A Florida mother is facing criminal charges after authorities say she left her 12-year-old daughter alone at a bar in the entertainment district of Universal Orlando Resort. She then went to another nightclub to dance and continue partying.
Amanda Laurel Thorpe, 33, of Lake Mary, Florida, was arrested March 7, 2026, and charged with child neglect after deputies with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a missing child at Universal CityWalk, according to law-enforcement records and local media reports.
Deputies arrived at the CW Shoreline Bar around 10:30 p.m. after staff and patrons noticed a young girl sitting alone. Authorities said the 12-year-old was “visibly upset, crying, and sitting alone on a bar stool,” according to an arrest affidavit viewed by several outlets.
“Tired,” her daughter wanted to go back to the hotel
Investigators later determined the girl had been at the bar with her mother earlier that evening when an argument broke out between them. According to the affidavit, Thorpe became upset during the outing and said she wanted to leave for another nearby bar, the Red Coconut Club, inside the CityWalk complex.
The child reportedly told her mother she was tired and wanted to return to their hotel room instead. Authorities allege the disagreement escalated. According to reports, Thorpe became “livid,” raising her middle finger and using an expletive before walking away and leaving her daughter behind at the bar.
Witnesses alerted a bartender after noticing the child alone. Universal security personnel then contacted deputies. Authorities found the girl still seated at the bar.
The search for Thorpe
While officers spoke with the child, other deputies began searching the busy CityWalk entertainment district for Thorpe. They eventually found her a short distance away inside the Red Coconut Club, where investigators said she was on the dance floor holding an alcoholic drink.
According to the arrest report, Thorpe showed signs of intoxication, including red and bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and unsteady movements.
When questioned, Thorpe allegedly told deputies she believed her daughter had been with her the entire time or had returned to the hotel room. According to the arrest report, Thorpe allegedly told police she’d “done this before.”
Authorities arrested Thorpe at the scene and booked her into the Orange County Jail on a charge of neglect of a child, a third-degree felony under Florida law. She later entered a not-guilty plea and was held on a $2,500 bond, according to court records cited by news outlets.
After the incident, the girl’s grandfather was contacted and came to pick her up. The Florida Department of Children and Families was also notified, as is standard procedure in potential child-neglect cases.
The episode happened in Universal CityWalk, a three-block shopping, dining, and nightlife district that serves as the gateway to the Universal Orlando theme parks. While the area attracts families during the day, several bars and nightclubs operate there after dark, drawing large crowds of tourists and locals.
Published: Mar 11, 2026 02:57 pm