Texas Teen Charged with Poisoning Classmate’s Show Goat

The 17-year-old allegedly used pesticide to kill the goat, citing accusations of cheating, and now faces felony animal cruelty charges.

Aubrey Vanlandingham, a 17-year-old high school senior, is accused of fatally poisoning a classmate's goat, Willie, at Vista Ridge High School in Cedar Park, Texas.
Security footage captured her using a drench gun to administer a toxic pesticide, phosmet, to the goat on October 23, resulting in the animal's death less than 24 hours later.
Vanlandingham reportedly confessed to police, claiming she acted because she believed the goat’s caretaker, a 15-year-old student, was a 'cheater,' though no evidence of cheating has been presented.
An investigation revealed incriminating searches on her phone, including how to poison animals and how to clear search history, as well as a prior failed attempt to poison the goat days earlier.
The teen, who was recently named president of her school’s Future Farmers of America chapter, faces up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted, with her next court date set for January 15.