A Naugatuck man accused of brutally killing his infant daughter has opted to take his chances at trial rather than accept a plea deal. Christopher Francisquini, 34, appeared in Waterbury Superior Court on Thursday where he rejected an offer for 40 years in prisonm, with the chance for his attorneys to argue for 35 years at sentencing. Instead, Francisquini faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if he’s convicted of murder with special circumstances for his daughter’s death.

It was a crime that Naugatuck police called “heinous” and “an unconscionable act.”

Police said 11-month-old Camilla Francisquini was strangled and stabbed to death, then dismembered—all by her own father. It happened Nov. 18. 2022, in the house where they lived, stunning the Naugatuck community and beyond.

MORE: Naugatuck police release details of infant’s brutal killing; FBI offers $10K reward as manhunt intensifies for suspect father

“I don’t understand what makes somebody turn like that and do that,” one neighbor told News 12 back then.

At the time, Francisquini was on special parole for an assault conviction and on house arrest for several incidents in November 2021.

Police said after the homicide, he cut off his court-ordered GPS ankle monitor and smashed his phone, then went on the run.

He was captured at a bus stop in Waterbury two weeks later following a manhunt involving local, state and federal law enforcement. It came one day before his daughter would have turned 1 year old.

According to Francisquini's arrest warrant, Camilla's mom told police he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and prescribed medication, but she believed he wasn't taking it. She also said he sometimes heard voices including ones telling him to kill his father.

At Francisquini's first few court appearances, he refused to speak, leading to an emotional outburst from his own family on Dec. 21, 2021.

"Chris, you're not going to say nothing?! Chris?! You're not going to say nothing?!” Francisquini’s dad bellowed, his heartbreak and anger over the loss of his granddaughter audible.

None of Camilla’s loved ones were in the courtroom on Thursday for Francisquini’s rejection of the plea deal.

His case now moves to the trial list where it will await a date.

Francisquini also has several other pending cases including out of Bridgeport Superior Court and Milford Superior Court. He's being held at Garner Correctional Institution on $6.9 million bond for all of his charges.