Teen facing charges after allegedly poisoning her classmate’s show goat

A terrible event occurred in October in Cedar Park, Texas, when a student from Vista Ridge High School‘s cherished goat, Willie, passed away from poisoning. The accused offender? Aubrey Vanlandingham, a classmate, is currently being charged with felony cruelty to livestock.

The news rocked this wealthy Williamson County suburb, which is about 15 miles northeast of Austin. After being arrested on November 22nd, the 17-year-old Vanlandingham was later freed upon posting a $5,000 bond. This serious infraction is punishable by up to two years in prison and a hefty fine of up to $10,000 under Texas law.

The arrest warrant affidavit claims that the horrible act was caught on camera. According to reports, Vanlandingham admitted to purposefully poisoning Willie because she felt the goat’s owner was “a cheater.” The deputy’s chilling observation is noted in the affidavit: “And Aubrey doesn’t like cheaters.”

News outlets worldwide have reported on this upsetting incident, which has attracted a lot of attention. Investigators examined the surveillance footage, which showed the unsettling series of events that transpired on October 23. Vanlandingham went into the school barn’s storage closet and took out a bottle of pesticide. Then, using a drench gun, she sprayed the poison straight onto the helpless goat.

The footage also shows Vanlandingham returning to the goat’s pen several times throughout the day, seemingly monitoring the animal’s deteriorating condition. Willie quickly developed severe symptoms after ingesting the chemical, which was identified as phosmet, a highly potent insecticide used in agriculture. The symptoms were violent convulsions, uncontrollable shaking, and severe diarrhea.

Willie’s distressed owners rushed him to a veterinary clinic, where he died the next morning. A subsequent necropsy performed by veterinary professionals revealed the presence of phosmet in the goat’s stomach. The unmistakable odor of the pesticide, which was easily detectable during the examination, clearly identified it as the cause of death.

A thorough investigation of Vanlandingham’s digital activity revealed disturbing internet searches related to animal poisoning, including questions about the use of bleach and pesticides for this purpose.

The Dallas Morning News attempted to reach Vanlandingham’s attorney for comment, but was unsuccessful. Because the school was still in recess, obtaining a statement from school administrators was not immediately possible.

This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of cruelty and the importance of protecting animal life.