Jury Views Photos of Rat Injuries on Boy : Courts: The gruesome evidence is introduced on second day of the trial of the victim’s parents, Steven and Kathyleen Giguere.

The mother of a 4-month-old baby who was bitten more than 100 times by a starving pet rat wept in court Wednesday as a jury viewed graphic photos of the boy’s injuries.

Kathyleen Giguere, 31, dabbed at her eyes with tissue and her husband and co-defendant, Steven Giguere Sr., hung his head as enlarged photos were introduced during the second day of the couple’s trial on involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment charges.

Dr. Kathleen Trivich, the physician who was on duty at Western Medical Center-Anaheim, told the Superior Court jury that Steven Giguere Jr. had been dead about two hours when emergency workers brought him there about 3:30 a.m. on Aug. 26.

“There were no signs of life whatsoever,” she said.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Jim Tanizaki had warned the jurors in advance that evidence in the trial would be gruesome, and some jurors shook their heads and looked away as the photos were posted in the courtroom.

The Gigueres were homeless and living in a filthy, trash-strewn station wagon with their son and 3-year-old daughter, Karissa, when their pet rat, Homer, turned on the infant.

Prosecutors say the couple were criminally negligent by allowing the rat--which had a history of biting people--to roam free. The couple were not around when the rat’s sharp teeth struck an artery, causing the child to bleed to death, Tanizaki said.

But defense attorneys told jurors during the trial’s opening statements that the child was already dead, possibly due to sudden infant death syndrome or a congenital breathing disorder, when the attack began.

The couple face up to six years in prison if convicted. Karissa is now in the care of her grandparents.

Steven Giguere Sr. called 911 about 3 a.m. on Aug. 26 to report that the baby had stopped breathing, according to the prosecutor.

In other testimony Wednesday, Anaheim patrol officer Richard Christensen told jurors Steven Giguere Sr., 28, was asleep in the back seat when he arrived at the crime scene about 6 a.m. and found blood-soaked clothes in the car.

Orange Animal Control Officer Brett Berg testified that Homer also bit him--drawing blood--when he reached under the front seat to capture the rat.

“The rat came up and bit me on the finger,” he said, adding that he later caught Homer and killed him.

A necropsy on the rat showed he was starving and dehydrated.