Pictured: Girl mauled by savage raccoon as baby receives incredible new face
A teenage girl who lost half her face to a savage raccoon attack as a baby has undergone life changing reconstructive surgery.
Charlotte Ponce was just three months old when a drop of milk fell on her cheek, prompting a wild raccoon to pounce on her face, ripping off her ear and much of her nose.
Charlotte’s biological parents lost custody of the toddler and her brother a couple of years after the attack and the pair were moved into the care of her great aunt and uncle Sharon and Tim Ponce in Michigan, US.
"When Charlotte was taken to the hospital they didn't know what to do with her, or how to save her face, so for her to finally have a new ear and nose is a miracle,” Sharon Ponce told The Mirror.
"No one is sure why the raccoon attacked, but we assume it was because milk from her bottle had spilt down her face.
"Her birth father grabbed the raccoon and strangled it to death.”
Fast forward to 2017 and the 14-year-old has undergone a series of long-awaited reconstructive surgeries.
"I came across Dr Chaiyasate online and we instantly knew he was the doctor for Charlotte, he cared for her like she was his own,” Ms Ponce added.
"I remember he sat her down and asked if she wanted a new nose and ear.
"He told her he could give her both, we were amazed, no one had ever said that before.
Charlotte had a basic ear structure implanted under the skin of her forearm where it eventually grew into a fully formed ear and was transplanted again.
Described as typical playful teenager, Charlotte is now counting down the days when she can use some of the 50 odd pairs of earrings she has been collecting.
