GADSDEN, Ala. – An Alabama man accused of killing his 21-month-old daughter with a small hatchet has been ordered to undergo a mental exam to determine if he's fit to stand trial.
Documents filed in Etowah County Circuit Court on Friday note that 38-year-old Stephon Lindsay is ordered to undergo outpatient examinations to determine whether he's capable of helping with his defense.
Lindsay is charged with capital murder. A warrant filed in March 2013 says Lindsay's daughter, Maliyah, was partially decapitated, and investigators believe a small hatchet was used in the slaying. The girl's body was found in a wooded area.
News media outlets quote the family as saying the girl was killed as part of a ritual. A judge issued a gag order in the case.
Court records show Lindsay's trial is scheduled for Feb. 22.
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