A father from Lady Lake is accused of drowning his 17-month-old girl in a bathtub on Monday, officials said.
Lake County deputies said that Ocala police received a call about 9:30 a.m. from the child’s mother saying her husband, Jeremy Main, had called her at work and said that he drowned the toddler.
“For someone to be able to do something like that is just mind-boggling,” said Lake County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Fred Jones. “Twenty years in this job, and it’s hard to believe a person can lose their humanity and do something like this.”
When Police officers arrived at the home near Griffin Terrace Drive and Redbud Road, they said they tried to make contact with Main, but ended up having to make forced entry into the home, where they found the girl, McKenzie Main, dead in a bath tub.
Image credit: wftv.com
Deputies said that Main had turned himself in at a police substation. They said that he was covered in blood because he apparently tried to hurt himself.
“(The toddler’s death) does not appear to be an accident based on language he used with the mother,” said Jones.
Neighbor Janice Washburn remembered the little girl as friendly, outgoing and never without a smile.
“She would always smile and wave hi,” Washburn said. “She was just so cute. She was always so happy.”
We just learned that a 17-month-old baby was killed. Deputies say the child’s father is the suspect. #WFTV
— Myrt Price (@MPriceWFTV) October 9, 2017
Officials said that a motive is still unclear, but it may have stemmed from a marital issue between the mother and father.
Image credit: wftv.com
A Neighbor, Joe Washburn, couldn’t believe something like this could happen anywhere, let alone so close to his home.
“That’s just heartbreaking,” he said. “Sickening. There’s no excuse for it.”
They said that Main does not have a criminal history. He and his wife share two other kids, a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old.
Image credit: wftv.com
Main now faces a charge of first-degree murder.
Here’s a picture of Jeremy Main and his 17 month old daughter McKenzie. #WFTV pic.twitter.com/rHBtWNOFae
— Myrt Price (@MPriceWFTV) October 9, 2017
Investigators say the child was found in the bath tub. They say the suspect purposely drowned the toddler. #WFTV
— Myrt Price (@MPriceWFTV) October 9, 2017