Florida Woman Charged in Wildlife Preserve Stabbing

A 12-year-old girl is recovering after being stabbed in the face and neck by Gwendolyn Girard at the Cecil Webb Wildlife Management Area in Charlotte County, Florida. Girard allegedly attacked the child with a knife, attempted to conceal her under brush, and then fled the scene in a gold-colored van. Passersby discovered the injured girl, who was weak and required immediate medical attention; she is now in stable condition. Law enforcement quickly located Girard and the van in North Fort Myers, where Girard confessed to the crime and revealed the location of the knife used. Authorities have charged Girard with aggravated battery and aggravated child abuse, and she is being held on a $750,000 bond. The motive and the nature of the relationship between Girard and the victim remain unclear, and the investigation is ongoing.