The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
PD: Child’s father eyed as suspect in disappearance
ANSONIA — The father of 1yearold Vanessa Morales has been named by police as a suspect in both the toddler’s disappearance and her mother’s homicide.
Ansonia Police Lt. Patrick Lynch said on Tuesday that 43yearold New Haven resident Jose Morales is the department’s suspect in the investigation.
Morales, described by police as Vanessa’s father and her mother’s boyfriend, is currently incarcerated and has been since his arrest earlier this month on charges unrelated to the homicide and disappearance. He is expected in court Wednesday in connection with those weaponrelated charges.
Ansonia police have been searching for Vanessa and for answers in the beating death of her mother, Christine Holloway, for several weeks.
The two hadn’t been seen by family members since Nov. 30.
Ansonia police served a search and seizure warrant at Morales’ First Avenue residence in New Haven on Dec. 3, a summary of the incident from New Haven police indicated. Lynch said Tuesday the arrest was “not related to our investigation.”
During the search of Morales’ New Haven residence, investigators found two stun guns.
A state records check on Morales showed he is a felon, making him prohibited from having an electronic defense weapon. He was taken into custody and charged with two count of criminal possession of an electronic defense weapon.
Police in Ansonia responded to Holloway’s Myrtle Avenue home on Dec. 2 for a welfare check just before 1 p.m. when Holloway didn’t show up for work or call in sick. Officers were unable to make contact. Police responded to the same home later that night around 7:30 p.m. and made the decision to force entry.
Inside the home, police found Holloway’s body.
Once police learned Holloway’s 1yearold daughter should’ve been in the home, a Silver Alert was issued early in the morning on Dec. 3. The next day police upgraded it to an Amber Alert, which remains active.
Police immediately launched a twopart homicide and missing child investigation.
“Finding Vanessa and bringing her home safely is our main priority,” Lynch said Tuesday. “We are not looking to arrest or start criminal proceedings against whoever has Vanessa; we just want her returned to her family.”
He said it is “imperative” the department find Vanessa, since she is a young child who is completely dependent on others for her care and wellbeing.