BLOOMINGTON -- A Bloomington man accused of killing his 14-month-old daughter with a baseball bat has been examined by a psychiatrist to determine if an insanity defense is appropriate.
Assistant State's Attorney Jane Foster said Tuesday that the defense has turned over reports from an evaluation of Thomas Meece. The 47-year-old man is charged with the Aug. 20 beating death of Erika Meece in his Bloomington home in the 600 block of South Madison Street.
Foster asked McLean County Judge Robert Freitag for time to allow an expert to conduct a second assessment of Meece. A Dec. 21 hearing is set.
Police were called to the Meece residence for reports of a man breaking glass with a baseball bat. The child was found inside the home and transported to the hospital where she died the following day. Au autopsy listed head injuries consistent with blunt force trauma as the cause of death.
Family members said Erika lived with her mother, Renee Frisch, elsewhere in Bloomington.