Police capture man accused of dismembering infant daughter

Dylan Fearon provides updates on the manhunt for the suspect accused of killing his 11 month old daughter in Naugatuck.
Published: Dec. 3, 2022 at 1:29 PM EST

WATERBURY, Conn. (WFSB/Gray News) - Police have arrested the man accused of killing his 11-month-old daughter after a 2-week search.

Naugatuck police said Christopher Francisquini, 31, was apprehended Friday afternoon in the city of Waterbury, according to WFSB.

Francisquini was the subject of a manhunt involving local, state and federal agencies since police named him as the suspect in his daughter Camilla’s death inside his home in Naugatuck on Nov. 18.

“A sense of relief, knowing this dangerous criminal was brought into custody and taken off the streets,” said Naugatuck Police Chief C. Colin McAlister.

Christopher Francisquini is accused of killing his 11-month-old daughter.(Naugatuck Police Department)

Police said the girl died of neck compressions and stab wounds. Officials said the young child had been dismembered as well.

Dec. 3 would have been her first birthday.

“These officers worked through the holidays, they worked the past 2 weeks nonstop, driven by the commitment to the cause of bringing justice to baby Camilla,” McAlister said.

Police said they received a call from a local resident which led to his arrest. The tip came a day after they asked for the public’s help in tracking down Francisquini.

According to police, the resident saw someone they thought was Francisquini, dressed from head to toe in black, at the Waterbury bus stop and called the police.

“He said he recognized him, although he felt he has changed his appearance, it was still enough that he recognized him,” said McAlister.

Bodycam footage shows the moment Waterbury officers, with their guns drawn, raced in to take Francisquini into custody.

Authorities believe Francisquini had a dispute with the baby’s biological mother in the moments before the stabbing.

Officials said Francisquini has prior arrests and was out on bond for a combination of five pending cases. They found a GPS monitor they claimed was removed before 911 was called at the time of the stabbing.

The news of his arrest brought a lot of relief to those who live in the area.

“I’m just glad they got him,” said local resident Scott Jones. “Something that bad to happen to someone that small, innocent, great good relief they got him.”

Police reported they still don’t have a motive yet, but hope Francsquini’s arrest helps Camilla’s family “breathe easier.”

“Nothing can ease the pain that the family is experiencing as the tragic loss of a child taken from them far too soon, but we hope they can breathe easier,” McAlister said. “He’s no longer a threat to the community and to well as those family members.”

Francisquini is being held on a $5 million bond.