Woman accused of attacking child with knife; attempting to hide injured girl under brush
A North Fort Myers woman is in the Charlotte County Jail, accused of stabbing a 12-year-old girl in the face and neck and attempting to hide her body, though still alive, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office reported this morning.
Gwendolyn Girard, 35, was arrested by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office after the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit secured a warrant for her arrest on charges of aggravated battery and aggravated child abuse.
Girard is being held on a $750,000 bond, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim has been treated for her wounds and is in stable condition, officials said.
The investigation began Monday afternoon after Charlotte County deputies responded to the Cecil Webb Wildlife Management Area in reference to a child found by bystanders with cuts to the face and neck.
The girl, whose name has not been released, was weak and in need of immediate medical attention, officials said.
“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,” officials stated in a release related to the incident.
“Through investigative means, the van was located in North Fort Myers by members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, with Girard at the same location. The van was towed to impound, and Girard was transported for questioning,” the release states. “During this time, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit secured a warrant for her arrest on charges of Aggravated Battery and Aggravated Child Abuse.”
Girard confessed to the incident and told investigators where to find the knife, officials said.
“The Major Crimes detectives interviewed Girard and obtained a full confession to include the location of the knife used in the attack,” the release states.
“In my 33-year career, there are only a handful of times that I have been left speechless,” Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell said. “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.”
The investigation remains open at this time.