AP
Charlotte Ponce was just three months old when she was attacked by a raccoon which badly mauled her face.
The raccoon was a family pet and was thought to have escaped from its cage while Charlotte was left home alone.
Her mother, then 18, and father, then 23, lost custody of Charlotte and her older brother following the attack, and both were adopted by extended family members Tim and Sharon Ponce.
The brave 10-year-old from Spring Lake, Michigan, has undergone six reconstructive surgeries over the past ten years, including having an artificial ear fitted.
Now, following a fund-raising effort by friends - which raised more than $10,000 - she is undergoing a series of operations to restore her looks.
AP
Surgeons plan to create a new nose and right ear for the little girl, as well as repairing her upper lip. Her most recent operation created a new lining for her nose, which took over eight hours to complete.
Talking to WXYZ about the attack, Charlotte's adoptive mum Sharon explained: "The pet raccoon somehow got into the house. And they assume the raccoon was probably after her bottle."
Watch the video news report below to meet Charlotte.
We wish Charlotte and her family the very best with her surgeries and recovery process.