HORROR AT THE AIRPORT: Woman Drowns Dog in Bathroom After Airline Refuses Boarding

A Florida airport turned into a scene of shocking cruelty when a Louisiana woman, denied boarding with her dog, took the animal into a bathroom—and it never came out alive.

Authorities say 44-year-old Natalie Wages of Kenner, Louisiana, deliberately drowned her 9-year-old miniature schnauzer named Tywinn in an airport restroom after being told she couldn’t take the dog aboard a flight to Colombia. Wages was arrested this week in Lake County, Florida, on a felony charge of aggravated animal cruelty. She was released on $5,000 bond.

Security footage from Orlando International Airport tells a chilling story: Wages was seen speaking with a Latam Airlines agent for 15 minutes, pleading to bring her dog aboard. After being denied for not having the required veterinary paperwork, she walked into a nearby bathroom with Tywinn in her arms. Less than 20 minutes later, she exited—alone.

According to police, a janitor discovered Tywinn stuffed in a trash can inside the stall. The dog was wrapped in a trash bag alongside a collar, rabies tag, companion vest, and a dog tag bearing Wages’ name and phone number. A bone-shaped ID tag and a dog travel bag were also recovered. The animal was later identified through its microchip, and a necropsy confirmed the cause of death: drowning.

“This act was intentional and resulted in a cruel and unnecessary death of the animal,” the Orlando Police Department wrote in its report.

Customs and Border Protection confirmed Wages boarded a flight to Bogotá, Colombia shortly after the incident, and later continued on to Ecuador. The woman was initially stopped by the airline for lacking the proper USDA paperwork required to transport dogs internationally—including a health certificate and proof of rabies vaccination. Rather than seek help or reschedule her flight, Wages allegedly chose to kill the animal instead.

There is no attorney listed in court records for Wages. But authorities and witnesses are struggling to understand what could drive someone to commit such a horrific act. A janitor told police she had seen Wages earlier in the stall “cleaning up water and dog food” before being called away for an emergency. When she returned, the dog was dead.

Animal rights advocates are outraged. “This is beyond disturbing. To murder a trusting pet in cold blood just to make a flight? That’s evil,” said Mark Simmons, director of Florida Animal Rescue Watch.

Wages’ criminal charge—a third-degree felony—carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison under Florida law. Whether she’ll face extradition or prosecution in the U.S. remains uncertain.

In a time when Americans are already questioning how far some are willing to go for personal convenience, this case raises serious questions about morality, accountability, and mental stability. “This is not just about animal cruelty,” said former federal prosecutor Angela Hartwell. “This is about someone who made a calculated decision to end a life—because she was told no.”

As the nation waits to see if justice will be served, one thing is certain: Tywinn deserved better.

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