The Department of Children and Families admits it took not one, but two calls from the Child Abuse Hotline about John Jonchuck prior to his 5-year-old daughter’s death.
Investigators did not respond to either call for help.
The first phone call happened December 29th, 2014. A caller told an operator he or she was worried about Phoebe Jonchuck’s wellbeing.
The operator did open a report, but failed to get Jonchuck’s address. Instead of moving forward with the case, it was mistakenly dropped, according to the new report.
The second call came a week later from Jonchuck’s lawyer.
“I’m worried he’s out of his mind,” she told child abuse investigators.
She said the 26-year-old was acting delusional, talking about angels appearing, saying he was God, and carrying around a Swedish bible.
His lawyer said Jonchuck showed up in his pajamas and talked about needing to go to church to restore his faith in mankind.
The operator returned to the phone to say it did not fall under state guidelines to open an investigation.
Hours later, police say Jonchuck threw his young daughter over a bridge to her death.
DCF has changed policies since the tragedy. Now, if someone reports a parent or caregiver with mental instability, an investigator must be dispatched within four hours.
Jonchuck is charged with first-degree murder.