An Indiana mother has been arrested after her two-month-old baby was found emaciated and near death from starvation, with authorities describing his condition as resembling that of a "Holocaust survivor".
Christin Donat, 30, of Evansville was taken into custody on two counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury after deputies discovered her infant in critical condition, according to WSAZ.
Donat told deputies she fed the baby about one ounce of formula six times a day, explaining that the baby would spit up after eating. She also admitted to not doing overnight feedings, leaving hospital staff to care for him during his stay.
After being placed in foster care, the baby began to gain weight, increasing by three pounds within a few weeks.
Local sheriff Noah Robinson told reporters at a press conference that Donat's two-month-old son was taken from her home by a concerned friend and rushed to the hospital while Donat rested after a shift at her part-time job at Dollar General.
"One of the terms used to describe this child's condition was almost as that of a Holocaust survivor," Robinson said in a press conference. He described the infant's symptoms as being consistent with emaciated temporal wasting, noting that the child's face appeared sunken, with "literally all the fat... used in the body, trying to keep it alive, resulting in the skin hanging from the bone."
Deputies also revealed that Donat had canceled a follow-up doctor's appointment to monitor the baby's progress before he was brought to the hospital. She admitted she should have done more for her child and expressed regret for her actions.
Donat is currently being held on a $25,000 bond.
