Mom, Boyfriend, and Uncle Face Charges After Handcuffing 6-Year-Old, Leading to Pit Bull Attack
A mother, her boyfriend, and an uncle are facing child endangerment charges after they allegedly handcuffed a six-year-old boy, who was then mauled by a pit bull.
The incident occurred on Saturday, August 17, at a home in Northeast Ohio, USA, where deputies responded to a call about the boy who had been bitten by the dog.
In court, the boy’s mother, Angelina Williams, claimed she was unaware that it was illegal to handcuff a child. She and the other defendants reportedly did so to punish the boy for not cleaning up after the dog.
The child suffered bites to his neck and ear and was airlifted to a hospital. Despite the severity of the attack, his grandmother said he is expected to recover.
The boy’s uncle, Robert Michalski Jr., was identified as the dog’s owner and the resident of the home where the attack took place. Williams’ boyfriend, Taylor Desiree Marvin Brown, was also present during the incident.
In court last week, Williams defended her actions, stating, “The dog is not even my dog. The cuffs are not even my cuffs. I didn’t even know the cuffs were illegal or that anything was wrong with it. My uncle told me it was OK.”
Ashland County Prosecutor Chris Tunnell recounted the incident during the trio’s initial hearing, saying, “This defendant and the co-defendants handcuffed the boy’s hands and then applied a second set of cuffs to his feet. They were in the process of using a rope to tie him to a chair when he fell off, and while on the ground, he was attacked by a pit bull.”
Tunnell revealed that Williams and the other co-defendants restrained the child simply because he did not clean up after the dog. Williams maintained that she didn’t realize her actions were harmful, saying, “I never meant any harm. I really didn’t.”
The prosecutor added that Williams’ daughter was also present but did not participate in the attack.
The boy’s grandmother, who asked to remain anonymous, described the horrifying scene to WSAZ-3 on Monday. She recounted how she found her grandson handcuffed on the floor and immediately intervened, telling the defendants, “Get them off of him, now.” She also described how she sustained bite marks while trying to protect her grandson, though she considered herself “lucky” compared to the injuries he suffered.
Despite the ordeal, the grandmother expressed relief that her grandson is recovering. “He’s a sweetheart. He really is,” she said. The pit bull involved in the attack was taken into custody and classified as a vicious dog.
Following the attack, Williams, her boyfriend, and the dog’s owner were all arrested. However, Michalski and the dog left the scene before police arrived. Authorities confirmed that the child had been restrained with handcuffs on both his hands and feet when the dog attacked.