Judge Issues Ruling In Man Accused In Infant's Death At Milford Motel

MILFORD, CT — A Bridgeport man accused in the death of his infant daughter at a Milford motel last year was ruled currently not competent to stand trial, according to Hearst Connecticut Media.

Dale Kirkland, 31, was charged with murder, murder with special circumstances, and risk of injury to a minor.

A judge ruled Tuesday that Kirkland cannot understand the proceedings against him or assist in his defense, Hearst Connecticut Media reported.

Kirkland will be taken to a high-security psychiatric facility in Middletown for 60 days in an effort to restore him to competency. He is due back in court March 4.

Read the full story at Hearst Connecticut Media.

Kirkland was arrested in August after cleaning staff at the Mayflower Motel on Woodmont Road found his 3-month-old daughter unresponsive in his room's bathtub, according to police.

Officers performed CPR on the infant until paramedics arrived and took over life-saving measures. The infant was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital and later declared dead.

The Office of the Medical Examiner then determined the infant's cause of death, completing a final report on the death in November.

A police investigation found that Kirkland had been renting a room at the hotel. Police believe Kirkland arrived at the motel with the infant on a Tuesday evening and checked out the next morning, leaving the infant behind.