A 5-year-old Florida girl was found dead after a St. Petersburg police officer said he witnessed her father throw her off a bridge into Tampa Bay early Thursday.

The incident occurred shortly after midnight when a St. Petersburg police officer spotted a Chrysler PT Cruiser driving at about 100 mph toward the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The officer followed the Chrysler and said that the driver, 25-year-old John Jonchuck Jr., appeared to be waiting near the top of an approach to the bridge, announced St. Petersburg police Chief Anthony Holloway, reports MyFoxTampaBay.

According to the officer, the suspect then opened the passenger door of his vehicle and picked up his daughter, Phoebe, and threw her over the bridge railing into the water. The child fell 62-feet into frigid waters.

Holloway said Jonchuck then got back into his car and continued driving over the bridge. He almost hit one of two officers who were waiting for him on the other side of the bridge while driving away from the scene.

Eventually, Jonchuck was stopped by authorities in Manatee County and taken into custody. A pink car seat was also found in the back of his vehicle.

In the meantime, the officer who witnessed the incident climbed down from the bridge in search of the little girl. Different search crews also assisted in the search.

Phoebe Jonchuck's body was found in the water about an hour and a half later, almost a half-mile away from the bridge, police said. She was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead at 2:44 a.m. Thursday, Tampa Police spokeswoman Yolanda Fernandez told The Associated Press.

Jonchuck is now facing charges of first-degree murder, aggravated fleeing and eluding and aggravated assault with a motor vehicle on a law enforcement officer.

According to Holloway, Jonchuck lived with his parents in Tampa and had custody of the child, reports Reuters. The chief added that he may suffer from mental illness.

The suspect is scheduled to appear in court Thursday afternoon.

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