Northern California man accused of drowning daughter in baptismal pool is unfit for trial, judge rules

A man accused of drowning his 4-year-old daughter in a baptismal pool in Northern California has been found mentally incompetent to stand trial, a judge ruled Monday.

Gerardo Ordaz, 42, was facing a murder charge for allegedly drowning his daughter, Maria Ordaz Chavarria, in a foot-deep baptismal pool at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Healdsburg, a small town in Sonoma County.

But after seeing court-appointed doctors, a judge ruled Monday that he was unfit to stand trial and instead will return to court Jan. 11 to determine where he will be treated.

Ordaz was arrested Nov. 4 after Healdsburg police found him naked, holding his daughter’s wet, lifeless body behind their station. Ordaz had been crying for help when officers found him.

Earlier in the evening, Ordaz had been with his daughter and a 9-year-old boy in the sanctuary at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, about one block from the police station, authorities said.

Inside the house of worship, investigators say, Ordaz drowned his daughter.

“They were the only ones in the church at the time,” Healdsburg Police Chief Kevin Burke said at the time of the arrest. “The church leaves the doors open late on Sunday.”

The child’s death stunned the parish community at St. John the Baptist, which was founded in 1860.

The church’s pastor, Father Sean Rogers, issued a brief statement after the girl’s death: “Sunday night, there was a tragedy in the church; a little girl lost her life.

“When police finish the investigation, we will know more,” Rogers said. “In the meantime, please pray for the family, and the parish community.”

joseph.serna@latimes.com

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.

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