Local

Judge denies bail for Lake County man accused of drowning toddler

A 38-year-old Lake County man who is accused of drowning his 17-month-old daughter Monday in a bathtub at their home near Lady Lake was denied bail by a judge Tuesday, the State Attorney's Office said.
Jeremy Main is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his daughter, Makenzie Main.
The girl's mother called the Ocala Police Department at about 9:30 a.m. Monday to report that her husband had called her at work to say that he had drowned their daughter, the Lake County Sheriff's Office said.
Main. a stay at home dad, told his wife that he killed their daughter because they were getting a divorce, investigators said.
%INLINE%%INLINE%
Lake County deputies said they broke into the family's home on Redbud Road near French and Lake Griffin roads, where they found Makenzie's body in a bath tub.
Investigators said Main surrendered at the Sumter County Sheriff's Office. They said he was bloodied because he tried to injure himself.
"I killed my daughter and failed to kill myself," Main told investigators when he walked into the jail.
Deputies said the couple's two teenage children were at school during the drowning.
Main told investigators he ruined his life and then asked for an attorney, deputies said.
Main’s wife took to Facebook to write about what she and her family are going through.
In the post, she thanks everyone for their love and support, but said she’s not ready to talk about what happened.
She said it’s a constant stream of tears and emotions, and ended the post with a message for her daughter that said, “I will always love you, my sweet forever baby Makenzie Moira Main.”
The post included what she said was the last picture taken of her daughter.
“For someone to be able to do something like that is just mind-boggling,” Jones said. “Twenty years on this job, and it’s hard to believe a person can lose their humanity and do something like this.”
Candace Pailer, who has been neighbors with the family since 2005, said she felt distraught upon learning of Makenzie's death.

TAVARES, Fla. — %

INLINE

%%

INLINE

%

"She was sweet and smiled. I just couldn't believe this," Pailer said. "I don't think I'll ever get over this, and I don't think I will ever understand."
Neighbor Joe Washburn said the death is disturbing.
"That's just heartbreaking, sickening," Washburn said. "There's no excuse for it."
Main doesn't have a previous criminal history. His next court hearing is scheduled for Nov. 6.