Joanne Zephir: Death penalty sought for mom who forced daughters to drink bleach under ‘voodoo spell’
If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.
POINCIANA, FLORIDA: Florida prosecutors have announced their intent to pursue the death penalty against Joanne Zephir, 38, a mother accused of forcing her young daughters to ingest bleach and subsequently choking one of them to death.
The State's Attorney's office revealed this decision on Tuesday, April 23, marking a significant development in a tragic case.
Joanne Zephir strangled her three-year-old daughter to death
The horrifying incident unfolded on Mother's Day 2022, when Zephir was discovered unconscious in a car alongside her three-year-old and eight-year-old daughters near a church in Poinciana County. Investigations revealed that the suspect had compelled her daughters to consume bleach from a drinking glass before committing the unthinkable act of strangling them.
Tragically, the three-year-old succumbed to the poisoning, while the eight-year-old narrowly survived after being rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention. In a chilling revelation, Zephir reportedly attributed her actions to being under the influence of a 'voodoo' spell, according to statements made to officers following her arrest, Fox 10 reported.
Joanne Zephir's previous attempt to murder husband
Before this devastating event, Zephir was already the subject of an arrest warrant for attempted murder, having allegedly stabbed her husband, who miraculously survived the attack. Details emerged during a press conference held by Sheriff Marcos Lopez, where it was disclosed that the suspect had expressed intentions of surrendering herself to authorities for the stabbing but chose to spend time with her children beforehand.
Tragically, this decision culminated in a harrowing sequence of events that resulted in the loss of innocent lives. According to the Sheriff, she called the family member hours later, confessing to having killed her three-year-old daughter and expressing intentions to harm the eight-year-old as well as herself.
Psychological evaluation deems Joanne Zephir fit to stand trial
Further, despite claims of being under a 'voodoo' spell, Zephir was deemed psychologically fit to stand trial following a thorough evaluation in December, as per court records. Subsequently, she was indicted by a grand jury in February on charges including first-degree murder with a weapon, a capital felony that carries the possibility of the death penalty.
Additional charges of attempted first-degree murder and attempted felony murder, both involving a weapon, were also brought against her. The trial is scheduled to commence on May 7, per Orlando Sentinel.
