Tamesha Knighten, a nurse in Lakeland, Florida, was arrested after allegedly poisoning her neighbor’s pets. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives reported that Knighten was accused of allegedly fatally poisoning two pet cats and a pregnant Chihuahua on August 16, 2023. She also reportedly killed eight puppies in the Chihuahua's womb.This came after Knighten reportedly threatened to harm the animals if they didn't stay out of her yard. She was arrested on Wednesday and was charged with three counts of animal cruelty and one count of depositing poison in public.Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd in Florida recounted the alleged crime scene during a press conference, and as per WFLA, he said:"We saw that one of them was in horrific distress, others had already died."Florida woman charged for allegedly poisoning petsThe investigation into Tamesha Knighten's alleged actions began when officials looked into the deaths of two cats, Luna and Pancake. Both cats died within hours of each other. They were choking, foaming at the mouth, and had endured severe pain, according to the New York Post.Luna and Pancake's owners later discovered that their pregnant 4-year-old dog, Daisy, was missing. They initiated a search for the dog in Florida. However, by the time they located her, she had already died.The owners of the deceased animals told authorities that Tamesha Knighten had previously reportedly issued threats to poison their pets if they kept entering her yard, as per the New York Post. Moreover, they reported witnessing Knighten pacing in her yard on the day their pets tragically passed away.As the investigation unfolded, Knighten disclosed to authorities that she had placed ant bait around her air conditioning unit. She justified that the bait was intended to eliminate ants that were infiltrating her unit.During their search around Tamesha Knighten's air conditioning unit, detectives made a troubling discovery: a white Styrofoam bowl containing a mixture of what appeared to be a "meaty substance" combined with a dark material, as per ABC7.When questioned about the same, Knighten initially denied owning any Styrofoam bowls. However, a subsequent search of her home uncovered a package of Styrofoam bowls in her pantry. At that point, Knighten changed her statement, acknowledging the presence of the bowls by stating, "Oh, I guess I do have them."According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, Tamesha Knighten was reportedly captured on her home surveillance camera in Florida wearing rubber gloves while carrying a bowl containing chicken strips mixed with what she referred to as her "special seasoning" into her yard. She allegedly intended to feed the same to the animals in her neighborhood.Samples were collected from the bowl used to feed the animals and from the deceased pets. The tests showed that Phorate, a pesticide often used in insecticides, was present in the samples, as confirmed by officials.Sheriff Grady Judd highlighted that his animal cruelty investigative unit collaborated with the University of Florida, Texas A&M, and Michigan State University to identify the poison and trace it back to the pets. Together, they worked to find out what was used to reportedly poison the animals, and they confirmed that Phorate was present in both the bowl and the animals that had died.Sheriff Grady Judd made a strong statement, as per the New York Post, saying:"Do not ever poison innocent animals. Unless, of course, you want to go to jail as well."Sheriff Judd continued:"These people lost their beloved pets in a most horrific way, and she lost her freedom by going to jail. It takes a cold-hearted person to poison and kill two cats and a pregnant dog – it’s hard to imagine how a person in the medical field could do such a thing."Knighten, a licensed practical nurse, was charged with three counts of animal cruelty and one count of depositing poison in public. She was then held at Polk County Jail, Florida, and further details about the case are currently awaited.