Dad of Baby Girl Found Dead in Motel Bathroom Ruled Incompetent to Stand Trial

The father of a baby girl found dead in a Connecticut motel bathroom in August has been ruled incompetent to stand trial.

Dale Kirkland will return to court in March for another competency hearing after spending 60 days at Whiting Forensic Hospital in Middletown, WVIT reports.

Kirkland was initially charged with risk of injury to a minor and cruelty after the infant was found submerged in a child’s bathing tub in August, as CrimeOnline reported. His charges were upgraded to murder in November.

Kirkland was seen on surveillance video entering the room with the infant at the Mayflower Motel in Milford at about 7 p.m. on August 20 and then leaving at about 8:30 the next morning without the baby girl. Cleaning staff found her that morning, and she was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital, where she died.

In addition to murder, Kirkland is also charged with murder with special circumstances.

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[Featured image: Dale Kirkland/Milford Police Department]