ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.,None — A 13-year-old girl was adopted by an Orange County family only to end up arrested for allegedly trying to poison her adoptive mother, brother and sister. Deputies say she had been trying to kill her adoptive mother for an entire year.
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The 13-year-old was arrested and brought to the juvenile assessment center earlier this week. She is charged with poisoning everyone in the family that adopted her, except for the dad.
Michel Pollard allegedly used insecticide to poison her adopted mother, Janet Tinoco, and the family's two biological children, for more than a year. The sheriff's office report says the 7th grader confessed earlier this week when they showed up to arrest her.
"It was such a surprise, because they're such a great family. And Michel seems like such a great girl," neighbor Kellie Wilson said.
Pollard said she sprayed products intended to kill bugs on her adopted mother's food, sometimes mixing it with dog feces and even putting soap in her water at the dinner table.
"You pour out unconditional love to a child and the last think you expect is for them to harm you," Wilson said.
Neighbors in their close-knit southeast Orlando neighborhood said Janet Tinoco only recently found out she and her two children were being poisoned, because she became extremely ill. Tests showed traces of arsenic in her blood and doctors noted her health had deteriorated in the last year.
No one answered at the family's home Friday, but neighbors told WFTV they just received an email from the family detailing what happened and asking for prayers.
WFTV learned the family adopted Pollard from Mexico when she was eight or nine, after her biological mom abandoned her.
"They really wanted her and really went through a lot of trouble," Wilson said.
Because the Tinoco family adopted Pollard from Mexico she can't be deported; she's legally their daughter. And, in spite of the serious charges, in less than 21 days the juvenile legal system is expected to send her home.
WFTV talked to several neighbors who said the family is working to get Pollard help; initially the family didn't want to press charges. A neighbor told WFTV they did it because it was the only way to get her the help she needs.
Investigators said the teen can't be charged with attempted murder, only felony poisoning, because you have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the intention to kill was there.
WFTV
