Mother charged after children get bites

AURORA, Mo. -- Authorities have charged a mother with child abuse after her twin 5-month-old boys were found strapped into child seats in an attic and being bitten by rats.

Charlee Heitz, 22, of Aurora, was arrested around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday after two of her friends brought the children to the Aurora Community Hospital with multiple bite wounds.

Heitz was charged Tuesday in Lawrence County Circuit Court with two counts of child abuse and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Aurora police Capt. Pat Jenkins said officers who went to the family's home in the northwest part of the city saw rodents scurry past. There were holes in the walls and drug paraphernalia and other debris strewn about. The house was cold. Officers told Jenkins there were several space heaters for warmth.

The charging documents allege the children were injured as a result of the unsafe conditions in the home.

Jenkins called the case one of the worst child abuse situations she had ever worked.

"This type of a circumstance seems to be upsetting everyone," Jenkins said.

Jenkins said the twins were released from the hospital later Tuesday. The boys and an older toddler brother were placed in the custody of juvenile authorities, Jenkins said.

Deb Hendricks, a spokeswoman for the state Division of Family Services, said in this type of case, a judge would take jurisdiction of the children and have the option of placing the children with a relative or in a non-relative foster family. The agency works with law enforcement in child abuse investigations.

Bond for Heitz has been set at $25,000. She is scheduled to be arraigned on the charge on Thursday.