Father accused of killing son with autism to undergo mental evaluation

NASHVILLE -- (WZTV) -- The defense team for Joseph Daniels is calling for a mental evaluation to make sure he can stand trial for the alleged murder of his son.

The Dickson County Court Clerk's Office confirmed to FOX 17 News Daniels will undergo a mental evaluation to ensure he is competent enough to stand trial.

Daniels is facing charges of first-degree murder, child abuse, tampering with evidence, criminal responsibility and false report charges. Based on statements to investigators, Daniels beat his 5-year-old non-verbal, autistic son Joe Clyde to death for urinating on the floor of the family home.

The elder Daniels was transferred to a state correctional facility last week over safety concerns. Daniels is being held at the Riverbend Maximum Security complex in Nashville.

Meanwhile, the search for his son's body continues. A search party found what is believed to be the child's blanket earlier this month but several searches have failed to find the child's body.