Woman Kills Her Dog in Airport Bathroom After Being Told It Couldn't Fly
It started as a routine day at one of the country's busiest airports. But before the end of it, a janitor made a gruesome discovery in a bathroom stall — and a Florida woman was boarding a plane without the dog she arrived with. Now, she's facing felony charges and drawing outrage from animal advocates and lawmakers alike.
A Denied Flight and a Desperate Choice
The incident took place on Dec. 16, 2024, at Orlando International Airport. According to police, 57-year-old Alison Agatha Lawrence had been trying to board a Latam Airlines flight to Colombia with her white miniature schnauzer, Tywinn.
But Lawrence didn't have the paperwork required to take the dog abroad. Officials told her the animal couldn't board without a health certificate and proof of rabies vaccination, as mandated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for pets traveling internationally.
Surveillance footage captured Lawrence speaking with an airline agent for 15 minutes. With Tywinn still by her side, she then walked into a women's restroom near the ticketing area — and emerged alone less than 20 minutes later.
A Janitor's Chilling Discovery
That same day, a janitor entered the bathroom stall where Lawrence had last been seen. According to an arrest affidavit, the worker had earlier seen Lawrence cleaning up water and spilled dog food on the floor. When the janitor returned, she found a trash bag in the stall. Inside was the lifeless body of the 9-year-old schnauzer. Alongside the remains were the dog's companion vest, collar, rabies tag, and a bone-shaped name tag engraved with Lawrence's name and phone number.
Authorities later confirmed Tywinn had been drowned. The cause of death was verified through a necropsy, and the dog's identity was confirmed by its implanted microchip.
She Boarded the Plane Anyway
Lawrence didn't stick around. According to airport footage, she left the terminal, came back, passed through security, and boarded the Colombia-bound flight. U.S. Customs and Border Protection later confirmed she continued on to Ecuador.
Weeks later, on March 19, 2025, Lawrence was arrested in Clermont, Florida. She was charged with aggravated animal cruelty — a third-degree felony—and released later that day on $5,000 bond.
Her neighbors expressed shock after hearing about the incident. "Someone that would do such things has got to be disturbed upstairs," one neighbor told WFTV.
Lawmakers Call for Tougher Laws
State Senator Tom Leek, who recently introduced a bill to increase penalties for animal abuse, addressed the incident publicly.
"This is yet another horrible example of why I filed Senate Bill 502: (Animal Cruelty Offences) related to animal cruelty, which strengthens criminal penalties for those who do harm to innocent animals," Leek said, according to ClickOrlando.
The disturbing details have sparked national debate and renewed calls for harsher animal cruelty penalties. As questions swirl around about what led to such a horrific act, one thing is certain: this case isn't fading from headlines anytime soon.
References: Woman accused of drowning dog in an airport bathroom because it wasn't allowed on flight with her | A woman drowned her dog in an airport bathroom after being denied boarding, police say | Woman drowns dog inside Orlando airport bathroom to avoid missing flight, report claims | Woman arrested after dead dog found in bathroom at Orlando International Airport
