On August 21st, 2024 at 11:06am Milford Police received a call from the Mayflower Motel, reporting that their cleaning staff had discovered an unresponsive infant lying in the bathtub of a vacated room. 

Milford Police performed CPR on the infant until Paramedics arrived and took over life saving measures. The infant was transported to Yale New Haven Hospital and was pronounced deceased at 11:56am. Milford PD Detectives and the Milford State’s Attorney’s Office responded and assumed the investigation. 

Investigation revealed that Dale Kirkland, 31, of Bridgeport had been renting said room and checked out on the morning of August 21, 2024. 

It is believed that Kirkland arrived at the motel with the infant on the evening of August 20, 2024, and checked out, leaving the infant behind. 

Kirkland was located in Bridgeport with the assistance of the Bridgeport Police Department. He was taken into custody and transported to Milford Police Headquarters where he was charged with Risk of Injury to a Minor and Cruelty to Persons. 

He is currently being held on a $1 million bond. Kirkland is expected to be arraigned in Milford Court today with additional charges possibly pending.