Man Binds Girlfriend’s 3-Year-Old Daughter Before Fatally Assaulting Her, Deputies Say

A man from Florida was arrested and accused of aggravated child abuse after allegedly abusing and killing his girlfriend's three-year-old-daughter on February 19. The man, Jeroen Jarrel Coombs, allegedly used a rope and tape to tie the child so she would not remove her diaper. Authorities said he then punched her and dropped her on the floor, resulting in her death.

Deputies identified the suspect as 32-year-old Jeroen Jarrell Coombs, who was watching his girlfriend's daughter, Paisley Brown, when the incident occurred on February 19.

According to the Marion County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a call around 12 p.m. on February 19. Officers arrived at a home near Ocala, located in the 16500 block of NE 44th Avenue. The call involved an unresponsive child who was rushed to the hospital by paramedics, where she was pronounced dead.

Deputies learned that Coombs was responsible for harming Paisley, the three-year-old child.

A press release from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said deputies determined after taking Coombs into custody that he abused the child, resulting in her death.

According to deputies, Coombs called his girlfriend instead of 911 to inform about Paisley. The call was made just before 11 a.m. on February 19 ,when he informed Paisley's mother that the 3-year-old was unresponsive. Deputies said no one dialed 911 for about 40 minutes after the call.

After deputies confronted him about the bruising and the ligature marks, he finally confessed, authorities said. According to deputies, Coombs "admitted to causing the injuries that led to her death."

Authorities said he told them he bound her hands with rope and her leg with painter's tape to prevent her from reaching into her diaper at night.

Authorities said Coombs told investigators he picked Paisley up while she was still bound and dropped her on the floor, leaving her gasping for air. He also confessed to "punching and hitting the girl" before realizing he "took it too far," deputies said. He told authorities he did not call 911 because he was scared.

Authorities are awaiting autopsy results to determine the exact cause and manner of death and whether additional charges will be filed.

Paisley's great-aunt, Tabitha Harless, told WESH (NBC-affiliated) that she owned the trailer where the incident occurred and arrived after the child was injured.

Harless said Coombs was standing still with his hands folded. "When I reached, no one was in real panic. I performed CPR, but in the meantime, I was looking at her and thinking, why is she wet? Where did the bruises come from?" she added.

One of the older siblings informed her about the incident.

Coombs is being held at the Marion County Jail without bond.