LAKELAND, Florida – A licensed practical nurse in Florida is facing charges of animal cruelty and depositing poison in a public area. Tamesha Knighten has been arrested for allegedly poisoning her neighbors’ pets, leading to their untimely deaths. The incident has sparked outrage within the community, and the nurse now faces significant legal consequences for her actions.

The investigation into this unsettling case began when the pets died within hours of each other, all showing signs of difficulty breathing, choking, and foaming at the mouth. Surveillance footage revealed Knighten with a white foam bowl containing a toxic substance, and subsequent tests confirmed the presence of poison in tissue samples extracted from the pets.

Further evidence revealed that Knighten had previously threatened to poison the pets and was seen pacing in her yard along the shared fence line on the day the pets died. A chemical analysis of the laced canned chicken found in the bowl matched the poison ingested by the pets, which was identified as Phorate, a pesticide often found in insecticides.

Knighten now faces three felony counts of animal cruelty and one count of depositing poison in a public area. The Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd has questioned how a licensed nurse could be involved in such cruel actions. Knighten, who has a previous arrest for aggravated battery, has been booked into the Polk County Jail.

This shocking case of animal cruelty in Florida has not only brought legal consequences for the nurse but has also sparked outrage and concern within the community. As the investigation continues, residents hope for justice for the innocent pets tragically affected by this case of cold-hearted poisoning.