Rats chew 4-month-old baby to death while mum goes dancing

Like a scene out of a horror movie or a mother's worst nightmare, rats have gnawed a Mexican newborn to death earlier this week, according the New York Post and other news sources.

The baby's 18-year-old mum, Lizbeth Jeronima Fuentes Munguia, had reportedly gone out dancing  on Monday (4 January) when the gruesome incident occurred.

When Munguia arrived home early on Tuesday, she discovered her lifeless four-month-old baby in the cot. The little girl's fingers, torso and face had reportedly been chewed by rats.

The mum alerted neighbours and paramedics, but it was too late -- the baby was dead.

Munguia’s neighbor, Avenida Labour, reportedly mentioned to authorities that the single teenage mum left her baby alone for hours to attend the rager -- which is a large gathering usually of high school or college students where huge amounts of alcohol are consumed.

In the teenage mum's defense, it is understood that the child's grandmother had been left in charge while she was out partying.

This is not the first instance of vicious rodents attacking babies. In India last year, a newborn baby died in a hospital after rats attacked him.

We understand that what happened to the Mexican baby is extreme and the possibility of it happening often is low.

Still, the little girl's tragic death shows us just how important it is to think carefully through leaving our babies with babysitters, even if they are grandparents or other family members.

Here are some tips to consider:

• Always make sure you are easily contacted and if you are heading out to a place where you know there will be loud noise levels, check your phone constantly and set it on the loudest possible ring tone.

• If you know you are going to be consuming alcohol, hand your phone over to a responsible friend, and ask them in advance to check on your baby regularly.

• Call home often, especially if you have left a young baby at home.

• Install a baby monitor or video app on your phone if you can, so you can check on your little one yourself.

Share your thoughts on this article in a comment below, and also tell us -- how do you ensure your baby's safety if you have to head out somewhere without him?