NJ Man Charged In Disabled Daughter’s Killing Had Mental Health Issues, Court Docs Show

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, NJ — The father who's charged with strangling his non-verbal, disabled daughter to death had a history of mental health struggles, court filings showed.

Devin Hall, 40, of Franklin Township, died after she was choked by 71-year-old Dennis J. Hall, also of Franklin Township, on June 11, the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office said.

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According to an affidavit, Dennis has a history of mental illness and has shown behavior consistent with a potential for self-harm.

He was also undergoing treatment for depression over the last year, his wife, Jan, told ABC News.

At around 6:15 a.m., Franklin Township Police responded to a home along East Avenue for a report of cardiac arrest.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Dennis called and said his daughter was not breathing and that he thought she was dead.

He admitted that he strangled her on the call to emergency services and officers at the scene.

His wife also told authorities that he woke her and admitted to choking their daughter.

"And I thought I didn't hear him right," Jan told ABC. "It's like hell. I feel like I'm walking in a nightmare."

Both her mother and officers tried to perform lifesaving measures on Devin before she was taken to Inspira Hospital and then Cooper University Hospital.

She was taken off life support on June 12 and declared dead.

According to an autopsy performed on June 14, the death was ruled a homicide by asphyxiation.

Hall was arrested at the scene and charged with attempted murder before later having his charge upgraded to first-degree murder.

He was taken to the Salem County Jail to await a motion for pretrial detention and faces a maximum sentence of life in jail.

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