A two-year-old boy suffered severe injuries after a large rat bit off part of his ear in a public housing flat in Le Havre, Normandy, on Sunday.
The child, identified as Ismael, was discovered by his parents covered in blood and rat droppings. Disturbing footage reportedly shows blood splattered across his small bed, while another clip shows the boy lying with bleeding wounds across his body.
According to local media, Ismael froze in fear and did not scream during the initial attack. He was rushed to hospital with serious injuries to his ear, face and hands. His mother, Amel, said her son also suffered bruises, abrasions on his hands and around his eyes.
“I can’t imagine the state I found my child in,” she said.
After the incident, Ismael’s father installed a camera in his son’s bedroom. Shortly afterwards, they recorded a cat-sized rat moving around the room before catching and killing it.
Ismael remains in critical condition in hospital with a serious infection in his hand tissue. Doctors are considering skin grafts or reconstructive surgery for his ear.
Although the family has since been relocated to a hotel, local residents expressed anger that the rat problem in the area had been raised for a long time without action. One resident said rats roam even in daylight on balconies and hallways and enter homes as soon as doors are opened. Another person close to the family claimed several complaints had been lodged over recent months, but nothing was done.
“The building owner knows the flats are run-down. This problem has been reported for a long time, but no solution has been offered,” the source said.
