GERING, Neb. (AP) — A prosecution witness has been accused of killing a 2-year-old Nebraska girl more than six years ago.

Defense attorney Jeff Pickens confronted Brandon Townsend as he retook the stand in a Gering courtroom on Wednesday and said to him, “You killed Juliette, didn’t you.”

“No, sir,” was Townsend’s reply.

Townsend was living with Dustin Chauncey and the little girl’s mother, Charyse Geurts, in July 2008, when Juliette was beaten to death. Chauncey is charged with child abuse resulting in the girl’s death.

Pickens accused Townsend of killing Juliette because Townsend was angry at hearing Chauncey and Charyse Geurts having sex in a nearby bedroom. Townsend briefly dated Geurts before she became involved with Chauncey.

Townsend has not been charged with any crime in Juliette Geurts’ death.