Callahan, FL (December 11, 2018) – A young mother in Nassau County was charged with aggravated child abuse after her child was seriously injured while left unattended in her yard with a large dog.
17-year-old Aubrey Stinchcomb was arrested after deputies received a call about a baby who was being dragged around a yard. The infant was entangled in the leash of a large dog who was tied up to two trees in that same yard. A passerby heard the baby screaming and looked into the yard only to see the child intertwined in the dog's leash. He ran to the front door of the home and pounded on the door. No one responded. He then ran back to the yard and tried to rescue the child but was unable to because the dog was not allowing anyone near the baby. The passerby flagged down a passing vehicle to ask for help. That driver called the police and then ran back to the front door of the home and proceeded to bang on the door until it opened and a 17-year-old female came out of the home and picked up the bloodied child. The baby was wearing only a t-shirt and was covered in blood in the mother’s arms when the deputies arrived at the scene.
The infant's neck had become entangled in the leash as she was dragged and she suffered bites to her cheek and buttocks from the dog. She also had several lacerations all over her body from being dragged around the yard. Stinchcomb then went inside and, instead of calling for medical attention, called her boyfriend’s mother. Deputies were called to the scene and called for medical attention for the child. Animal Control was also called for the dog.
Police believe that the dog was playing with the little girl and the baby was injured from being pulled around the yard, not from dog bites.
Callahan Aggravated Child Abuse Laws
In Florida, aggravated child abuse happens when a child is willfully tortured, maliciously punished, or great harm is posed to the child due to the abuse or neglect from a parent, somebody in a custodial relationship, or any other party who was in the care of the child. These crimes are seen as a first-degree felony in Florida and could bring many years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. If you have been charged with a crime of violent intentions in relation to a child, you could find that many of the penalties that follow can have a huge impact on the rest of your life. You need an attorney on your side who can protect your rights at this time.
At Musca Law, we make our clients a priority to ensure that they are always well-informed throughout the entire process. We want you to play a role in all major decisions in your case as you work through the criminal justice system process from interrogations to trial and more. Depending on the information that we gather and investigate, we will work to determine if you have a strong case and help you use your defense to gain proven case results. We understand that facing criminal charges can be a scary time and we are here for you. Contact us for more information at (888) 484-5057.