Three adults in Ohio are heading to prison for their roles in the horrific abuse of a 6-year-old boy — a case that ended with the child being handcuffed and attacked by a dog, leaving him with severe injuries, prosecutors announced.
Following a four-day trial, an Ashland County jury found Robert Michalski Jr. — the homeowner and owner of the pit bull involved — guilty on several felony counts, including two counts of complicity to commit endangering children and one count of tampering with evidence. He was acquitted of kidnapping, possessing criminal tools, and an additional endangerment charge, court records show.
The victim’s mother, Angelina Williams, pleaded guilty in May to kidnapping and four counts of child endangerment. Her boyfriend, Taylor Marvin-Brown, took a plea deal in April, admitting to obstructing justice and three counts of complicity — one for kidnapping and two for endangering children.
According to the Ashland County Prosecutor’s Office, the abuse reached its peak on August 17, 2024, inside Michalski’s home in Savannah, Ohio. Prosecutors described it as a “disturbing pattern of abuse.”
“Two children — a young boy and his sister — were being periodically restrained using handcuffs and other devices in Michalski’s home,” a statement from the prosecutor’s office said. “On August 17, 2024, while the boy was restrained, he was attacked by a dog, resulting in serious physical injuries.”
Deputies were called to the home after receiving a report that a child had been bitten by a pit bull on the neck and ear. First responders determined the injuries were severe enough to require the boy to be airlifted to a hospital.
When deputies arrived, Williams and Marvin-Brown were at the scene. Michalski, however, had fled — and was later found hiding with the dog in an upstairs crawl space. Authorities declared the dog “vicious” and removed it from the home.
The investigation revealed that the trio had restrained the boy with handcuffs on both his hands and feet and allowed the dog to attack him. Prosecutors said the abuse involved extended periods of “corporal punishment” and created a “substantial risk of physical harm” for both the boy and his sister.
Fortunately, both children have since recovered and are now in the care of a legal guardian who, according to prosecutors, is providing them with proper support and protection.
Michalski is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21, 2025, and faces up to nine years in state prison. Williams will be sentenced on June 30, and Marvin-Brown on July 14 — both face a maximum of 40 years behind bars.
