Girl dies after being thrown from bridge
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Witnesses reported seeing a man throw the child off the bridge. (AAP: Andrew Henshaw)
A four-year-old girl has died after being thrown from the Westgate Bridge in Melbourne and her father has been charged with one count of murder.
The 35-year-old Hawthorn man was arrested after the child's body was dragged from the Yarra River about 9.15am (AEDT).
Police say witnesses reported seeing a man stop his white Landcruiser near the top of the bridge and throw the child over the side.
About 10 minutes later water police pulled the girl from the river near the Scienceworks Technology Museum, close to the Spotswood pumping station.
Paramedics then spent 45 minutes trying to revive her on the riverbank. She was flown to the Royal Children's Hospital, where she later died.
The girl's father, who was in the Family Court yesterday, was later arrested outside the court in the city. He was charged and will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court later today.
It is understood the parents of the child had reached an agreement about custody.
Police say the man who was arrested was with two other children, aged six and eight, and was visibly distressed.
Detective Inspector Steve Clark says the two children are with police and the mother of the dead girl has been informed.
"It's a dreadful set of circumstances, and often you think you've seen it all but you haven't," Det Insp Clark said.
"It's particularly distressing obviously for family members but for the witnesses who saw what occurred, a number of those people are upset and I've got a number of police here who have young children themselves, who have had to deal with it."
Police want witnesses to the incident to contact them.
Victorian Premier John Brumby says the incident is a terrible tragedy.
"It's such a horrible thing to happen to the child," he said.
"As a father I think, what are the circumstances that could possibly bring this about?
"I just shuddered when I heard about it, I think every Victorian, you just shudder, you just think, how can that happen?"
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