Mental health exam ordered for N.Y. father in toddler's slaying

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A mental health exam has been ordered for a 24-year-old central New York man charged with killing his toddler daughter and dumping her body in a creek.

A Syracuse City Court judge on Monday ordered the examination for Ryan Lawrence, who was charged last week with second-degree murder in in the slaying of his 21-month-old daughter, Maddox.

Michael Vavonese, Lawrence's defense attorney, told CBS affiliate WTVH that two doctors will evaluate Lawrence to determine whether he can properly understand the proceedings against him and assist in his own defense.

"We do all of this to make sure his constitutional rights are protected with respects of the progress of the case." Vavonese said.

Lawrence pleaded not guilty on Wednesday, a day after police divers found her body in a creek near Syracuse's Inner Harbor.

Authorities believe the girl was killed in a rural area south of Syracuse before her father returned to the city and put her body in the creek.