Fla. man accused of throwing his 5-year-old daughter off bridge

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Phoebe Jonchuck, the 5-year-old girl who police say was thrown from a bridge today by her father, had long curly hair, a wide smile and loved princesses. She hated baths and water, making her death even more gut-wrenching.

Her parents, John 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.

An attorney who had represented Jonchuck in the past reported him to police and child welfare workers on Wednesday, though it wasn't immediately clear why. 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."

Jonchuck was arrested shortly after he threw his daughter and was in jail facing a first-degree murder charge, police said.