With her wrists handcuffed behind her back, an overwhelmed Martina Jennings collapsed to the floor of a Lucas County Common Pleas courtroom yesterday, moments after learning she would spend four years in prison for failing to protect her disabled child from having his foot gnawed off by the family's pit bull puppy.

Jennings, 24, of 1209 St. John Ave. was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of child endangering. She pleaded no contest to the charge Sept. 18 and faced a maximum of five years in prison.

After the hearing, her attorney said he planned to appeal the sentence.

Larry DiLabbio said Jennings accepted responsibility for her bad decisions, but never intended to hurt her child.

"It was surprising and unfounded, I think," he said of the sentence.

"I feel strongly that if this wasn't a pit bull and it wasn't an inner-city black family, these circumstances would be considered differently."

Jennings took her then-4-year-old son, Jameille Walker, to Toledo Hospital Feb. 2 for injuries to his leg. The boy has spina bifida and cannot feel pain in his lower extremities.

Police were called to the hospital and discovered that the child's foot had been chewed off. After investigating the family's home, police found the puppy with blood on his chest as well as blood on the bed where the boy had been sleeping with his siblings.

The 4-month-old puppy was confiscated and euthanized. A necropsy revealed a toe in the dog's stomach, authorities said.

Jennings' three children, including Jameille, were taken from her custody and put in the care of relatives. She also recently gave birth to twins who have remained in the hospital because they were born prematurely, Mr. DiLabbio said. He said it is uncertain who will care for the babies.

Jennings did not speak before being sentenced.

Mr. DiLabbio told Judge Linda Jennings that what occurred was a "tragic accident" and said his client realized that her bad decisions "led to all kinds of losses."

Judge Jennings said she did not believe that Jennings understood the severity of what happened.

"That special-needs child doesn't have a foot because a puppy chewed it off," she said. "Puppies chew furniture. Puppies chew a favorite pair of shoes. Puppies don't chew off children's feet."

She added that she believed that information was missing from the story of what happened that night and acknowledged that she may never know the details.

Jennings' family, including her mother, left the courtroom quickly and declined to comment.

Pit bulls are classified as vicious animals under Ohio law and owners of the dogs in Toledo must have them properly confined when outside. However, the dogs are allowed to roam free while inside the home.

Contact Erica Blake at:

eblake@theblade.com

or 419-213-2134.

First Published November 29, 2007, 12:31 p.m.