A 35-year-old Florida woman is in custody after allegedly stabbing a 12-year-old girl in the face and neck and attempting to hide her, still alive, in a remote area of Charlotte County. The victim was miraculously discovered by passing bystanders and is now in stable condition.
The harrowing incident unfolded on the afternoon of Monday, May 26, when Charlotte County deputies responded to the Cecil Webb Wildlife Management Area.
They found a 12-year-old girl suffering from significant cuts to her face and neck, who was weak but conscious. Despite her injuries, the victim was able to identify her assailant as Gwendolyn Girard. She told deputies that Girard had attacked her with a knife and left her under the brush before fleeing in a gold-colored van.
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An immediate search was launched, and through investigative work, the gold van was located in North Fort Myers by members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Girard was found at the same location and taken into custody for questioning. The van was impounded as evidence.
Detectives from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit secured a warrant for Girard’s arrest on charges of Aggravated Battery and Aggravated Child Abuse. During questioning, Girard reportedly provided a full confession to the attack, including the location of the knife used.
Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell expressed his shock and horror at the crime.
“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,” Sheriff Prummell stated. “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.”
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Gwendolyn Girard is currently being held at the Lee County Jail on a $750,000 bond, awaiting extradition to the Charlotte County Jail. The 12-year-old victim has received medical treatment for her wounds and is reported to be in stable condition.
The investigation into this brutal attack remains open.
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