A mother, her boyfriend, and the child’s uncle face child endangerment charges after a six-year-old boy was handcuffed and subsequently attacked by a pit bull in Northeast Ohio on August 17.
Incident Details and Charges
The incident unfolded when deputies responded to a report of a child bitten by a dog. The child, who was bitten on the neck and ear, was airlifted to a hospital and is expected to recover. Angelina Williams, the boy’s mother, claimed in court that she was unaware that handcuffing a child was illegal, stating, “I didn’t even know the cuffs were illegal or anything was wrong with it.
My uncle told me it was OK.” Williams, along with Robert Michalski Jr. (the boy’s uncle and dog owner) and her boyfriend, Taylor Desiree Marvin Brown, had allegedly restrained the boy as punishment for not cleaning up after the dog.
Ashland County Prosecutor Chris Tunnell provided a detailed account of the events: “This defendant and the co-defendants handcuffed him, both hands, and then applied a second set of cuffs to his feet. They were in the process of using a rope to try and tie him to a chair when he came off the chair and then, while on the ground, was attacked by a pit bull.” Tunnell added that Williams and her accomplices handcuffed the boy simply because he hadn’t cleaned up after the dog.
Court Proceedings and Family Reactions
Williams insisted in court that she never intended harm, saying, “I never meant any harm. I really didn’t.” Williams does not have custody of the boy or her daughter but had them for a scheduled visit at the time of the attack.
The boy’s grandmother, who asked not to be named, recounted the traumatic event: “I come in, and I look at my grandson who is sitting on the floor and – not to cuss – I’m like, ‘Why the f**k does he have handcuffs on?’ Get them off of him, now.” She described how she intervened to protect her grandson, sustaining bite marks on her hands but feeling “lucky” compared to the injuries her grandson endured.
Legal Developments
Following the attack, Williams, Michalski, and Brown were arrested. Detectives added that the child had been restrained with two sets of handcuffs at the time of the attack. Michalski, along with the dog, initially fled the scene but was later found hiding in a cubbyhole.
Williams faces charges of child endangerment. Michalski has been charged with child endangerment and tampering with evidence. Brown faces charges of child endangerment and obstruction of justice, with bonds set at $250,000 for Brown, $150,000 for Michalski, and $300,000 for Williams.
The boy’s grandmother expressed relief at his recovery, stating, “He’s a sweetheart. He really is,” while authorities took the pit bull into custody, categorizing it as a vicious dog. The investigation is ongoing and is currently being handled by the Ashland County Prosecutor’s Office.
