MILFORD — An unresponsive infant was found dead at the Mayflower Motel this morning, leading to the arrest of a Bridgeport man on charges including risk of injury to a minor, authorities said.
Police received a distress call at 11:06 a.m. from the motel’s cleaning staff who discovered the infant in a bathtub in a vacated room.
Milford officers attempted CPR on the infant until paramedics arrived and continued life-saving efforts.
The child was transported to Yale New Haven Hospital and pronounced dead at 11:56 a.m.
Milford Police Department detectives and the Milford State’s Attorney’s Office took over the investigation, which revealed that Dale Kirkland, 31, had been renting the room and checked out the morning of Aug. 21.
Kirkland is believed to have arrived at the motel with the infant the evening before and left the child behind when he departed.
With the assistance of the Bridgeport Police Department, Kirkland was located and arrested in Bridgeport.
He was taken to Milford Police Headquarters where he was charged with risk of injury to a minor and cruelty to persons.
Kirkland is being held on a $1 million bond and is expected to be arraigned in Milford court today, with the possibility of additional charges.
The Milford Police Department extended their gratitude to the public and the Bridgeport Police Department for their assistance in what they described as a tragic case.
