A Florida woman stabbed a 12-year-old girl in a wildlife area and then tried to hide the body.
The girl, who was placed under brush, was still alive despite wounds to her face and neck. She was found by passersby and was able to identify her attacker, the Charlotte County Sheriff's office stated. The girl was described as being extremely weak, but she was able to tell police that she was attacked by Gwendolyn Girard, 36.
"The victim was only able to tell deputies that the suspect, identified as Gwendolyn Girard...had attacked her with a knife and left her under the brush before leaving in a gold-colored van," police stated.
Police were able to locate Girard in North Fort Meyers. The van was towed and she was questioned by police. According to police, Girard confessed to attacking the girl and was charged with Aggravated Battery and Aggravated Child Abuse. Police did not disclose what, if any, relationship Girard had to the victim.
"In my 33-year career, there are only a handful of times that I have been left speechless. This is one of those times. To attack a child with a knife... I can't understand it. It is only by God's grace that she is still with us today, and I pray for her as she heals from this horrific incident. Unfortunately, the mental trauma inflicted on her may never heal," Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell said.
Girard is being held at the Lee County Jail with a $750,000 bond. The victim was taken to a hospital and received treatment for her wounds. She is in stable condition.
