea and both are being held on unspecified bail amounts.