A mother and grandmother in Florida just learned the hard way that there are consequences for abandoning children.
Their shocking neglect put two little girls in unthinkable danger.
And two Florida women caught red-handed after they abandoned these innocent children in terrifying conditions will have you seeing red.
Two 5-year-old girls found locked in shed without basic necessities
When concerned citizens in Waldo, Florida made a horrifying discovery early Saturday morning, they couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
Two 5-year-old girls were found locked inside a shed on property in the 13500 block of Northeast U.S. Highway 301 around 3 a.m.¹
But this wasn’t just a case of kids playing hide-and-seek that went wrong.
The shed had no electricity, no running water, no food, and no way for the children to call for help.¹
A brick had been deliberately placed against the shed doors to prevent the girls from leaving.¹
That’s right – someone had intentionally trapped these innocent children inside.
Making matters even worse, deputies found a large hunting knife within reach of the two girls.¹
Captain Chris Sims of the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office painted a chilling picture of what these children endured.
"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," Sims explained. "There is no lights on the outside of this shed either."¹
The shed was located dangerously close to U.S. Highway 301, a major highway where any child wandering in the dark could face "catastrophic results."¹
Mother left children with grandmother who refused to watch them
The investigation revealed an even more disturbing chain of events that led to this nightmare scenario.
Tamara Stoiber, 37, had left her two daughters in the care of their grandmother, 59-year-old Sabine Thrift.²
But here’s where it gets worse – Thrift allegedly refused to supervise the children.²
According to witnesses, Stoiber had arrived at the property earlier that day with her two daughters and boyfriend unannounced.³
They were soaking wet and told the property owners they had "walked from Gainesville to Waldo."³
One witness tried to help by offering the two girls a footlong sandwich, but Stoiber ate the entire sandwich without sharing any of it with her own children.³
Talk about putting yourself first.
Stoiber then left with her boyfriend, claiming she was going to "the store" for a quick errand.²
But that "quick trip" turned into several hours of abandonment.
Thrift later texted Stoiber asking, "I am leaving there, your kids [would] like to know what store you went [to]."³
Children found dirty, disheveled, and malnourished
When deputies finally located the children, the sight was heartbreaking.
Both girls were described as being dirty, disheveled, and malnourished.¹
They had been trapped in that shed for hours without any adult supervision or basic care.
The shed wasn’t fit for human habitation – no electricity meant no fans or air circulation in Florida’s sweltering heat.
No running water meant the children couldn’t even get a drink when they got thirsty.
And with a dangerous hunting knife lying within their reach, these innocent children were one accident away from serious injury or worse.
Thrift admitted to deputies that she "did not want to babysit the children" and had sat with them for only two hours before leaving them alone for another two hours.³
She basically treated these little girls like unwanted baggage.
Stoiber didn’t return until just before 7 a.m. – far longer than any reasonable trip to a store should take.³
Justice served with arrests and serious charges
The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office moved quickly to hold both women accountable for their unconscionable actions.
Sabine Thrift was arrested on two counts of child neglect and is being held on a $20,000 bond.²
Tamara Stoiber faces even more serious charges – two counts of child neglect and two counts of false imprisonment – with her bond set at $70,000.²
The false imprisonment charges recognize that deliberately locking children in a shed with a brick blocking the door goes beyond simple neglect.
"The safety and well-being of children remain a top priority for our agency," the sheriff’s office stated. "We are committed to protecting children from neglect and abuse, and we encourage the community to report any concerns involving child welfare."⁴
What this means for child protection
This case highlights the critical importance of community vigilance when it comes to protecting vulnerable children.
The concerned citizens who discovered these girls and immediately called authorities literally saved these children from a potentially deadly situation.
In Florida’s summer heat, being trapped in a shed without water or ventilation could have resulted in heat exhaustion or worse.
The proximity to a major highway meant any attempt by frightened children to seek help in the dark could have ended in tragedy.
Both Stoiber and Thrift will now face the full weight of the law for their appalling treatment of these innocent children.
This isn’t just about a mother stepping out for errands – this was a deliberate abandonment that put two little girls in mortal danger.
The fact that a grandmother would refuse to care for her own grandchildren and a mother would prioritize her own needs over her daughters’ safety reveals a shocking disregard for basic human decency.
These children deserved protection and care, not abandonment and neglect.
¹ Abigail Lafferty, "2 kids locked in Florida shed without food or water, police say; 2 women arrested," FOX 35 Orlando, June 30, 2025.
² "Grandma and mother arrested after 2 kids found abandoned and locked in shed without basic necessities," The Crime Network, June 30, 2025.
³ WCJB Staff, "Grandmother, mother arrested in child neglect case involving locked shed," WCJB, June 29, 2025.
⁴ Katlyn Fernandez, "2 women arrested after 5-year-olds found abandoned in shed: Florida deputies," WFLA, June 30, 2025.
