A 37-year-old mother, Tamara Stoiber, and a 59-year-old grandmother, Sabine Thrift, are facing child neglect charges after two children were allegedly found malnourished and unsupervised at a shed near a Waldo highway in Florida.
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According to a release issued by the Alachua County Sheriff, the incident occurred in the early morning of June 28. Deputies responded to a report from a concerned citizen who had observed two children by themselves in a shed.
Upon arrival, deputies were met with two witnesses who had made the startling discovery. Specifically, two 5-year-old children were found locked inside a shed, whose door had been shut with a brick placed against it. Furthermore, the shed had no electricity, food, or running water, and a knife was within the children’s reach.
Through the witnesses, deputies identified two individuals connected to the incident: Stoiber, the children’s mother, and Thrift, the grandmother.
Women Arrested
An investigation carried out by authorities revealed that Stoiber had left the children in Thrift’s care. However, Thrift allegedly refused to supervise them. Therefore, Stoiber allegedly left the children alone, claiming she had left the shed for a “quick errand.” As per the Alachua County Sheriff, the children were left alone for several hours.
As reported by Fox 35, the shed where the children, two 5-year-old girls, were found is close to U.S. Highway 301. Captain Chris Sims, a public information officer for the Alachua Sheriff’s Office, detailed the mental state in which the girls were at the time.
“Heaven forbid these young girls walk out of the shed looking for help,” Sims said. “They would, unfortunately probably wander into a major highway, and, you know, catastrophic results would probably take place.”
Additionally, the girls were described by deputies as malnourished, dirty, and disheveled.
As a result, Sabine Thrift was arrested and charged with two counts of child neglect. Meanwhile, Tamara Stoiber was charged with two counts of child neglect and two counts of false imprisonment.
“The safety and well-being of children remain a top priority for our agency,” the Alachua County Sheriff concluded. “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.”