The father of a 1-year-old girl whose badly decomposed body was found in a crib pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in court Monday morning.
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He is expected to undergo a psychological evaluation before a November 5 pretrial hearing.
Prosecutors added a tampering with evidence charge, also a felony and set bond at $1 million.
Eric Warfel, 35 was charged with one count of abuse of a corpse after a cable installer discover the body of Ember Warfel late last month in his apartment south of Cleveland. Warfel kept his daughter’s death from family members and authorities for several weeks. A medical examiner hasn’t yet ruled on how the toddler died.
Warfel’s attorney, Michael O’Shea, has said there’s more to the case than what is being released by police. Messages seeking further comment were left for him Monday after the arraignment.
Warfel told police Ember died on or about June 18.
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Medina police are taking a closer look at the 2013 death of the couple’s other daughter. The cause of her death has not yet been determined by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, where her body was transferred.
