Monica Keasler, a Texas resident who became the most hated woman on the internet after social media users accused her of reporting Peanut The Squirrel to the Department of Environment Conservation Office (DEC), finally broke her silence in a podcast interview. Keasler cited DEC documents that proved she was innocent of the allegations spurred by social media and addressed the barrage of death threats hurled at her family.
Addressing the hateful comments, including one that said she should be “beheaded in front of her children,” Keasler said:
“It’s been harrowing.”
Last week, Monica Keasler’s name began to trend online after she was named as the person responsible for calling the New York State Department of Environment Conservation Office to report the famous TikTok and Instagram squirrel, named Peanut and the racoon Fred. Mark Longo, the owner of the pets, also shared a post identifying Keasler as a tipster and threatened legal action.
Longo shared the post after several social media users alleged Keasler confessed to reporting Peanut the Squirrel before taking down the post and deleting the social media account. As netizens demanded proof of the said confession, a fake TikTok account purporting to be Monica Keasler emerged online. The fake account included only one post alleging Keasler reported the animals to DEC.
However, after the post was proven to be fabricated, Longo, in a video, implored fans to stop spreading misinformation. He also urged netizens to cease the hateful comments directed at anybody accused of reporting Peanut the Squirrel. However, despite the plea, social media users continued to drag Keasler and her family, prompting the mom of two to file an open records request with DEC to prove she’s innocent.
The record was shared by the social media account, Amuse. In the document, the DEC clearly stated Keasler was not involved in the seizure of “wildlife” from a residence in Pine City, New York, on October 30, 2024. Here’s the response from DEC to Kealser’s open records request:
“Please be advised that a diligent search of the files maintained by DEC produced no responsive records. There are no records with your name (Monica Keasler) or any mention of involvement by you, relating to the seizure of wildlife form from a residence in Pine City, New York.”
Monica Keasler explains her involvement in Peanut the Squirrel scandal
After receiving a response from DEC exonerating her of the Peanut the Squirrel accusation, Monica Keasler, along with her Attorney Bill Price appeared on the iHeart podcast Monica VERONICA LIVE, where she addressed the intense hate directed toward her and her family. Keasler explained how she was caught up in the Peanut the Squirrel euthanization scandal.
Monica Keasler revealed her family were fans of internet sensation Peanut the Squirrel, who they followed on social media for years before the incident. Keasler said her family had a “good cry” after they discovered online the animals were seized from Longo’s home. Keasler revealed as she kept scrolling for more information, she found a post from a “lady” in a group saying Longo "should have known better and that they had wild animals in their home illegally and they were monetizing them and that it was all wrong.”
As Monica Keasler was about to reveal more, her lawyer, Bill Price, stepped in saying, “Let’s not do to them what’s been done to you,” suggesting the accusation stemmed from the “lady,” who slammed Longo for housing the pets in the social media group. Keasler said she was wrongfully named after she commented on the post of the individual, who initially slammed Longo, saying this person might have reached out to the DEC. She noted:
“It was payback.”
Keasler did not divulge further details about the individual. However, she said she was exonerated by DEC after she filed a Freedom of Information Act request, asking for records that would prove she had no involvement in reporting Peanut the Squirrel.
Keasler’s lawyer, Bill Price, said he has also filed a FOIA request for all complaints and records related to Mark Longo and Peanut the Squirrel. Price added:
Trending
“Monica does deserve to know who did this, who the real culprit is and we’re gonna get to the button of that.”
Price said he would share the records with the owner of the euthanized pets.
Reply
