In a significant development, Dale Kirkland, the Bridgeport man accused of drowning his infant daughter at a Milford motel, has been found incompetent to stand trial. This decision was reached during a court appearance today, where mental health evaluations were presented.
Dale Kirkland appeared in court today, facing charges of murder with special circumstances, murder, and risk of injury to a minor following the tragic death of his baby girl. The incident occurred in August at the Mayflower Motel, where cleaning staff discovered the infant in a bathtub in a vacated room.
During the hearing, Mark Simoniello from the Department of Mental Health’s Division of Forensic Services testified about the mental health evaluation conducted on Kirkland. According to Simoniello, a team of three mental health professionals unanimously agreed that Kirkland did not understand the legal proceedings against him and was unable to assist in his defense.
Simoniello further noted that the team believes there is a substantial probability that Kirkland’s competency can be restored. Based on these findings, the judge adopted the recommendation to commit Kirkland to Whiting Forensic Hospital for a period of 60 days. Kirkland is scheduled to return to court on March 4.
This ruling marks a pivotal moment in the case, as efforts will now focus on restoring Kirkland’s competency.
