Father of Emma Sweet charged with 2 felonies days after her body found in White River In Columbus

Being held on a $1.2 million bond or 10 percent cash.

COLUMBUS, Ind. — Police confirmed that Jeremy Sweet has been charged with two felonies stemming from the death of his 2-year-old daughter who was found in White River on Sunday.

Jeremy Sweet, 39, of Columbus is charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death; a Level 1 felony and unlawful possession of a syringe, a Level 6 felony.

Police said Sweet is currently being held on a $1.2 million bond or 10 percent cash.

Jeremey Sweet and his 2-year-old daughter Emma Sweet were originally reported missing on Thanksgiving Day by the young child’s mother.

On Friday morning, duck hunters found Sweet’s truck submerged in the east fork of the White River in Bartholomew County. Sweet was found inside the truck but Emma was nowhere to be found.

Sweet was transported to the hospital to be treated for exposure to hypothermia and an intensive search for Emma was launched by multiple agencies.

According to Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers, Sweet originally provided investigators with multiple stories of what had occurred and stated, “none of them match.”

A diver found Emma’s body on Sunday two and a half miles downstream from where Sweet’s vehicle had been located.

Jeremy Sweet was placed on a 72-hour hold with no bond while authorities investigated the circumstances of the crash into the river.

According to court documents, detectives spoke again with Sweet on Monday, the day after his daughter’s body was found. Police reported that during the interview Sweet admitted to using methamphetamine and marijuana on Nov. 24, the last day Emma’s mother reported seeing both Jeremy and her daughter.

An arrest warrant was issued on Wednesday and the felony charges against Sweet were filed.

Court records indict an autopsy of Emma Sweet could not determine whether hypothermia or drowning was her cause of death.