St. Petersburg, Florida -- The man accused of throwing his 5-year-old daughter, Phoebe Jonchuck, off the Sunshine Skyway Bridge approach last week is set to appear in circuit court this afternoon.
When he first went before a judge in this case on Friday, 25-year-old John Jonchuck denied the right to a public defender and said he wanted to "leave it in the hands of God."
The judge replied that God would not be representing him in this case, and Jonchuck agreed to have representation, so long as the lawyer is what he described as "pure and good and not evil."
Prior to Jonchuck's court appearance, the Department of Children and Families spoke with the media, as journalists try to figure out why Jonchuck was not taken in under the Baker Act, and what further changes the department will be implementing to prevent another child's life from being taken.
Genevieve Torres, a family law attorney who met with Jonchuck just one day before Phoebe was killed, said she called 911 and the DCF abuse hotline to report suspicious behavior. She said she felt the child's life was in danger and wanted officials to intervene.
"Just know that I made two different phone calls that day," Torres said on Thursday. "One in the morning to law enforcement and one in the afternoon to the abuse hotline. And she's not here anymore."
VIDEO: DCF talks about changes after Phoebe's death
Visitation for Phoebe will take place on Tuesday, and she will be laid to rest on Wednesday. If you would like to send flowers, please click here for more information.
Full Coverage:
- Officer watches in horror as man drops daughter off bridge
- Family friend shocked by what happened
- Mom never thought Phoebe was in danger
- Priest: Father in bridge death sought baptism
- Students in Eckerd search program found girl's body
- Friends remember Phoebe Jonchuck with memorial
- Police look for info leading up to Phoebe's death
