A man has been charged with murdering his three-week-old daughter with a crossbow, US authorities have said.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office said a New York man was arrested and charged on suspicion of shooting the baby with a crossbow bolt – apparently while she was in her mother’s arms.

Police and emergency medical workers responded to a 911 call shortly after 5am on Monday and found the injured woman and baby at a home in the town of Colesville.

Patrick Proefriedt had allegedly fired the crossbow after getting into an argument.

The crossbow bolt hit the infant in the torso before injuring the woman’s chest.

Proefriedt, 26, then allegedly tried to stop the 911 call before driving away in a pickup trust, the sheriff’s office spokesperson Emmanuel Priest said.

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Paramedics attempted lifesaving measures on the baby but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

The woman was taken to a hospital for treatment but details of her condition are not yet known.

Police used drones to track down Proefriedt in woods about a mile from the house where his truck became stuck in the mud.

He was arrested on charges including second-degree murder and attempted murder and taken into the custody of the sheriff’s office.

“This is one of the most heartbreaking and senseless crimes committed in this community in recent memory,” Sheriff Fred Akshar said.

“Our thoughts are with the family of this innocent three-week-old girl.”