Connecticut Mom Accused of Swinging Her Baby Like Bat

(Naugatuck, Connecticut)

A Naugatuck mother accused of grabbing her baby girl by the legs and swinging her around appeared in court Friday.

Police were called to Maple Street in the area of Nelson's Pharmacy Inc. around 6:30 p.m. after getting reports that a woman, later identified as Aurora Houghtaling, was swinging her daughter by the legs like a baseball bat.

"An officer actually observed the woman swinging," Naugatuck Police Lt. Brian Cammaratta said. "He described it as being swung like a baseball bat."

Police said they knew Houghtaling was on drugs as soon as they approached her. She later told police she was snorting Ritalin with a straw. Officers found a prescription for 60 Ritalin pills filled this week, but she only had 44 pills left.

Houghtaling was booked into custody on suicide watch with bond set at $100,500. She faces charges of breach of peace, risk of injury to child, second-degree failure to appear and interfering with officer/resisting arrest.