Police Investigate Suspected Murder-Suicide After Bodies of Father and Daughter Recovered in Sydney Bay

Police in Sydney are treating the deaths of a man and his young daughter as a suspected murder-suicide, after both bodies were recovered from a bay in the city's inner west on Saturday. The discovery has prompted a domestic violence investigation, with authorities confirming a suicide note has been located.

Emergency services were called to Bayview Park in Concord, on the Parramatta River, at about 11:45am on Saturday after reports of a man's body floating in the water. According to NSW Police, the man, aged in his 40s, had been seen earlier that morning in a small boat with his six-year-old daughter. The boat was later found unattended and adrift in the bay.

A search for the child was launched immediately, involving marine area command, police divers and aviation units. The girl's body was recovered later that afternoon. Police said the man's body was retrieved from the water with the help of a boat owned by a member of the public, but attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.

Superintendent Christine McDonald, from Burwood Police Area Command, confirmed that domestic violence is a "definite line of inquiry" in the case. She described the incident as "an absolute tragedy for the family and for the community on every level." A suicide note has been found, according to police, though investigators are still working to understand the circumstances leading up to the deaths.

Police also revealed that officers had received a separate call on the day of the incident from a friend of the man, who expressed concerns for the welfare of both the man and the child. The man had hired the boat from a local vessel hire company. Authorities noted that life jackets were on board the boat but had not been used, which Superintendent Joe McNulty, from the marine area command, said "just didn't stack up."

The girl's mother was notified of the incident and was present during the search for her daughter. She is being assisted by police support services. Superintendent McDonald said the mother was "rocked to the core" by the loss of her child, who was described as the couple's only child.

The homicide squad is now involved in the investigation, and a report will be prepared for the coroner. The man's body has not yet been formally identified, and the investigation is ongoing.

Community members in Concord have expressed shock and sorrow over the incident. Local resident Graham Aston told reporters, "Such a young life and had a world ahead of her — it's just a tragedy."

Authorities have urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward as the investigation continues.