A teenage cheerleader in Texas is facing felony charges after allegedly using an insecticide to poison and kill a rival show goat at her high school in an ugly display of “jealousy,” according to an arrest affidavit and the goat's owner.
Aubrey VanLandingham, a 17-year-old girl who competed in competitive livestock shows with her goat, reportedly admitted to intentionally poisoning the goat, named Willie, on Oct. 23, according to the affidavit obtained by CBS Austin.
Security footage obtained by police showed a student at Vista Ridge High School's barn facility using a gun to force-feed Willie a toxic pesticide. The 6-month-old goat did not have it easy and tried to escape, but was eventually trapped and forced to drink the insecticide, according to the footage.
The student, identified by investigators as VanLandingham, left but returned to check on Willie twice within two hours before calling her classmate's mother to let her know her goat was not feeling well.
Willie died less than a day later in his owner's arms after suffering convulsions and shortness of breath.
VanLandingham allegedly told police she killed the goat because she thought the goat owner's 15-year-old daughter was a “scam,” according to the affidavit. Not only that, but she is said to have tried to kill Willy again before and did not succeed.
“She admitted to poisoning him several times over several days. So it's a very difficult situation. “We don't think there's any remorse and we hope she will serve her prison sentence and get some sort of help,” the 15-year-old's mother told the Daily Mail this week. mentality.”
“It's all weird. We want justice, we don't want a slap on the wrist. We want to make sure she gets punished. At this point, we don't feel like she thinks she's going to get punished, and she needs that. She needs to take ownership for what she did.”
An autopsy of the goat performed by a goat pathologist confirmed the cause of death was organophosphate poisoning from phosmet, an insecticide often used to combat ectoparasites in livestock, according to the arrest report.
The police investigation concluded that search history on VanLandingham's phone included questions about lethal doses of bleach for animals and methods of poisoning pets. She then allegedly searched “how to clear search history” in a failed attempt to cover her tracks.
The cheerleader was recently named president of the school's Future Farmers of America, and was an avid participant in goat shows with her pet, Lassie, the Daily Mail reported.
Despite being crowned president of her school's chapter of the National Cattlemen's Association, VanLandingham was still jealous of her younger rival, according to the girl's mother.
“She says it's because of cheating. But from what we've decoded, she was really jealous,” the 15-year-old's mother told the Daily Mail.
“You can't even cheat when it comes to showing your goats,” she added. “It doesn't make sense, and this is where jealousy falls into place.”
VanLandingham was arrested on November 22 and charged with animal cruelty, a Texas jail felony. She was released the same day on $5,000 bail.
If convicted, she could face up to two years in prison. She was banned from her high school while the case was ongoing. She is scheduled to appear in court on January 15.
