Woman stripping 'to pay for justice'

HUNTINGTON, N.Y., Jan. 9 (UPI) -- A New York state woman working as a stripper to pay legal bills in her custody battle over her 4-year-old son says she is "dancing to pay for justice."

Nicole Montiglio, 31, of Huntington said she posed for Playboy in her college days and started stripping after she lost custody of her son, Sal, in November, the New York Post reported Monday.

"I'm dancing to pay for justice, to get my baby back," Montiglio said.

Montiglio said a judge took custody away from her because investigators were unable to substantiate her repeated claims that her estranged husband, Thomas, was abusing Sal.

The mother said her son, who was placed with his father's brother, told her Thomas was abusing him while bathing him.

Thomas Montiglio refused to comment, the Post said.