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Florida woman accused of stabbing 12-year-old girl and trying to hide her body though she was still alive

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Published  May 27, 2025 10:00am EDT
Florida
FOX 13 News

The Brief

    • A Florida woman is accused of stabbing a 12-year-old girl in a Southwest Florida wildlife management area.
    • Investigators said Gwendolyn Girard confessed to stabbing the child and hiding her body under a brush though she was still alive.
    • Girard has been charged with aggravated battery and aggravated child abuse.

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - A 12-year-old Florida girl is recovering after deputies say she was stabbed by a woman who tried to hide her body before driving away.

What we know:

According to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, passing bystanders discovered the child in the Cecil Webb Wildlife Management Area on Monday afternoon.

They said she was weak and in need of immediate medical attention.

When deputies arrived, they said the victim was only able to tell them that Gwendolyn Girard, 36, attacked her with a knife and left her under the brush before taking off in a gold-colored van.

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The van and Girard were discovered by Lee County deputies in North Fort Myers.

Gwendolyn Girard mugshot courtesy of the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.

Gwendolyn Girard mugshot courtesy of the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office. 

The van was impounded and Girard was taken in for questioning.

Investigators said Girard confessed and told them where the knife used in the attack was located.

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She has been charged with aggravated battery and aggravated child abuse.

The victim has been treated for her wounds and is in stable condition.

What we don't know:

It is unclear if or how Girard and the victim knew each other.

The motive for the attack is also unknown.

What they're saying:

"In my 33-year career, there are only a handful of times that I have been left speechless. This is one of those times," stated 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."

The incident is under investigation.

The Source: This story was written with information posted by the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office. 

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