COLUMBUS — A Columbus man who is accused of the death of his 3-year-old son last year was not competent to stand trial.
Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Andy Miller ruled that 30-year-old Daniel Neal was incompetent to stand trial because of his mental illness, according to our news partners, WBNS.
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News Center 7 previously reported that a 3-year-old boy was found dead at a home near the 100 block of Buckeye Circle in August 2025.
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According to a court order, Neal could be competent to stand trial within a year after he undergoes his treatment to restore his competence.
Neal is not allowed to move through the behavioral hospital unit unsupervised or to leave the unit, even with supervision, according to the court order.
Neal was indicted by a Franklin County grand jury on Aug. 27, 2025, on one count of aggravated murder and one count of murder after allegedly assaulting and killing his son.
When police arrived, they found the boy dead.
Court records show that the child was “fatally injured by physical force.”
When questioned, Neal told officers that he admitted to assaulting the child, according to court documents.
He was arrested and given a 2 million dollar bond the next day.
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