Prosecutors seek death penalty for Florida mom who forced daughters, three and eight, to drink bleach and choked them to death because she was under 'voo doo'

Florida prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against a mother who forced her young daughters to drink bleach before choking one to death, the State's Attorney's office announced on Tuesday. 

Joanne Zephir was found unconscious in a car with her three-year-old daughter and her eight-year-old daughter nearby on the road near a church in Poinciana County on Mother's Day 2022. 

Zephir, 38, had forced her daughters to drink bleach out of a drinking glass before strangling them. 

The three-year-old died and the eight-year-old survived after being rushed to a local hospital.  

Zephir told officers after her arrest that she was under the influence of a 'voo-doo' spell that had led her to harm her children, Fox 10 reported. 

Joanne Zephir, 38, strangled her three-year-old daughter to death after stabbing her husband and making her daughters drink bleach

Sheriff Marcos Lopez revealed that Zephir claimed she was under a 'voo-doo' spell that made her attack her children 

The mother was already facing an arrest warrant for attempted murder at the time after her husband, who also survived, was stabbed. 

According to a press conference held by Sheriff Marcos Lopez in May 2022, Zephir told a family member that she was going to turn herself into the authorities for stabbing her husband but wished to spend time with her children first. 

Several hours later she phoned the family member and told them she had killed her three-year-old daughter, that the eight-year old was also going to die and that she would also kill herself, according to the Sheriff. 

The 38-year-old was found psychologically competent to stand trial in December after an evaluation, according to court records.  

The 38-year-old was found psychologically competent to stand trial in December after an evaluation

She was indicted by a grand jury in February for first degree murder with a weapon, a capital felony with the option to seek the death penalty, the State's Attorney's office said. 

The office said the decision to seek the harshest punishment was based on several factors including Zephir having custody of the victim and the victim being under twelve.  

She has also been indicted on attempted first-degree murder with a weapon and attempted felony murder with a weapon.  

Zephir will stand trial in Florida beginning on May 7, the Orlando Sentinel reported.