Teen accused of fatally poisoning classmate’s goat in livestock competition

Girl, 17, reportedly confessed to the poisoning, telling police she ‘doesn’t like cheaters,’ but it wasn’t immediately why she believed cheating was involved

A Texas teen stands accused of having poisoned her classmate’s show goat (Screenshot / KENS 5)

A 17-year-old in Texas has been accused of killing her classmate’s show goat. The teen reportedly told police that she “does not like cheaters.”

She was detained in late November and charged with cruelty to livestock, Williamson County court records show. She was released that same day on a $5,000 bond.

The charge is a state jail felony and carries a possible sentence of up to two years behind bars and a fine of as much as $10,000, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

Surveillance footage from Vista Ridge High School in Cedar Park shows the incident, which took place on October 23, an arrest affidavit obtained by the Austin-American Statesman revealed.

The footage shows a female student leaving the storage area at the school’s Future Farmers of America barn. The student was holding a syringe as she entered the goat pen, straddling the goat, and pushing the syringe into the animal’s mouth three times.

She left the barn but not before returning twice a day to take photos and a video, according to the Statesman.

The student taking care of the goat, which was called Willie, found him “shaking and convulsing.” The student reached out to her mother, the owner of the goat. The mother got to the barn that same day and took the goat to a veterinarian, who was unable to determine why Willie was unwell.

The student heard the goat “bellowing in pain” on October 24 at the barn, and Willie shortly died in her arms, the Statesman reported.

The affidavit revealed that Willie was poisoned using phosmet, an insecticide typically used on fruit crops.

After authorities found the student responsible for the poisoning, she confessed on October 29, officals said. The teen said that the student taking care of the goat was a “cheater” and that she “does not like cheaters.” She did not detail how she believed the competitor was cheating.

She noted that the October 23 incident was her second poisoning attempt after she had initially tried to poison Willie three days earlier. Investigators found searches on her phone for how to poison pets, how much bleach is needed to kill an animal, and how to clear search history, People magazine noted, citing the affidavit.

The Texas Future Farmers of America said in a statement that its programs teach leadership, accountability, and ethics, according to the Express-News. It added that animal welfare and safe handling practices are taught via supervised agricultural experiences, in which students can get agricultural training.

“Members are encouraged to demonstrate ethical behavior in all activities, from competitions to community service,” the organization said, according to the Express-News. “Texas FFA does not condone any behavior that compromises ethical standards, animal welfare, or the integrity of its programs.”