2-month-old boy nearly died of starvation and weighed little over 6 pounds after his mother intentionally neglected him to the point the skin was hanging from the bone; mother charged

Indiana – In a disturbing case out of Indiana, a 26-year-old mother, identified as C. Donat, faces serious neglect charges after her 2-month-old son was found in a shockingly malnourished state, prompting comparisons to “a war survivor” by law enforcement officials. The details of this heartbreaking case were disclosed by the sheriff’s office, which has charged the young mother with neglect of a dependent.

On a day like any other, a concerned friend intervened in a life-threatening situation, rescuing the infant child from what could have been a tragic end. The infant, son of Donat, was suffering from extreme malnutrition and dehydration when he was brought to a local hospital by the friend. At the time of his hospital admission, the baby weighed a mere 6 pounds, 6 ounces—two ounces less than his weight at birth.

The condition of Donat’s son was so severe that Sheriff N. Robinson, during a press conference, noted that the child’s physical state bore resemblance to victims of extreme famine, with features indicating emaciated temporal wasting. “A sunken-in face, where literally all the fat has been used in the body, trying to keep it alive, resulting in the skin hanging from the bone,” Robinson described, underscoring the severity of the neglect.

The boy’s rapid recovery post-hospitalization highlighted the neglect further; he gained three pounds within just a few days of proper feeding. This swift improvement proved, according to Sheriff Robinson, that the child could indeed process food adequately when given sufficient amounts, directly contradicting Donat’s claims of feeding issues.

Initially, Donat told authorities she was feeding her son around six ounces of formula daily, though he was allegedly spitting up much of it. She also mentioned being overwhelmed by work and personal issues. However, the sheriff’s office determined her actions showed “deliberate indifference” to her child’s needs. “The hospital’s own testing could not replicate this child’s inability to digest food, and once the child was being fed properly, the child quickly gained three pounds in a matter of days,” Robinson stated, providing evidence of the neglect.

Donat was arrested on November 22 and is currently being held in the county’s jail with a bond set at $25,000. During her incarceration, Donat reportedly admitted that she should have acted differently and acknowledged that her son would have died without intervention.

This case has sparked a public outcry, emphasizing the critical importance of community vigilance and the role of bystanders in child welfare. The intervention by Donat’s friend likely saved the infant’s life, a point stressed by Sheriff Robinson during his briefings to the press.

The incident has also led to discussions about the support systems available to parents who find themselves overwhelmed, as well as the mechanisms in place for reporting and preventing child neglect. Authorities said the 2-month-old boy was placed with a foster family. The swift action by the Department of Child Services, in response to the hospital’s report, highlights the responsiveness required in such cases, yet also points to the need for preventive measures.

As the legal process unfolds, the community and advocacy groups are closely monitoring the outcome, hoping for justice for the young victim and increased awareness about the responsibilities and challenges of parenting. The case against Donat is set to continue, with all eyes on how the courts will handle this grievous incident of neglect and the systemic issues it has brought to light.