Twins found locked in shed after being left with grandma who 'didn't want to babysit' them
A mother allegedly left her twin daughters with their grandmother who allegedly refused to babysit them. Later in the day, the girls were found locked in a shed without access to food and water.
The 37-year-old mom, Tamara Stoiber, and the twins' grandmother, Sabine Thrift, 59, were arrested in Florida and charged with child neglect after authorities learned that the five-year-old victims were abandoned in a shed for hours.
Detailing the incident to the Alachua County Sheriff, Stoiber said she went to Thrift's house and asked the latter to look after her children. Their grandmother, however, allegedly said she didn't want to do it.
Stoiber claimed she only "stepped away for a quick errand," but was gone for several hours.
On June 28 at 3 a.m., authorities responded to a report by two witnesses who saw the two children in a shed with a brick placed against the door, which prevented them from leaving.
Per a report by FOX 35 Orlando, authorities found the victims in a "dirty, disheveled, and malnourished" state inside the shed "without electricity, water, food, or any way to call for help." They also noted that there was a large knife within the children's reach.
"I want you to also keep in mind that these young girls are probably extremely scared, frightened. It's dark, it is very early between midnight and 3 to 3.30 in the morning. There are no lights on the outside of this shed either," said Captain Chris Sims, public information officer for the Alachua Sheriff's Office.
"So, Heaven forbid these young girls walk out of the shed looking for help, they would unfortunately probably wander into a major highway and, and, you know, catastrophic results would probably take place," Sim added.
Stoiber was taken into police custody and was charged with two counts of child neglect and two counts of false imprisonment with a $70,000 bond (nearly P4 million). Thrift, meanwhile, was charged with two counts of child neglect with a $20,000 bond (over P1 million).
"The safety and well-being of children remain a top priority for our agency. We are committed to protecting children from neglect and abuse, and we encourage the community to report any concerns involving child welfare. Together, we can help ensure every child has a safe environment to grow and thrive," the ASO said in the statement.
