SYDNEY — The bodies of a 47-year-old man and a six-year-old girl were recovered from the Parramatta River in Sydney on Saturday. Police located a suicide note following the recovery of the bodies.

NSW police believe the six-year-old girl's death was an act of domestic violence. Police suspect the man deliberately threw the girl into the water from a hired boat, according to evidence collected during the investigation.

Officers were dispatched to Hen and Chicken Bay at Concord at approximately 11:45 a.m. on Saturday after receiving a report of a floating body. Police used a vessel owned by a member of the public to retrieve the 47-year-old man from the water, but rescue personnel were unable to revive him.

A search for the girl lasted several hours before her body was recovered. Police utilized CCTV footage from a nearby residence to assist divers in locating the girl's body. The girl's mother was notified of the incident and remained present during the search.

NSW police marine area commander Joe McNulty said, "We have uncovered a suicide note and some other evidence drawing us to this conclusion." He added, "It just didn't stack up."

The man had no prior contact with police or a recorded history of domestic violence. Lifejackets were found on board the boat, but they had not been worn. A friend of the man contacted police an hour after his body was located, reporting concerns for the man and his daughter. The girl was the couple's only child.

McNulty described the investigation as complex and added that police were providing support to the mother.