Lifestyle

Six-Month-Old Girl Mauled by Rat, Parents Charged for Child Neglect

Published on May 19, 2025

A six-month-old baby girl has survived a terrifying ordeal after being viciously attacked by a large rat inside her home, leaving her covered in blood and bite wounds. The shocking incident, which unfolded in the early hours of Friday morning, has resulted in both parents being charged with unlawful conduct towards a child.

According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department (ACSD), deputies rushed to the home on D and M Drive in Belton after receiving a 911 call from the infant’s mother. “Deputies responded to D and M Drive as soon as the mother called 911, finding blood covering the bassinet and the infant,” a spokesperson from the department reported.

Authorities said the infant had multiple bite marks across her arms, the back of her head, ears, and face. Emergency medical responders quickly transported the baby to Greenville Memorial Hospital for immediate treatment.

During the investigation, deputies also found that the baby’s twin brother had suffered bites to his feet. The parents, 24-year-olds Akayla and Justin Bearden, admitted to officers that field rats had been a persistent issue in their single-wide mobile home for months, yet they continued to allow their three children to live there.

“The parents admitted to field rats being an ongoing issue inside their single-wide home for the last several months, however, they continued to allow their children to live there,” the sheriff’s department stated.

As a result, the Bearden couple has been charged with unlawful conduct towards a child, a felony offense in South Carolina that can carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years if convicted.

All three of the Bearden children have now been placed under the care of Child Protective Services. While the condition of the third child remains undisclosed, authorities confirmed that the injured baby girl is recovering.

“The little girl is scheduled to be released from the hospital soon and she is doing better than expected. Her twin brother is healing properly,” a spokesperson told The Mirror.

The parents are currently under a no-contact order and are expected to appear before a judge on July 31.

According to U.S. Government statistics, South Carolina recorded 14,572 child maltreatment victims in 2022—a slight decline from previous years. The number had reached 19,130 in 2018 and gradually decreased to 15,308 in 2021 and 14,263 in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The case continues to raise serious concerns about child safety and housing conditions in vulnerable communities across the state.

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