According to reports, a mother is slated to face the death penalty for the heinous act of strangling her 3-year-old daughter and attempting to murder her 8-year-old sister by forcing them to drink bleach, moments after stabbing their father. Shockingly, the parent has attributed her actions to a supposed voodoo spell, as the case advances to trial. The mother, identified as Joanie, is set to stand trial for the murder of her 3-year-old daughter, as well as the attempted murder of her 8-year-old daughter and the attempted murder of their father.
Prosecutors have signaled their intent to pursue the death penalty in this disturbing case. This legal proceeding comes after Joanie was deemed fit to stand trial following a psychological assessment conducted in December, as documented in court records. In February, a grand jury indicted Joanie on charges of first-degree murder with a weapon, as well as attempted first-degree murder with a weapon and attempted murder with a weapon.
Investigators revealed that prior to these tragic events, Joanie was already the subject of an arrest warrant for attempted murder following the stabbing of her husband the day before. According to an arrest affidavit, Joanie had expressed her intention to surrender to deputies but opted to spend time with her children beforehand. Instead of turning herself in, authorities found Joanie outside a church, where she compelled her two children to consume bleach and fatally strangled her 3-year-old daughter. She also attempted to take her own life. Fortunately, her husband and 8-year-old daughter survived the ordeal. Upon investigation, authorities discovered Joanie unconscious in her car near the crime scene, with the lifeless body of her 3-year-old daughter in the vehicle.
In a chilling revelation, Joanie claimed to law enforcement that she was under the influence of a ‘voodoo’ spell, which allegedly drove her to harm her own children. The decision to pursue the death penalty was based on various factors, including Joanie’s custodial relationship with the victim and the victim’s age being under twelve, according to the prosecuting office. The upcoming trial will undoubtedly shed further light on this tragic and deeply disturbing case, leaving many grappling with questions of motive and the devastating impact of such senseless violence within a family.
