Indiana Mother Charged with Neglect After Malnourished Infant Nearly Dies
A 26-year-old Indiana mother, Christin Donat, has been charged with neglect after her infant son was found severely malnourished, with police likening his emaciated condition to that of a Holocaust survivor.
Donat, a resident of Evansville, was arrested by the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office following an investigation initiated by Indiana’s Department of Child Services (DCS). The case came to light when a friend of Donat’s took her two-month-old son to the hospital, concerned about his health, while Donat stayed home after a shift at Dollar General.
The baby, suffering from severe malnutrition and dehydration, weighed just 6 pounds, 6 ounces—two ounces less than his birth weight. Sheriff Noah Robinson described the infant’s state at a press conference, noting he exhibited symptoms of extreme starvation, such as emaciation and a sunken face.
“One term used to describe this child’s condition was that of a Holocaust survivor,” Robinson said, emphasizing the severity of the infant’s appearance. The child’s body had depleted all its fat reserves in a desperate attempt to survive.
Hospital treatment led to a rapid turnaround, with the infant gaining three pounds within days. This recovery indicated to investigators that neglect, rather than a medical condition, was responsible for his condition.
Initially, Donat claimed she fed her son formula regularly, but that he often spit it up. However, hospital tests and observations contradicted her statements. The child was able to digest food normally when properly fed.
“Her inconsistent statements left us no choice but to conclude she was deliberately indifferent to her child’s needs, which constitutes neglect,” Robinson said.
Authorities believe the infant would not have survived without the intervention of Donat’s friend, whom Robinson described as a “concerned and life-saving” individual.
Donat allegedly admitted to investigators that she should have taken better care of her child and acknowledged that he would have died if he hadn’t received medical attention. She was booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail on November 22 and is being held on a $25,000 bond.
DCS has launched an investigation, and the child is now under protective care, officials said. Sheriff Robinson stressed the importance of vigilance in such cases and commended those who stepped in to save the baby’s life.