LAKELAND, Fla. – A licensed practical nurse has been arrested and charged with felony animal cruelty after allegedly poisoning and killing her neighbor’s pets in Lakeland, Florida. Tamesha Knighten, 51, faces three counts of felony animal cruelty and one count of depositing poison in a public area, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Agricultural Crimes Unit.
The investigation began when the neighbors’ two cats, Luna and Pancake, died within hours of each other, exhibiting symptoms of choking, difficulty breathing, and foaming from the mouth. The pregnant Chihuahua named Daisy was later found deceased, along with her eight puppies still in her womb. The victims allegedly told detectives that Knighten had repeatedly threatened to poison their pets if they came into her yard.
During the investigation, video evidence showed Knighten holding a white foam bowl containing a substance while pacing in her yard along the shared fence line. The analysis confirmed that the pets had ingested phorate, a pesticide found in insecticides, matching the sample from the laced-canned chicken in the bowl. Doctors said phorate would have caused the animals to suffer.
Sheriff Grady Judd stated, “It takes a cold-hearted person to poison and kill two cats and a pregnant dog. It’s hard to imagine how a person in the medical field could do such a thing.”
Knighten repeatedly denied killing her neighbor’s pets, despite evidence to the contrary. She was booked into the Polk County Jail.
Knighten’s alleged actions have resulted in the tragic loss of the neighbors’ beloved pets. The investigation is ongoing, and Knighten is facing serious legal repercussions for her alleged crimes. The community is left in shock and confusion over why Knighten would engage in such shocking and harmful behavior towards defenseless animals.