Tonya Herding? 17-Year-Old Texas FFA President Poisons Her Rival’s Show Goat, Facing Felony Charge

Maybe the drama in Yellowstone wasn't too far fetched after all... There's a wild story coming out of an Austin, Texas suburb involving a teenager and her rival goat shower in the lead up to an October event that echoes back to the infamous 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships incident, where Tonya Harding and her husband planned and executed an attack on Nancy Kerrigan, the defending champ, which forced her to withdraw, allowing Harding to win and qualify for the 1994 Olympic team. Until recently, it appeared as if 17-year old Aubrey Vanlandingham, a senior at Vista Ridge High School in Cedar Park, had it all figured out. She was a cheerleader and active participant in showmanship events, even recently being elected president of her school's Future Farmer's of America (FFA) chapter, and the lens she portrayed herself through social media made it seem like the world was at her fingertips, but tragically, jealousy and the desire to win at all costs overtook everything else and she now finds herself in a world of legal and social trouble. According to original reporting by the Daily Mail, on October 23rd Vanlandingham began poisoning her rival's 6-month old goat, Willy, by injecting him with phosmet, a pesticide used for parasites, at the school's barn facility. Security camera footage allegedly shows her "forcing a syringe like item into the goat's mouth", which left it screaming in pain and acting funny for the next 21 hours, until it eventually died in her owner's arms, who was just a 15-year old freshman. https://twitter.com/PulseGazette/status/1873958527318056965 In the hours after poisoning the goat, Vanlandingham checked on Willy multiple times, eventually calling the victim's mother to tell her that something was wrong, which I would take as a sign that she began feeling remorse if it wasn't for how she acted when the police began asking questions. Reports say she initially denied the allegations, allegedly telling the cops that she "doesn't like cheaters". However, as evidence began piling up (including the previously mentioned security footage and a harrowing list of Google searches such as "how much bleach kills a goat", "if goats inject bleach do they die", and "poisoning pets, what you should know"), she eventually admitted to poisoning the goat twice in a three-day period, though it seems she still feels nothing even close to sorrow or regret for her actions. Vanlandingham was arrested on November 22nd and taken to the Williamson County Sheriff's Office, where she was charged with torturing an animal, a felony, that carries a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. She was released the same day on a $5,000 bond and her next court appearance is January 15th. She's reportedly been suspended from attending Vista Ridge High School while the legal proceedings unfold. https://twitter.com/Texas4Trump_24/status/1873801970017767734 The attorney for Vanlandingham said the following in a statement: "My minor client and her family are working hard to resolve any legal issues and non-legal issues raised by these allegations, and we are thankful for a judicial process that will let us tell our story" But the family of the 15-year old (who wish to remain anonymous) aren't buying that there's another side to tell. Some of these FFA contests can give out hefty awards for winning, including scholarships, but events entered by the school only carried a $50 top prize, meaning there was really nothing more than jealousy and a "win at all costs" mentality, along with a shocking lack of morals, that spurred her to kill Willy the goat. The owner's mother said: "She's saying it's because of cheating. But from what we've deciphered, she was just really jealous... You can't even cheat when it comes to showing goats. It makes no sense, so that's where the jealousy really kind of falls into place...  They weren't friends, and my daughter is a lot younger, so they didn't really interact at all so that's what's even more bizarre" If nothing else, this is a good reminder to not trust everything you see someone post on social media, because by all accounts she seems like the perfect high schooler, and to check in on your kids and be sure to raise them with actual ethical standards. I'm not saying her parents didn't try, because we know nothing beyond what you've read so far, but it goes to show that you can't just blindly trust children, even those close to 18, to make good choices with no supervision or guidance. I was a high schooler not all that long ago and can clearly remember how small and insulated the world seemed. It's not the most shocking thing in the world that someone could get so wrapped up in their own little bubble that larger consequences never even come to mind or seem feasible, but it's still no excuse for her behavior. Hard to imagine the future that seemed so bright for Aubrey Vanlandingham just a few short months ago holds a whole lot for her now... Can't imagine many colleges or jobs wanting to bring her into their fold given what she's allegedly capable of. Hopefully she comes around, atones for her mistakes, and can find a way to move past this as a better person, but there sure seems to be a long road ahead and I'll keep you all updated as more unfolds. And how about that name? "Vanlandingham?" Sounds more like a Greenwich, Connecticut, friends with the Rockefellers, 1800s oil baron type of old money last name... ya know? Not a goat showing, FFA president in Central Texas. But that's neither here nor there... If you know anything about this story and wish to share, please reach out to me at andrew@whiskeyriff.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZwFk6c477A