An Ohio woman has been sentenced to at least 19 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges stemming from a brutal incident in which her six-year-old son was attacked by a pit bull while restrained in handcuffs.
Angelina Williams, 28, was convicted in Ashland County following her admission of guilt to kidnapping, obstruction of justice, possessing criminal tools, and four counts of child endangerment. Her sentencing earlier this month followed nearly a year in custody without bail, during which she was credited for 361 days served.
According to court documents and statements made during sentencing, Williams punished her son for refusing to pick up dog feces with his bare hands while visiting Savannah, a small village in Ohio. As punishment, she handcuffed him to a chair inside the home of Robert Michalski Jr., the owner of the pit bull involved in the attack.
Prosecutors said that Williams, Michalski, and a third defendant, Taylor Desiree Marvin-Brown, were in the process of further restraining the boy when he fell from the chair, triggering the dog to lunge. The animal clamped down on the child’s throat, inflicting deep wounds and severe facial bruising. The boy was airlifted to hospital, where medical personnel raised alarms about potential abuse.
Judge Dave Stimpert described the attack in grim terms: “That dog tried to rip out his throat. I’m not sure there are words that adequately describe it.”
Following the incident, Michalski fled the scene with the dog in an apparent attempt to evade law enforcement. He and Marvin-Brown have both been convicted and are awaiting sentencing.
Williams, who did not have legal custody of the boy or his eight-year-old sister, had brought the children on a visit. Prosecutors revealed she began using handcuffs and ropes as forms of punishment during the trip. She even posted a photo of her daughter in restraints online.
In court, Williams admitted to the events but claimed ignorance of the law, 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 anything was wrong with it. My uncle told me it was OK.”
Despite her claims, the judge and prosecution emphasized the severity of her actions and her failure to protect her child.
The boy has since recovered and is now living under the care of a legal guardian, along with his sister. Williams will serve her sentence at the Ohio Reformatory for Women.
