Capuchin monkey bites child petting her; owners cited by Florida wildlife officials

Sara Marino | Treasure Coast Newspapers

Show Caption Hide Caption 8 year-old boy bit by monkey while dining in Stuart A Capuchin monkey bit an 8-year-old boy on July 16, 2018 at Carrabba's Italian Grill in Stuart. The animal's owners received a total of six violations, four misdemeanor citations and two written warnings, according to the report from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

STUART — It's not everyday you go to a restaurant for a nice meal and go home with a monkey bite.

But that's what happened July 16 to Jaxson Ignelzi, 8, when he went to Carrabba's Italian Grill in the 2700 block of Southeast Federal Highway with his dad, Joseph Ignelzi.

An incident report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released Wednesday detailed how 9-month-old JoJo the Capuchin monkey bit the boy who was petting her outside on the patio, and how her owners were handed six citations.

Jaxson's family took the boy to a local hospital, where he was given Tylenol and the wound on his finger was cleaned, according to the report. The state Health Department in Martin County was contacted, which contacted the FWC the next day.

The boy's family declined to comment.

More: The snook are on the prowl

What happened

Here's what FWC officials said in their report about the incident:

The Ignelzis sat at a table next to the monkey's owners in the outdoor patio area of the restaurant, where Joseph Ignelzi pet the monkey. Jaxson then began to pet JoJo, and the monkey grabbed and bit down on the boy's pinky finger.

JoJo's owners, Richard and Mary Van Houten, said they told the Ignelzis the monkey was being hyper and to be careful around it. Mary Van Houten told the boy's father JoJo was up to date on her shots, but the FWC reported the monkey had not had its rabies shot. The monkey was inoculated against rabies on July 30 and is properly licensed in Martin County, according to FWC officials.

More: Microchip leads missing kitty to its West Palm Beach owner | Shelter Tales

Mary Van Houten told FWC officers they often go to the restaurant on Mondays with the monkey and sit outside in the patio area.

A Stuart "doggie dining" law allows restaurants and hotels to be permitted to allow only dogs in certain areas where food is served. There are several rules to follow, including they must be in outside eating areas at restaurants, and not bothering other people. The law doesn't address exotic animals, and specifies dogs.

Kevin Freeman, the development director for the city of Stuart, said enforcement falls under the Martin County Health Department, FWC and the state Department of Business & Professional Regulation.

More: Turtles, gators come out to play

Renay Rouse, the spokeswoman for Florida Department of Health in Martin County said after they were notified of the incident they quarantined JoJo at her owner's home and had a veterinarian evaluate the monkey's health. Rouse said the doctor deemed the monkey healthy.

Officials from the Department of Business & Professional Regulation said the incident was not reported to them.

Citations

The FWC cited each Van Houten for having a wild animal that injured a person; and for having an animal that is capable of contracting rabies that wasn't properly immunized.

FWC officials visited the Van Houten's home to inspect three other monkeys they keep as pets and see the conditions in which they live. All are fine, they said. Those monkeys are Kalani, a Cotton-top tamarin; Keegan and KJ, who are both marmoset monkeys.

The couple was warned for possessing a wild animal without keeping accurate records, which pertains to the records kept on one of their other monkeys.

The next step is for JoJo's owners to appear before a county judge about their citations.

More: From a squirrel with attitude to a sandhill crane that confronts a gator, Treasure Coast has it all