A FATHER has died after jumping in front of an oncoming subway train while holding his five-year-old daughter in an attempt to take his own life.

The child escaped with injuries from the incident which shocked onlookers in front of the No. 4 train in the Bronx, New York, on Monday morning.

The unidentified man jumped onto the tracks around 8am at the elevated Kingsbridge Road station in the Kingsbridge Heights area, authorities said.

The 45-year-old man, whose identity has not been yet released, leaped in front of a southbound train with his daughter in his arms before horrified onlookers.

Emergency responders pronounced the man dead at the scene, while his daughter was rushed to New York's Jacobi Medical Center with minor injuries.

The child’s mother met the girl at the hospital, police sources said.

Witness Jennifer Hub, 40, said the father “had the child in his arms when he jumped on the tracks as the train was coming.”

Ms Hub, a mother-of-four, said that she was headed home after dropping her six-year-old off at school when the grisly incident unfolded.

“There was at least 20, 30 people screaming” Ms Hub said.

She added: “I watched as that train came around that corner and I saw as the man jumped and I see the little feet hanging out.”

Two Good Samaritans suffered minor injuries when they jumped down onto the tracks and tried to help the little girl after the train had come to a stop, police said.

“My theory is that the little girl was under the train and small enough she could roll because she only has a few abrasions on her forehead and arm,” Hub said.

Hub said it “hurt her as a mother” to witness the incident.

“I have a 6-year-old, a 12-year-old, a 14-year-old, a 22-year-old,” she said.

Police said the two Good Samaritans were taken to St. Barnabas Hospital for treatment.

YOU'RE NOT ALONE

EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.

It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.

It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.

And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.

Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.

That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign.

The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.

Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You're Not Alone.

If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:

• CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
• Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
• Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
• Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
• Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123
• Movember, www.uk.movember.com

Suicide/mental health blob:

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