A nurse in Florida has been arrested for killing her neighbors’ pets, reviews NBC affiliate WESH Information. Tamesha Knighten allegedly poisoned two cats and a pregnant canine with a pesticide on Aug. 16, 2023. Knighten faces three counts of animal cruelty and one depend of depositing poison in a public place.

Girl poisons neighbors’ cats, pregnant canine for coming into her yard

In accordance with the neighbors, Knighten had threatened to kill their pets on a number of events in the event that they continued to enter her yard. In addition they instructed investigators the day the animals died, the girl yelled at their children who have been taking part in exterior.

When one of many cats began foaming on the mouth, Knighten reportedly instructed the neighbors the feline will need to have swallowed a frog. In accordance with police, the 2 cats — Luna and Pancake — and the pregnant Chihuahua, Daisy, have been poisoned by Phorate, an insecticide.

“We noticed that one in every of them was in horrific misery, others had already died,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd mentioned. “The one which was in horrific misery died instantly.”

The felines handed away inside hours of one another, however the canine was lacking. By the point the neighbors discovered her, she had died. On the time of her loss of life, the canine was pregnant with eight puppies.

Investigators later obtained surveillance footage from Knighten’s yard. Upon reviewing it, they noticed the 51-year-old sporting blue gloves and holding a bowl, which contained meals. Knighten instructed authorities she blended rooster together with her “particular seasoning,” which was later confirmed to be Phorate, to feed animals within the space.

Sheriff Judd mentioned samples from the bowl and the animals’ tissue needed to be despatched to 3 completely different universities. Therefore, it took the police a number of months to make an arrest.

“These folks misplaced their beloved pets in a most horrific means,” he mentioned. “And he or she misplaced her freedom by going to jail.” He additional described Knighten as “a cold-hearted particular person,” including “it’s arduous to think about how an individual within the medical discipline may do such a factor.”

Editor’s Notice: This text has been cross-posted on our companion web site, DogTime.com, and is revealed below the title “Pregnant Canine, Cats Poisoned With Pesticide.”