Florida | Death penalty sought against Citra man accused of killing 3-year-old

OCALA, Fla. — State prosecutors announced Thursday they will seek the death penalty against a Citra man accused of the 2024 killing of a 3-year-old child, following the filing of a new capital charge.

Jeroen Coombs, 37, appeared in a Marion County courtroom where the state formalized its intent to pursue the execution of the defendant. The notice of intent follows a grand jury indictment that now includes sexual battery on a child under the age of 12.

Coombs was already facing counts of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in connection with the toddler's death.

Court records do not explicitly state whether the supplemental sexual battery charge involves the deceased victim or a separate individual. Under Florida’s current capital sentencing statutes, the presence of certain aggravating factors—including the age of the victim and the commission of a felony such as sexual battery during a homicide—allows the state to seek the highest penalty under the law.

The case has moved through several procedural hurdles since Coombs’ initial arrest. Detectives with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office first responded to a Citra residence after reports of an unresponsive child. Medical examiners later determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma, noting injuries consistent with severe physical abuse.

The defense has filed several discovery motions in recent weeks, seeking access to forensic evidence and witness statements.

With the death penalty now on the table, the trial enters a more complex litigation phase. Florida law requires a unanimous jury recommendation for a death sentence to be imposed, a standard reinstated by the legislature in 2023 for most capital cases, though some specific exceptions for non-unanimous recommendations exist under revised statutes.

Coombs remains held without bond at the Marion County Jail. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for next month, where a firm trial date is expected to be established. Attorneys for Coombs have not yet issued a public statement regarding the newly filed charges.

Source: DPN, Agencies, Staff, AI, April 23, 2026

"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."

— Oscar Wilde

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