Father accused of throwing girl, 4, off West Gate Bridge

A FATHER of three has been charged with the murder of his four-year-old daughter by allegedly throwing her off the West Gate Bridge.

A FATHER of three has been charged with the murder of his four-year-old daughter by allegedly throwing her off Melbourne's West Gate Bridge this morning.

Darcy Freeman, who fell more than 50m and was resuscitated at the scene, died in hospital from her critical injuries at 1.35pm.

Her 35-year-old father, Arthur Philip Freeman of Hawthorn, has been charged with her murder and is due to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court later this afternoon.

Witnesses on the bridge at about 9.30am said a driver stopped his car, pulled a child from the car and tossed her over a guard railing before speeding off.

The father was arrested outside the Commonwealth Law Courts building in Melbourne's CBD at about 10.30am.

He reportedly arrived at the court on the corner of Latrobe St and William St with two other young children, believed to be his sons.

Witnesses told The Australian the man went to the court building with the children.

One witness said the man was in a distressed state and asked a security officer: "Can you take my kids for me, mate?''

Shortly afterwards, a woman, reportedly the mother of the children, arrived at the building and took them away. The man was arrested and led away in handcuffs.

A White Toyota Landcruiser seen by witnesses on the bridge was nearby, and court staff had "put two and two together", Homicide Squad leader Detective Inspector Stephen Clark alleged.

Alarm about the whereabouts of the children was raised this morning when the father failed to drop them at childcare and schools this morning.

The two other children were believed to be in the car at the time of the alleged bridge incident, police said. They are now with their mother Peta Jane Freeman, 39, and police at the Homicide Squad headquarters in St Kilda Road.

In a media conference, Detective Inspector Clark alleged the man on the bridge had "got straight out of the car, taken the young girl and walked to the edge of the bridge... and dropped her over the side of the bridge".

Acting Sergeant Wendy Willingham from Victoria Police said a police marine unit found the girl about 9.30am near the Spotswood pumping station after witnesses raised the alarm.