Michigan – In a deeply disturbing case in Michigan that left a community shaken and a young girl scarred both physically and emotionally, a 74‑year‑old man, identified as G. Lansky, has been sentenced to prison for violently attacking a 7‑year‑old girl in a public park. Lansky pleaded guilty but mentally ill to assault with intent to murder and assault with a dangerous weapon, crimes that left the child seriously injured and traumatized.
The terrifying incident happened on October 8, 2024, at a public park in the neighborhood where the girl lived. According to court records and news reports, the young girl was playing in the park when Lansky approached her suddenly. Without warning, he grabbed her by the chin, pulled her head up, and slashed her throat with a pocketknife. He also attempted to stab her in the stomach, but the girl fortunately fell out of his grip before that blow could land.
The blade left a deep wound. The brave 7‑year‑old screamed and kicked at her attacker and then ran to a nearby home. A neighbor quickly applied pressure with gauze pads to help stop the bleeding before emergency crews arrived. The victim was treated at a hospital, where she received three stitches to close her wounds. Bystanders intervened at the scene, surrounding Lansky and preventing him from fleeing until police arrived that afternoon. Lansky was taken into custody with no further incident.
In the months following the attack, the young girl and her family described how her life has been forever changed. At the sentencing hearing, the victim spoke with emotion about how the attack affected her senses of safety and freedom. “I feel scared, nervous, and after this accident happened to me… I didn’t want to go to sleep and I didn’t want to go to the park… I felt like if I go outside somebody would try to take me in their van… kill me,” she said through tears. Her mother’s written statement was read in court, offering a deeply personal look at the toll the attack has taken on their family. “Since that day, nothing has been the same,” the statement read. “My daughter still smiles sometimes, but it’s not the same smile. It is the kind of smile that hides tears. Behind it she is broken inside.”
Meanwhile, the family filed a $50 million civil lawsuit in court, alleging that Lansky forcibly and maliciously slashed the girl’s throat and tried to stab her in the stomach. The complaint recounted the severity of the attack and underscored the lasting damage done to the young victim. Although law enforcement did not pursue a hate crime enhancement during prosecution, the case drew criticism from civil rights leaders. They criticized authorities for not considering hate‑motivated charges, arguing that the attack was not a random act of violence. Civil rights leaders also claimed that if the race or background of the attacker had been different, there would be no hesitation in pursuing enhanced charges.
At sentencing, Lansky offered a brief apology to the young girl’s family, saying, “I’d like to say how sorry I am to the family for what I’ve done.” The judge then handed down a prison term of seven to 15 years, aiming to balance the young victim’s suffering with the legal framework for someone pleading guilty but mentally ill. In addition, he was sentenced to one to four years for a separate assault against a relative. The judge ordered both sentences to run at the same time. The case has brought to light not only the horrors that can occur in everyday public places but also broader conversations about mental health, public safety, and how violent acts against children are prosecuted. For the young girl and her family, the road to healing continues long after the sentences have been handed down.
