Fox 61 News at 10 starts now.
New at 10 we are learning new details
in the horrific killing of a baby girl here
in Connecticut. The accused,
her father facing a judge.
The latest on the case
a big loss for Sikorsky tonight.
A major contract no longer in the
hands of the Stratford based company
where the work is going and the
potential financial implications.
Plus one school district walking
back its decision to eliminate
certain holidays. The latest on the
controversy in Farmington tonight.
But we begin with new details at 10,
as the Naugatuck man accused of murdering
his baby daughter faces a judge.
Good evening, I'm Jen Bernstein.
And I'm Ben Goldman.
Thanks for joining us here tonight.
Christopher Francis Sweeney was arrested
Friday after two weeks on the run.
He didn't speak inside Waterbury
Superior Court today the judge
called the case, quote, unfathomable.
Tonight we are getting new details
into what happened on November 18th.
Fox 61, Tony Black joins us in
the studio after reading the
36 page arrest warrant. Tony
yeah, Ben and John, this arrest warrant for
Christopher Francis Queeney lays out a lot
about this case that explains the murder
of 11 month old Camilla Francis Queeney
and what happened before and after that.
And we want to warn you that many details
in this arrest warrant are very gruesome.
Christopher Francis Queeney appeared in
Waterbury Superior Court Monday accused of
killing his 11 month old daughter Camilla
on November 18th at their home in Naugatuck.
Fox 61 obtained the 36 page arrest
warrant which brings to light new details
about what police say happened that day.
Officers responded to a 911 call and
found a small child deceased with
numerous stab in knife related wounds.
Police say parts of the child's body
had been separated from the main torso.
30 pieces of evidence were collected
from the room,
including shoes her father
owned containing blood droplets.
On the morning of the murder,
Camilla's mother had returned home
from work wanting to change clothes,
but Christopher didn't want her to.
She told police Christopher said
they needed to go shopping and for
her to not touch the room because
he was going to clean it.
She told police Christopher
would not let her in the room.
The two then headed to Waterbury.
They stopped in this parking lot and
another car pulled up next to them,
the warrant states.
It appears Christopher knew
who was in that car.
Christopher and the mother
got into a dispute.
Then police say he broke both
their phones and removed his court
ordered GPS bracelet the mother.
And into a store to call for a ride home.
Police say Christopher left.
The mother later returned to the house
and discovered the murder scene.
The Chevy Impala Christopher was
driving was later found on I-91 in
New Haven after a driver called
police to report that the operator
had been walking around the car.
13 pieces of evidence were later
collected from that vehicle,
including the knife believed to
have been used to kill Camilla.
Another driver picked up Christopher
after he said he ran out of gas
and used that driver's phone to try
and contact people he knew.
The driver eventually left Christopher
in New Haven.
Surveillance footage later captured him
on Quinnipiac Ave in clothing family
friends gave him at their apartment,
unaware of what happened prior.
While at this apartment,
one witness said Christopher used
their phone to create Snapchat
and Facebook accounts.
The witnesses later found out Christopher
Francis Queeney was wanted by police.
He was taken into custody Friday in
Waterbury, two weeks after the murder.
Now,
according to this warrant,
the mother of the baby told police
Christopher was bipolar and did not
believe he was taking his medicine.
He told her he had voices telling
him to kill his dad,
but he was not going to do that.
She said he was a good with the
baby and wanted her to have a
better life than what they
were living. He's now being held on
a $5 million bond in the studio.
Tony Black, Fox 61 news. Just incredibly
heartbreaking and disturbing.
And you really feel for that family.
Tony, thank you very much. Are
we going to move on tonight
to the weather watch here.
Meteorologist Ryan Brenton joining us.
Ryan, a little bit of a system
moving behind you. What's up with
that? Yeah, Ben and Jen, this is on
the way for the next couple of days.
It's not a big storm,
but we have a front that's coming down
from the north and then energy that's
coming up from the South with some moisture.
So for us, it's basically going to
mean a damp and dreary couple of
days ahead the next few days.
Right now we're actually partially
clear and the temperatures have dropped.
We're down to 29 and Willimantic,
33 in New Haven and 34 in Hartford,
but the temperatures may
actually go up from here.
As the wind begins coming out
of the South later tonight,
by tomorrow morning we'll start
with temperatures in the mid 30s.
A lot of clouds tomorrow morning,
but likely dry to start the day.
The afternoon will be different though.
Rain will develop from West to east and
then periods of rain tomorrow night and
look at the temperatures with the rain.
Tomorrow night won't be going
down much at all.
We'll be in the 50s much of
the night tomorrow night.
So tomorrow morning,
a dry morning commute,
maybe just a little patchy drizzle,
but nothing steady or heavy by lunchtime,
a couple of scattered showers and then it's.
Later in the day into tomorrow night,
that rain overspreads the state.
We'll take a closer look at the
timeline and how much may fall
coming up in about 10 minutes.
OK, Ryan, thank you.
And we are following some
breaking news tonight as Sikorsky
Aircraft in Stratford misses
out on a major army contract.
It's the largest helicopter reward
in 40 years, but the helicopters
won't be built here in Connecticut.
Fox 61. Sarah Sanchez joining us
here in the breaking NEWS CENTER
tonight to explain the deal.
Sikorsky missed out on Sarah.
Well, Ben and Jen,
the army says it was awarded.
A future long range assault aircraft
contract to Bell Textron at a
Texas man company will make the
helicopter that will replace the UH-60
Black Hawk called the V280 Valor.
Now Bell says it has developed
the V280 Valor to improve
military safety and efficiency.
The company also says the helicopter has
the range to respond to military actions
and humanitarian assistance missions.
Sikorsky makes the UH-60 Black Hawk and the
army has used it for more than four decades.
The state reached a deal with Sikorsky.
Back in May, to keep more than 7000
jobs at facilities in Connecticut,
the 20 year agreement gave Sikorsky up to
$75 million in tax offsets and credits.
In exchange, the Korski's parent company,
Lockheed Martin,
agreed if it if it won't get
federal helicopter contracts,
they would be built in Connecticut.
Now in a statement,
Governor Ned Lamont says, quote,
this news is disappointing,
but it's important to remember
you can't fly without Connecticut.
And the governor also says the state's
working with Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin.
To bring future aircraft building
opportunities back to the state.
So of course,
he also released a statement after
the decision.
The company says it remains confident
it's defiant X helicopter can help the
army today and well into the future.
So Korski also says it will evaluate
its next steps after receiving feedback
from the army in the Breaking NEWS CENTER.
I'm Sarah Sanchez.
Ben Jen.
All right, Sarah, thank you.
We'll new at 10:00 tonight,
Farmington School board is walking back
its decision to eliminate 2 Jewish
holidays from the school calendar.
Yeah, this comes after.
Concerns were raised by parents that
the district was trying to stop
celebrating other holidays as well.
Fox 61 Gabby Molina live in
Farmington tonight to tell us what
happened at a very contentious
board meeting this evening. Gabby.
Ben and Jen the auditorium was
packed with dozens of people who
were speaking out at that meeting,
many of them upset with the
Board of Education's decision
that it made last month to make
changes to the school calendar.
But the vote did walk back that decision.
They rescinded those votes
from that November meeting,
and they said that instead they now
have a chance to kind of start fresh
and change the way that they make
decisions about holidays moving forward.
In a unanimous vote, all those in favor aye,
the Farmington Board of Education decided
to go back to the status quo when it
comes to the 2023-2024 school calendar.
In November, the board voted to eliminate
the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah
and Yom Kippur from the calendar.
It also failed to add the holiday of Diwali.
Board members said that decision was
made with concern about students
missing too many days of school,
among other factors.
In recent years, districts across
Connecticut and other states have begun.
To receive requests for schools to close for
certain holidays or religious observances.
How to address these requests fairly
and equitably while maintaining our
goal of providing high excellence
in education is a difficult balance.
But it led to backlash from the
Farmington community and beyond
when we're talking about diversity,
inclusion, and to accept others
who are different than us.
Is he just that we need a majority or
a great number of people different on
us to honor holidays or traditions?
Monday evenings vote means students
will have the day off from
school for Yom Kippur next year.
Rosh Hashanah falls on a weekend in 2023,
so it won't affect students
like what they said in terms of,
you know, intent versus impact.
I don't believe their intent was biased.
I believe they were trying to
look at it objective criteria,
but clearly they misapprehended what the.
Impact would be
an impact still felt by those who
were hoping the board would add Divali
to its list of observed holidays.
Next year. It falls on a weekend,
but no decision has been made
yet about any later years.
We kind of used to this disappointment
because we've been working for
it for the last 18 months,
so we missed the chance because
they were not able
to consider it. Dozens of people lined
up to speak about the holiday decisions,
hoping that moving forward they can
feel heard before any are made.
It's so important to communities
across this community.
To be for the for their
observances to be respected.
The Board of Ed said that it
makes decisions about the school
calendar only one year at a time,
so it's not clear if any holidays
will be added for any later years.
Live in Farmington,
Gabby Molina, Fox 61 news.
Gabby, thank you.
We'll do at 10:00 tonight.
Police are Newington are investigating
after a hit and run crash.
It happened on Cedar Street,
right near Willard Ave,
just after 7:30 tonight.
We're working to learn
more from Newington police,
and we'll bring you new information
as soon as we learn a bit.
Well, new at 10.
Police are investigating after two cars.
Crashed in Meriden this afternoon.
It happened on Murray Street
just after 5:00 o'clock.
Minor injuries were reported and a
small child may have been in the crash.
Will bring you any updates as we learn them.
One person is dead tonight after a
crash on I-4 westbound involving a
CT transit bus in West Hartford.
The crash happened early this morning.
The exit 44 police say 2 tractor
trailers of postal truck and two
cars were also involved in the crash.
The highway was totally closed
down for several hours.
Several other people were also taken
to the hospital with minor injuries.
The City of New Haven says that
it's negotiating a settlement
with the attorneys for Randy Cox.
Mayor Justin Elicker said in a statement
that all parties have agreed to pursue
early settlement negotiations and the
civil lawsuit filed by his lawyers.
All discussions will be facilitated by
a judge. Cox was left paralyzed when he
was in the back of a police van in June.
All five officers involved in the case
were served arrest warrants last week.
They're also facing reckless
endangerment in cruelty charges.