Prosecutors say 'nanny cam' footage shows Connecticut assault

By Richard Weizel

DANBURY, Conn. (Reuters) - A Connecticut nanny charged with beating and burning a 3-year-old girl in her charge appeared on Tuesday in court where prosecutors said video taken from a hidden camera showed the girl being slapped and having her hands pressed to a stove.

Lidia Quilligana, 32, of Danbury, has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree assault, risk of injury to a minor and third-degree criminal mischief.

At a hearing before Superior Court Judge Kevin Russo, prosecutors said new "nanny cam" footage showed a woman they said was Quilligana force-feeding the 3-year-old and pressing her hands and leg to a stove burner and striking her 1-year-old twin siblings.

Russo kept a $1 million bail that was set by a previous judge.

Quilligana's attorney, Jennifer Tunnard, called the bail excessive and noted that her client was pregnant.

"I disagree with the court keeping bail at $1 million, I find that excessive," Tunnard said. "She didn't kill anyone."

If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison.

The children's mother became suspicious about Quilligana when she returned home on March 27 and discovered that her daughter had a black eye and burned hands, according to an arrest warrant. Quilligana claimed the daughter had fallen onto the stove and hit her head, a claim belied by the footage from the camera, police said.

(The story corrects to say that video was not shown in court, but was mentioned by prosecutors; shows bail kept at $1 million)

(Editing by Scott Malone, Mohammad Zargham and Ian Simpson)