SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y. (1010 WINS) — A Long Island woman pleaded guilty on Wednesday to second-degree reckless endangerment for an incident last year in which her dog, Kojo, mauled a 2-year-old boy and his uncle who stepped in to protect the toddler, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced.
Amanda Willi, 45, of Mastic, pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge, and as a condition of her plea, prosecutors required that she not be permitted to own, possess or care for animals for three years. She will be sentenced on Nov. 20.
“The defendant’s dog’s dangerous tendencies coupled with her failure to properly secure the animal led to an innocent child and his uncle sustaining serious injuries,” Tierney said. “Pet owners must understand the serious responsibility that comes with owning animals.”
On March 14, 2023, Willi opened her front door without first properly securing Kojo, and he dashed toward the toddler as he played in his yard across the street, according to court documents and the guilty plea.
The toddler’s uncle, who was watching him while he played, ran toward his nephew and picked him up from the ground to protect him from the dog, but Kojo bit the uncle’s left forearm, causing the 2-year-old to fall to the ground.
Kojo bit the child multiple times on his face, head and leg, causing injury to his right eye, cheek, scalp and leg.
Prosecutors said that several family members had to run outside and force the dog to release the child. The toddler was taken to the Stony Brook University Hospital where he received stitches for the lacerations.
Willi admitted to law enforcement that she knew Kojo was dangerous and had violent tendencies, the district attorney’s office said.
“Necessary precautions pet owners must take to ensure the safety of their pets, and the community include maintaining secure enclosures, using leashes in public areas, and not leaving their animals unattended where they could potentially escape,” Tierney said. “Failure to do so can lead to tragic consequences, as seen in this case.”