Parents released from jail after cops say 'large rat started eating' their 6-month-old girl, mom found child covered in blood

Two South Carolina parents have been released from jail after police said their twin infants were found with "severe" rat bites.

The Anderson County Sheriff's Office said a "large rat started eating" their 6-month-old girl in their Belton home last week, and the mother found the infant covered in blood.

Officials said 'evidence shows her twin brother also has bite marks on his feet.'

A judge on Tuesday granted personal recognizance bonds to the 24-year-old parents, Akayla Bearden and Justin Bearden, WHNS-TV reported.

But the station said that even though they were released from jail, they're banned from having contact with their children unless ordered by the state's social services department.

What's the background?

The Anderson County Sheriff's Office said the baby in question suffered "severe injuries" due to bites from a "field rat" and was recovering at Greenville Memorial Hospital.

Deputies responded to D and M Drive in Belton as soon as the mother called 911 after finding blood covering the bassinet and the infant early Friday morning, officials said. Belton is about 40 minutes south of Greenville.

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Image source: Anderson County (S.C.) Sheriff's Office

The bite marks spanned across the baby’s arms, the back of the baby's head, as well as the baby's ears and face, officials said.

The Criminal Investigations Division began investigating and interviewed the parents, officials said. While the parents admitted that field rats had been an ongoing issue inside their single-wide home for the last several months, officials said the parents continued to allow their children to live in the home.

What's more, the injured baby is a twin, and officials said "evidence shows her twin brother also has bite marks on his feet."

Detectives charged the parents with two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child, officials said, adding that all three of their children are now in the custody of the state's Department of Social Services.

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Image source: Anderson County (S.C.) Sheriff's Office, composite

WBTV-TV said the parents were arrested Monday.

Authorities said the 6-month-old girl will remain in the hospital for several days as the case remains under investigation.

The parents are set to go back before a judge on July 31, WHNS said.

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Brian A. Jackson/South Florida Sun Sentinel

A WHNS video report about the case noted that if the parents plead guilty to the charges, they face up to 10 years behind bars.

You can view the video report here about the case.

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