On May 7-8, 2022, Joanne Zephir, 36, first went to her estranged husband's apartment and stabbed him after a confrontation about infidelity. She then picked up her two daughters, ages 3 and 8, from her sister's care. While driving, the mother's vehicle ran out of gas. She forced both children to drink bleach mixed with milk and also drank bleach herself. The 3-year-old, Laura Edouard, fell asleep after ingesting the bleach and was also strangled by the mother. Zephir called a family member and confessed to killing the 3-year-old and stated the 8-year-old would also die, after which she would kill herself. All three were found unconscious in Osceola County — the mother and 3-year-old inside the vehicle and the 8-year-old near a road. They were transported to a hospital where the 3-year-old was pronounced dead. The 8-year-old and the father both survived. Zephir claimed she was under a 'voodoo spell' and was subsequently indicted on first-degree murder charges, with the state of Florida seeking the death penalty.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The fatality report states: "the 3-year-old passed away after being made to drink bleach and being strangled, both by the mother." The fox23 article corroborates: "Joanne Zephir admitted to making both of her children drink bleach and choking the youngest to death." The mynbc15 article adds: "forced her two children -- ages 3 and 8 -- to drink bleach before strangling her 3-year-old child to death." Strangling/choking is explicit inflicted injury.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
The fatality report states the mother "drank bleach as well," indicating a suicide attempt. The People article reports that Zephir confessed to killing her younger daughter, stating "the 8-year-old was also going to die, and then she would kill herself." The fox23 article notes all three were found unconscious. This describes a murder-suicide attempt where the mother killed the 3-year-old, attempted to kill the 8-year-old, and attempted to kill herself.
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
The fatality report identifies Joanne Zephir as the mother (biological) and states "the 3-year-old passed away after being made to drink bleach and being strangled, both by the mother." Multiple news sources confirm the mother committed the killing.
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The People article states: "Zephir was originally arrested in May 2022." The fox23 article confirms: "Zephir has been charged with attempted murder and child abuse." The mynbc15 article adds that a grand jury indicted her "on first degree murder with a weapon...attempted first degree murder with a weapon and attempted felony murder with a weapon." The People article further states: "A grand jury indicted Zephir in February on charges of first-degree murder with a weapon, attempted first-degree murder with a weapon and attempted felony murder with a weapon."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The fatality report describes the mother committing domestic violence against her estranged husband (the decedent's father): "The mother asked him about him lying about cheating, which he again denied. The mother then told him to have sex. The father got naked, the mother stabbed him, and she fled the scene." The mynbc15 article confirms: "Joanne Zephir first stabbed her husband and then hours later, forced her two children...to drink bleach."
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
The fox23 article reports: "The woman said she was under a voodoo spell that caused her to harm her children." The mynbc15 article notes: "Zephir blamed the incident on a 'voodoo spell.'" While this is not a clinical mental health reference, the claim of being under a supernatural spell that compelled her to harm her children indirectly references the caregiver's mental state and could suggest a disturbed psychological condition, though the text does not explicitly diagnose or describe a mental health disorder.
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the sources that are not fully addressed by prior questions. The mother, Joanne Zephir, claimed she was under a "voodoo spell" that caused her to harm her children, as reported by the fox23 article and corroborated by the mynbc15 and People articles. The mynbc15 article reports that "The state of Florida is seeking the death penalty" after a grand jury indicted Zephir on capital felony charges of first-degree murder with a weapon. Additionally, the fatality report details that the mother first stabbed the children's father (her estranged husband) before picking up the children and killing the 3-year-old, establishing this as a multi-victim domestic violence event. The People article further notes Zephir was "wanted on charges of attempted murder after allegedly stabbing her husband hours before the incident with her daughters."
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