An Indiana mother has avoided prison time after nearly starving her 2-month-old baby to death. Court records show that Christin Donat, 26, was charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury. She pleaded guilty to both counts and was sentenced to three years for each charge, but the sentences were suspended in favor of probation. A no-contact order was also issued, subject to the discretion of state child welfare authorities.
The case gained attention after Donat’s severely malnourished baby boy was rescued by a friend and rushed to the hospital while she rested at home following a work shift. When brought in for emergency care, the infant was suffering from extreme malnutrition, dehydration, and starvation. He weighed just 6 pounds, 6 ounces two ounces less than his birth weight.
Authorities described the baby’s condition as dire, comparing it to the emaciation seen in Holocaust survivors. His face was sunken in, and his skin hung from his bones, signs of severe temporal wasting. Despite this, the baby made a remarkable recovery once he received proper care, quickly gaining several pounds in just days.
Investigators quickly determined that Donat’s claims about feeding her child did not align with medical findings. She initially said she was giving him an ounce of formula around six times a day but that he frequently spit it up. However, medical testing showed that the infant had no trouble digesting food when fed properly.
Donat admitted that she had been overwhelmed with work and other personal matters and acknowledged she should have sought medical help sooner. While she claimed to have consulted a pediatrician, she failed to attend a follow-up appointment and never took her son to the emergency room despite his deteriorating condition.
Law enforcement officials described Donat’s behavior as deliberate indifference to her child’s needs. The sheriff explained that once the baby was placed in the care of medical professionals and properly fed, his rapid weight gain confirmed he had been severely neglected.
The baby has since been placed with a foster family.
