JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — *Some photos may be disturbing to readers.
A Putnam County woman has been arrested after allegedly selling a monkey illegally to a 15-year-old girl, who later had to be hospitalized after it bit her.
Joann Newberger, 75, was issued a citation for possession of captive wildlife for commercial or sanctuary purposes without a permit by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation.
She was also charged with four counts of illegal possession of conservation animals by the Putnam County Sheirff's Office.
The 15-year-old girl and her mother initially made a complaint after she had to be hospitalized as a result of a bite by a capuchin monkey, according to a report from the FWC.
The teen and her mother told FWC they purchased the money from a woman in the area.
The teen told FWC officers that she found an online ad selling a Capuchin monkey for $9500. She said the ad listed Joan Newberger as the contact and a phone number for contact information
The teen and her mother told officials they met Newberger in Satsuma to purchase the monkey on Nov. 22, 2021.
They described to FWC that Newberger took them into a trailer on the property, where they saw the Capuchin monkey and a marmoset monkey. The teen and her mother said they bought the Capuchin monkey and were provided a bill of sale signed by Newberger.
The teen and her mother told FWC that they asked for papers and Newberger responded that she didn't have any but to "just head straight to the Florida line" before they get stopped, so that they wouldn't get asked for a permit.
They told FWC that they left with the monkey but decided to later return it as they were worried about the legalities of the transaction and the monkey was being "aggressive".
The report says that Newberger agreed to refund $9000 of the $9500, and while the mother was counting the money, the daughter reached down to pet the monkey and say goodbye when it bit her on the finger.
Newberger gave FWC consent to enter the property, where they reportedly located a Capuchin monkey and marmoset monkey in her trailer.
The FWC report says since Newberger does not have a license to possess any wildlife, the Capuchin monkey was sized by officials.
FWC says in 2016, Newberger was cited also by FWC law enforcement twice for her Capuchin monkey biting people.
