Sheriff: Florida woman stabs 12-year-old at nature preserve, tried to hide body
Share this @internewscast.com

Monday afternoon, deputies were alerted to the Cecil Webb Wildlife Management Area when bystanders discovered a 12-year-old with knife injuries on her face and neck.

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — Charges have been filed against a Florida woman for allegedly stabbing a 12-year-old girl at a state nature reserve and trying to conceal her body under foliage, reports the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies were called to the Cecil Webb Wildlife Management Area on Monday afternoon after bystanders found a 12-year-old girl with knife wounds on her face and neck.

The sheriff’s office said the victim needed immediate medical attention, but was able to identify the suspect to deputies as Gwendolyn Girard, 35.

The victim said Girard attacked her with a knife and left her under some brush before fleeing the scene in a van. Investigators did not immediately say whether the child and Girard knew each other.

Girard and the suspect vehicle were later located in North Fort Myers by members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit obtained a warrant for Girard’s arrest on charges of aggravated battery and aggravated child abuse. 

The sheriff’s office said detectives interviewed Girard, who confessed to the crime and gave investigators the location of the knife used in the attack.

The victim was treated for her wounds and is in what investigators described as “stable condition.”

“In my 33-year career, there are only a handful of times that I have been left speechless. This is one of those times,” said Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell. “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.”

Girard is being held at the Lee County Jail with a $750,000 bond, pending extradition to the Charlotte County Jail.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
NYC shooting timeline shows gunman moved with speed in cross-country drive that ended with office bloodshed

Timeline of NYC Shooting Reveals Gunman’s Quick Cross-Country Drive Leading to Office Tragedy

Four individuals have lost their lives after a man launched an attack…
Former Fidelity employee in Jacksonville indicted in $2 million fraud scheme

Ex-Fidelity Worker in Jacksonville Charged with Participating in $2 Million Fraud Plan

The FBI in Jacksonville is now seeking additional victims who believe they…
Louisiana 'Medicaid millionaire' bought Lamborghini while claiming government benefits for years

Louisiana Man Accused of Buying Lamborghini with Medicaid Funds After Years of Fraudulent Claims

Not so fast.  A Louisiana woman who purchased a Lamborghini while fraudulently…
The Next Threat to Rural Healthcare Isn't the Big Beautiful Bill

The Emerging Challenge to Rural Healthcare: Beyond the “Big Beautiful Bill”

The Democratic Party has chosen to highlight the One Big Beautiful Bill…
Mugshot of Shane Tamura.

Chilling Four-Word ‘Pause’ Found in NYC Shooter Shane Tamura’s Note Alongside Computer Password

Eerie messages have been found on the reverse side of what appears…
Joseph Antonsen in an orange prison jumpsuit at his sentencing.

Body of 9-Year-Old Boy Found Amidst Filthy Conditions After Father Fails to Call for Help

A MAN has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after he…
Colorado dentist's alleged internet search history takes center stage as murder trial begins

Colorado Dentist James Craig Convicted of Poisoning Wife to Death

This narrative touches upon suicide. If you or someone you know is…
Mugshot of Krissy Hinsley.

Toddler, 3, Overdosed on Painkillers Found Living in Squalor, Sleeping on Bare Concrete Surrounded by Waste and Maggots

A TODDLER who tragically died after overdosing on painkillers had lived in…
Two German soldiers were killed and another is missing after a helicopter crash

Helicopter Test Flight in Germany Ends in Tragedy: 2 Soldiers Dead, 1 Missing

TWO members of the German Armed Forces have been killed and another…
Chicago man Andrew Anania sentenced in kidnapping, sexually assaulting drivers at gunpoint; Walter Moran also convicted

Cary Attempted Kidnapping: Teens Encounter Man Near Fox River and North Harvest Glen Roads, Sheriff Reports Man Shot Himself

A man allegedly attempted to abduct two teenagers in the far northern…
Family of Jabari Peoples adds ALEA to petition seeking information in police shooting involving 18-year-old

Alabama Police to Wrap Up Jabari Peoples Investigation by Friday: When Will the Video Be Public?

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The police department probing the death of an…
Tsunami fears lessen after 8.8 earthquake in Russia

Concerns of a tsunami decrease following an 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Russia

Authorities warned the risk from the 8.8 magnitude quake could last for…