Police have ended their initial search for the body of a 7-month-old who may have plunged into the Connecticut River when his suicidal father jumped off the Arrigoni Bridge in Middletown late Sunday night.
Police said the baby's father, Tony Moreno, 22, of Middletown, called someone threatening suicide before jumping into the river around 11:45 p.m. Sunday. That person dialed 911 and told officers Moreno's baby boy, Aaden, was making noises in the background.
Officers rushed
to the scene and saw Moreno jump. Middletown firefighters pulled him to
shore and a LifeStar medical helicopter airlifted Moreno to the
hospital, where he was initially listed in serious condition. After
searching the water for nearly 24 hours, authorities called it quits for
the night, with no sign of Aaden's body.
State police issued a Silver Alert for the boy Monday morning but later said the chances of finding him alive are slim.
"The Middletown
police department has been able to confirm that a 7-month-old listed as
missing did enter the Connecticut River last night. The search for the
7-month-old boy is now classified as a recovery," Middletown police
spokesman Lt. Heather Desmond said during a news conference Monday
afternoon.
Moreno,
meanwhile, has improved in the hospital and is now listed in stable
condition. Police said he's conscious and alert, but it's not clear if
Moreno has told investigators what may have happened to his young son.
Police are still investigating but said they expect to file charges.
Community
members gathered at the Middletown green Monday evening to hold a
candlelight vigil for Aaden. A Facebook group entitled "Help Find Aaden
Moreno!!" has garnered the support of more than 1,500 people.
Aaden is 2 feet
tall and weighs 23 pounds, according to the Silver Alert issued Monday.
He was last seen wearing black pants and a black-and-white striped
shirt with a picture of Mickey Mouse on the front.
In the US,
police will issue a Silver Alert for any child who is missing, along
with missing people over the age of 65 and any other missing people who
might have a medical condition requiring treatment.

No comments:
Post a Comment