JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 5-year-old died Thursday night during a pursuit of a kidnapping suspect after a vehicle drove into a retention pond off I-95 near the State Road 9B exit, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said.
According to News 6 partner WJXT-TV, Officer Christian Hancock, of the sheriff’s office, said police got word of a reported kidnapping in progress just after 7:30 p.m. Thursday on the city’s Northside.
As officers were in route to the call, Hancock said, an officer came up to the suspect vehicle. He noted that the suspect and the 5-year-old girl were known to each other.
“As the officer turned to approach the vehicle from behind, the suspect sped off, obviously seeing the officer, and a pursuit began at that point as we were responding to a kidnapping in progress with an armed suspect,” Hancock said.
Hancock said the pursuit lasted from Dunn Avenue and Biscayne Boulevard, got up on I-95 south, proceeded through Jacksonville over the Fuller Warren Bridge and ended up near the exit for 9B -- approximately 30 miles.
A News4JAX employee was traveling southbound on I-95 when their dash camera captured a vehicle traveling on the shoulder at a high rate of speed. Several police cruisers appeared to be pursuing the SUV.
The video below was taken near the Old St. Augustine Road exit — just a few miles away from the scene of the crash.
“The driver was able to maintain until we got to this point, at which time she attempted to exit 9B,” Hancock said, which is when the driver drove off the ramp and into the pond.
According to Hancock, numerous officers got out of their vehicles and went into the water, where the suspect was apprehended. He said the child was not immediately located. The fire department came out to help locate the child.
“The child was, unfortunately, located at the bottom of the pond, deceased,” Hancock said.
He added, “At this time, the suspect will be arrested for charges stemming from this incident, at least to include traffic homicide and a couple of others.”
Hancock said additional charges will likely be pending.