Chloe Wisniewski, a 21-year-old mother from Florida, has been accused of child neglect in relation to a dog attack on her baby daughter, according to the Miami Herald. Records from the court show that Wisniewski was arrested on Friday, following a four-month-long investigation.
On February 14, Wisniewski informed Charlotte County sheriff’s deputies that she had put her baby in a bassinet while she took a shower. While she was in the bathroom, Wisniewski heard screaming sounds and came out to find that a 3-month-old pit bull mix, which she had acquired the previous day, was biting her baby’s hand. Family members disclosed to the deputies that the dog belonged to someone else. Wisniewski said that she had seen a post about the dog on Facebook, which is why she had brought the dog into her house. She took action immediately, pulling the dog away, wrapping the child’s wounds in a cloth, and calling 911.
The baby was taken to Shorepoint Health of Port Charlotte and then flown to Tampa General Hospital, where she underwent surgery for her injuries. The surgery resulted in the amputation of three of her left hand’s fingers and the partial amputation of two fingers on her right hand.
The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office’s Major Crimes Unit conducted an investigation and concluded that Wisniewski had failed to provide the necessary care and supervision to her baby, leading to her permanent disfigurement. Wisniewski was granted supervised visitation after posting a $7,500 bond, and her baby is recovering with family members. Charlotte County Animal Control took custody of the dog, which was quarantined and transferred to the Animal Welfare League.
The Department of Children and Families carried out an assessment of Wisniewski which revealed that her urine sample tested positive for THC. Wisniewski claims that she had eaten a cookie at her neighbour’s house which must have contained THC. Her next court appearance is scheduled for July 17.