Teen charged for allegedly poisoning classmate's goat at Vista Ridge High

CEDAR PARK, Texas — A 17-year-old girl faces felony charges after allegedly killing a classmate's show goat with pesticide at Vista Ridge High School, according to an arrest affidavit.

The incident occurred on October 23 at the school's barn facility in Cedar Park, where security footage showed a female student administering a toxic pesticide to a goat using a drench gun, police said. The goat, named Willie, died approximately 21 hours later after experiencing symptoms including convulsions and respiratory distress.

According to the affidavit, the suspect, identified as Aubrey Vanlandingham, confessed to police that she deliberately poisoned the goat because she believed the animal's owner's daughter was "a cheater." Police say Vanlandingham admitted this was her second attempt to poison the animal.

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A necropsy performed by a caprine pathologist confirmed the cause of death as organophosphate intoxication from phosmet, a pesticide commonly used for external parasite control in livestock.

The investigation revealed search history on the suspect's phone including queries about lethal doses of bleach for animals and methods of poisoning pets. She then allegedly searched, "How to clear search history."

Vanlandingham was arrested on November 22 and charged with cruelty to livestock animals, a state jail felony. She was released the same day on a $5,000 bond.