Parents Arrested After Newborn Nearly Eaten ALIVE By Rats!

A couple in Ark. have been arrested, after their newborn baby was nearly eaten alive by rats, RadarOnline.com has learned.

Authorities say the 15-day-old baby had to undergo facial reconstruction surgery after sustaining at least 100 rat bites.

The baby, weighing just five pounds, had bites on her arms, fingers and face, according to reports. One bite on the baby’s forehead measured about an inch wide, and left her skull visible!

Charles Elliot, 18, and Erica Shryock, 19, were both charged with first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor. Police say the parents knew they had a rat problem, but did nothing to stop it.

According to People, Shryock told police the child’s crying woke her up Sunday morning. The statement says she went to feed the baby and saw blood everywhere and rat footprints in the crib.

But mom and dad waited to take the baby to the hospital, fearing they would lose custody.

When police searched their house, they found the bassinet with bloody rat footprints, a baby's hat soaked in blood, a baby blanket with blood on it and rat droppings on the bedside table.

Doctors told police the rats likely fed on the child for several hours, and the baby would have been in distress the entire time.

One doctor told police that he believes that the parents were either not at the home, or were so incapacitated that they were not able to respond.