Tamesha Knighten, a 51-year-old registered Lakeland nurse, was arrested with three counts of felony animal cruelty after poisoning two pet cats and their pregnant chihuahua. The strips of chicken-laced with concentrated insecticide killed the pets.
Sheriff Grady Judd from the Polk County sheriff's office reported the case was conducted by the PCSO's Animal Cruelty Investigative Unit, which began on August 16.
Knighten Faces Three Counts of Felony Animal Cruelty
Judd claimed that the owners of the animals contacted the police when their two cats, Pancake and Luna, passed away. According to the victims, the cat's symptoms were identical, which included choking, difficulty breathing, mouth-frothing, and severe discomfort.
The victims informed the deputies that Knighten, who was a licensed practical nurse working for United Health Care at Wellmed in Lakeland, had repeatedly threatened to poison their pets if the pets entered her yard. Four hours later, the police searched Daisy in the house but could not locate her. They discovered Daisy dead, along with the puppies in her womb.
Judd stated that a couple saw Knighten pacing in her yard along the shared fence line on the day the cats passed away. She also claimed that Knighten had also screamed at the victims' kids, who were outside playing ball.
The victims asked Knighten not to yell at the kids. When they saw their cat acting suspiciously in the yard and foaming at the mouth, they reported Knighten was also outdoors. Knighten responded by saying the cat must be choking on a frog.
The detectives noticed video cameras in her yard and asked to see the video from that day during their investigation. The sheriff said she gave them the footage, which showed her wearing a blue glove and holding a white Styrofoam bowl containing a white and brown substance. In the video, Knighten also talked to a relative and pointed at the neighbor's yard.
"Why would you be wearing rubber gloves to handle the food that you just put out for the animals? Judd asked. "We asked if we would find any other substance in this chicken, and she said, 'Just my special seasoning.' Well, her special seasoning was phorate."
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Laboratories Confirm Insecticide in Necropsy
Judd reported that the veterinary pathology department at the University of Florida, along with laboratories at Texas A&M and Michigan State universities, examined samples from the white Styrofoam bowl of chicken that contained Knighten's special seasoning as well as tissues taken from the pets during their necropsies and the ant bait.
The chemical analysis confirmed that the pets had consumed phorate, a pesticide found in insecticides, which matched the sample from the laced canned chicken in the bowl. The doctors stated that phorate caused the animals to suffer.
Furthermore, Judd noted that there was no excuse for what Knighten had done, and there were other ways to deal with the conflict, even if she was upset with the pets. She added that Knighten still chose to do a criminal act.
Knighten was also accused of one count of placing poison in a public place in addition to the three charges of animal cruelty. Knighten's criminal history includes an arrest in September 2013 for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
