Indiana father sentenced to 16 years for neglect after infant found with over 50 rat bites
An Indiana father has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for neglect after the horrifying discovery of his infant son covered in over 50 rat bites. The child, severely injured and permanently disfigured, was found in the family's home in a pool of blood, according to Fox 59.
According to local reports, the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) had visited the home just days earlier, following complaints from two of the couple's older children, who told their teachers that "mice bit their toes while they were sleeping." During the visit, the child’s aunt, DelainaThurman had dismissed the concerns, claiming the marks were merely scratches from the bed frame.
The incident occurred in 2023, when police responded to a distress call from David Schonabaum, the father, who reported finding his six-month-old son bleeding heavily. Upon arrival, authorities discovered the baby with severe injuries, including rat bites on his forehead, cheek, and nose. Medical professionals later confirmed that the injuries would likely result in permanent disfigurement.
Prosecutors argued that the father had repeatedly ignored warnings from DCS over the past two years to improve the living conditions in the home, which was described as "unclean, unsanitary, and rat-infested." They stressed the devastating impact of his neglect, highlighting the child’s lifelong disfigurement as a direct consequence of his failure to address the dangerous environment.
The infant’s mother, Angel Schonabaum, has recently accepted a plea deal and is awaiting sentencing in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, Thurman, who also lived in the home, received a probationary sentence for her role in the case.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
