A 32-year-old woman was arrested after she tried to stab her dog for stealing her sandwich but accidentally stabbed her one-year-old niece instead.
Suspect Sharon Key was reportedly staying with her sister and her baby niece at the Days Inn in Indianapolis, in the US State of Indiana when the incident occurred.
Officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) arrived at the hotel after receiving report of the stabbing at around 11:00pm on 19th September.
When they arrived, they discovered the one-year-old infant with a stab injury on her neck. Not too long after, they also found Key hiding in a bush outside the hotel.
Key was seized by the police on charges of criminal recklessness and could face six months to 2.5 years in prison if convicted.
She reportedly admitted to the stabbing but claimed it was unintentional.
Key then proceeded to tell police that prior to the incident, she had gone to Burger King to get food and then returned to the hotel.
But as hungry Key was about to eat her dinner, she claimed her pit bull stole the chicken sandwich. She got angry with the dog and began chasing it around the room with a knife.
But the dog then jumped onto the bed where the baby was laying, Key claimed that she attempted to stab the dog, she missed her target, and accidentally stabbed her niece.
Following the incident, the child’s mother, who was present in the hotel room, promptly called police and paramedics.
Responding IMPD Officer William Young said: “All of our officers, you hear that come across the radio, your heart drops.
“You want to get there as soon as you can. A lot of our officers, paramedics, fire – they have children that are infants, so you could imagine when they arrive, what our officers go through.”
The girl was said to be in serious condition but is expected to survive her injuries.
Medics at the Riley Children’s Hospital stitched up her wounds and she currently remains in medical care.
Tracy Griffin, the baby’s grandfather, told local media: “It’s stupid, and at the same time, she [Key] is a grown-up. She should have known that baby was sitting right there.
“I want her to be accountable for this,” Griffin said, adding: “My granddaughter will be scarred for the rest of her life.”
Key has reportedly been in and out of jail more than 20 times over the past 10 years.
In 2020, she reportedly stabbed a woman with a box cutter during a petrol station altercation. She pleaded guilty and was jailed until this past March (2023).
Her family claimed she had also struggled with substance abuse, alcohol addiction, and mental health challenges.
They said authorities should offer a different form of help for individuals like her rather than putting them in and out of prison.
Griffin added: “This city needs to do better. All they’re doing is slapping her on the wrist.”
