POINCIANA, FL – In a tragic case that has shocked a Florida community, prosecutors are pushing for capital punishment for a 36-year-old woman implicated in the death of her 3-year-old daughter and the attempted murder of her 8-year-old child. Joanne Zephir, the mother at the center of these allegations, has been formally charged with first-degree murder, with additional counts for attempted murder linked to the bleach poisoning of her two daughters and an attack on her husband.

Authorities responded to a disturbing scene last May where they found Zephir unconscious in a vehicle outside a Poinciana church. Upon further investigation, her lifeless 3-year-old daughter was discovered in the backseat, and her critically injured older daughter was later found on the road nearby. Both children were reportedly forced to ingest bleach, with Zephir also accused of strangling the younger child.

The case took a more sinister turn as the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office divulged that Zephir had contacted a relative confessing to the killing. She expressed a grim intention to end both her daughters’ lives as well as her own. Prior to the horrors involving her children, Zephir is believed to have stabbed her spouse, intensifying her legal jeopardy.

A grand jury indicted Zephir in February after deliberating over the extensive evidence presented by prosecutors. The specific charges against her include first-degree murder with a weapon, attempted first-degree murder with a weapon, and attempted felony murder with a weapon. Her startling defense blamed a so-called “voodoo spell” for her actions, a claim made in the aftermath of the arrests.

The death penalty notice has been formally filed by the Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, reflective of the grave nature of the crime and its impact on the community. Legal proceedings are ongoing, and it remains unconfirmed whether Zephir has entered a plea to the charges contained in the indictment.

This case is one among a tragically growing number of filicides, which often leave communities in disbelief and mourning. The debate on the aggravating factors that could warrant the death penalty continues to evoke diverse opinions, but this case is notably marked by the severity of the allegations. Observers and legal experts alike will be watching closely as the State of Florida prosecutes this heart-wrenching case, with the potential for the ultimate punishment hanging in the balance.