Three charged with child endangerment in following another severe dog bite incident

Three Charged with Child Endangerment in Following Another Severe Dog Bite Incident

Posted by
1 min read
June 21, 2024

VANDERGRIFT, PA—Three residents of Vandergrift are facing felony charges related to child endangerment after a second severe dog bite incident at their home. Alexis Keys, Ida, and Michael Stankiewicz were charged by local police on June 20.

The incident, which took place on May 19, involved a 3-year-old girl being bitten by a dog at the family’s Custer Avenue residence. Upon arrival, Vandergrift Police discovered Alexis Keys, the child’s mother, visibly distressed and covered in blood on the back porch. Despite initial resistance, Keys eventually led the officers inside, where they found the injured child on the third floor, screaming and also covered in blood.

Authorities noted that the child suffered a significant slash on the back of her head and appeared pale, prompting an urgent medical response. She was airlifted to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh for treatment.

The dog, reportedly responsible for a previous bite incident involving another child last year, was being restrained by the grandfather, Michael Stankiewicz, at the time of the police intervention.

Police criticized Michael and Ida Stankiewicz for their failure to call 911 or provide any immediate medical aid to the child during this critical situation. This marks the second time a child in their care has suffered a dog bite under similar circumstances, raising serious concerns about the safety of the children in the home.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version