Just a day after police arrested Christopher Francisquini for allegedly killing his 11-month-old daughter, the town of Naugatuck came together to honor the life of baby Camilla.
It’s been such an emotional last couple of weeks for everyone involved and on Saturday, you could feel that rippling throughout the community as Naugatuck came together to honor the life of baby Camilla on what would have been her first birthday.
“Every day, you see your daughter every day and then one day, it just stops,” Camilla’s mother, Kristyl, stated.
Tears, hugs, and pain. A Naugatuck community in mourning, yet united as one, honoring the life of baby Camilla.
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“I’ve been trying not to cry and everything, because I just want to keep my baby’s smile and laughter. That’s all she did. She hardly cried. She mainly laughed. She mainly just smiled,” Kristyl said.
Shades of pink covered the crowd as songs of hope and healing echoed through the Naugatuck Green.
“We’re a very tight knit community. We always come together, especially during times of tragedy or adversity,” Naugatuck Mayor Pete Hess explained.
Her father is suspected of killing her and he was taken into custody in Waterbury on Friday afternoon after evading authorities for nearly two weeks, according to police.
“How can you do that to a poor innocent baby? I just don’t understand. That was his daughter. I can’t get that out of my head,” Amanda Cyr of Naugatuck noted.
“It’s unspeakable what happened and she would’ve been one today,” Dave Cyr of Naugatuck says.
Under a cloud of sorrow Saturday was a birthday celebrated for a life forever remembered.
“I just want to keep that smile and that laughter alive,” added Kristyl.
Such an emotional scene, heartbreaking, yet hopeful seeing the strength of this community hold each other up.
The tree lighting and visit from Santa that were planned for tonight have been postponed until 5 p.m. Sunday, according to the mayor.
It will still be held on the Naugatuck Green.
The mayor said he has made special arrangements with NASA to ensure the arrival of Santa Sunday night.
Naugatuck police have been wearing pink #justiceforcamilla bracelets in a show of support for Camilla’s loved ones.
Since revealing the #justiceforcamilla bracelets during a news conference on Thursday, Naugatuck police have received an overwhelming number of inquiries about them, they said.
The bracelets are not for sale to the public yet, but police said there are orders for more in the coming days and they will notify the public when they become available.
Police obtained a warrant charging Camilla’s father, 31-year-old Christopher Francisquini, with murder with special circumstances and risk of injury to a minor. Bond for him has been set at $5 million.
He will appear in court Monday.
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