Police: Dad tossed daughter off bridge

MELBOURNE, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- A man accused of killing his 4-year-old daughter by throwing her off a 17-story tall bridge Thursday was too upset to appear in court, Australian police said.

Arthur Phillip Freeman was in "acute psychological distress" and a forensic psychiatrist said he could be suicidal, Acting Detective Sgt. Damian Jackson told the Melbourne Magistrates Court.

Judge Lance Martin ordered Freeman to remain in custody until May 21.

Freeman, 35, was charged with murder for allegedly throwing Darcey Iris Freeman into Melbourne's Yarra River from the West Gate Bridge Thursday morning.

Darcy was resuscitated, but died in a hospital at 1:35 p.m., authorities said.

Police gave no motive for the alleged killing.

Witnesses said a man matching Freeman's description drove a Toyota Land Cruiser to the bridge's highest point, stopped his car and walked to the rear passenger door, The Canberra Times reported. He leaned over two boys in the back seat and unbuckled a girl, the witnesses said.

He then pulled the girl from the car, "walked to the edge of the bridge ... and dropped her over the side of the bridge" before speeding off, homicide squad leader Detective Inspector Stephen Clark alleged.

Freeman appeared an hour later in a foyer next to the Family Law Court with sons Benjamin, 6, and Jack, 2, clinging to him, the newspaper said.

Police arrested him outside the courthouse around 10:35 a.m.

The boys were given to their mother, Peta Jane Freeman, 39, Freeman's estranged wife, police said.