John Jonchuck Jr. Ruled Incompetent to Stand Trial After Throwing 5-Year-Old Daughter Off Tampa Bay Bridge in Florida
A judge ruled that the Florida father who threw his 5-year-old daughter off a bridge into Tampa Bay last month is not competent to stand trial in her death.
John Jonchuck Jr. appeared in court on Tuesday and was found incompetent to stand trial, reports the Associated Press. His case has been reset for a status check next week on Feb. 17.
Doctors recommend that Jonchuck be admitted to a hospital for six months before his case resumes.
Jonchuck, who has a history of mental health issues, was arrested Jan. 8 after authorities said he dropped his daughter more than 60 feet off a Tampa Bay bridge.
A state task force also released a report that determined the people and agencies meant to help children in need failed to save the little girl.
Last month, a St. Petersburg police officer witnessed Jonchuck throw his daughter, Phoebe, over the railing of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The child was later found dead in the frigid water.
On the day before the tragic incident, Jonchuck's attorney called 911 to report that he came to her office with Phoebe and was acting erratically. According to Genevieve Torres, a lawyer for Family First Law Group, Jonchuck claimed he was God and the creator. He also asked her to read the Bible in Swedish.
"He's nuts," Torres told the 911 dispatcher, reports USA Today. "He's out of his mind, and he has a minor child with him [and is] driving to a church now. I should have kept the child (here). I was supposed to file his paperwork for a case. And he's like, 'Well, don't file the paperwork. It's not going to matter anymore.'"
After leaving the attorney's office, Jonchuck sporadically met with a priest seeking baptism.
"He called for an appointment and came to see me," Father Bill Swengros of St. Paul's Catholic Church told WTSP.
Swengros added that Jonchuck also brought along his young daughter.
"For a 5-year-old, she seemed bright, amiable, and self-confident," Swengros said.
Jonchuck admitted to the priest that he had mental issues, but that "wasn't presently under medication," Swengros said.
"He was anxious, agitated but not threatening in any way," he added.
During their meeting, law enforcement agents arrived to question Jonchuck. However, they did not bring him into custody because he did not appear to be a threat.
"He didn't seem to be in a danger to anyone else or himself," said Swengros.
Hours later, Jonchuck return to the church demanding that Swengros baptize him immediately.
"He came back one or two hours later, a little more agitated, wanted to be baptized right away. He brought his mother with him, and I said we don't do that and said he may find another church," said Swengros.
Following the bridge incident, the mother of Phoebe Jonchuck, Michelle Kerr, told FOX 13 that she had a history of domestic issues with him.
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