ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - The man accused of throwing his 5-year-old daughter off a bridge early Thursday had been acting strangely hours before, calling his attorney "God" and asking her to translate a Bible in Swedish, according to sheriff's documents.
Attorney Genevieve Torres said she met with John Jonchuck on Wednesday to discuss the custody case for his 5-year-old daughter, Phoebe, who was found dead in Tampa Bay after police said he tossed her into the water.
Torres was so worried about Jonchuck and Phoebe that she reported the odd statements to police. They interviewed Jonchuck and his daughter as he was picking her up from a church day care and both appeared to be in good health. Jonchuck said he didn't want to harm himself or anyone else, the documents said.
"She was smiling and appeared healthy, properly clothed and happy," according to the documents.
A little more than twelve hours later, police said Jonchuck threw his daughter over a bridge.
Phoebe had long curly hair, a wide smile and loved princesses. She hated baths and water, making her death even more gut-wrenching.
Her parents, Jonchuck and Michelle Kerr, were together for six tumultuous years, and police were called numerous times for domestic violence-related complaints. Both had arrest records.
Jonchuck had custody of Phoebe.
"I always saw him as a good dad," Kerr said. "She would always say, "I love you daddy.' She loved her dad."