Baby chews on hand to survive after mum's death

Danielle Ward with her son Dreseaun. Photo / Family handout

WARNING: Distressing content

A 2-month-old baby survived two days lying on his mother's body after she died before police found them.

The baby boy's mum, Danielle Ward, 29, had been dead for days by the time police entered her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky, and found her son lying on her decomposing body.

The baby's grandmother, Adriane Wade, told local news her daughter and her grandson had been at her house on August 13 and that was the last time she saw them.

Danielle Ward with her son Dreseaun. Photo / Family handout

Days later, she received a call from police to go and identify her daughter's body.

The 2-month-old boy's hand was raw as he had been gnawing on it.

"That baby that was in the apartment while she was decomposing, his hand was raw from trying to eat to survive," Wade said.

Adriane Wade, Danielle's mother, said it was miraculous her grandson survived. Photo / WIST

The boy is currently in hospital receiving treatment for dehydration and the injuries to his hand.

His grandmother said it was "miraculous" that the boy, named Dreseaun, survived that long.

"God is involved. It's very miraculous. He ate his hand raw. [He was] in there for days without survival techniques," she said.

According to police, Ward died of an overdose.

"I can't believe this is how her week ended," Wade said.

"I can't believe it happened this quick. Life is so short, and it happened just like that."