CITRA, Fla. – Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against a Marion County man accused of beating his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter to death.
Jeroen Coombs, 32, faces two charges for which prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty.
Coombs has pleaded not guilty. He is also now charged with sexual battery on a child under the age of 12, on top of existing charges of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. It is unclear whether the new sexual battery charge involves the toddler or another child.
According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Paisley Brown was found unresponsive at a Marion County home in February. She was transported to a hospital, where she later died.
Brown had been left home alone with Coombs and later admitted to hitting the girl several times, deputies said.
Paisley’s mother, Jennifer Kendrick, was also arrested and is facing charges. Investigators say Kendrick knew about the abuse and did not attempt to stop it.