Prosecutor: Police following leads in missing toddler case
MILFORD — A prosecutor said police are continuing to receive and track tips about the whereabouts of missing Ansonia toddler Vanessa Morales, but none of them have turned out to be fruitful.
Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Howard Stein’s remarks came Friday during a brief pretrial hearing for Jose Morales, the New Haven man accused of killing Vanessa’s mother, Christine Holloway, in Ansonia in December 2019.
Stein told Judge Peter Brown he’s still in the process of providing discovery evidence in the case to Jose Morales’ lawyer, Kevin Smith.
“The substantial bulk of disclosure has been provided by the state,” Stein said. “There is still piecemeal disclosure that occurs on a regular basis, as Attorney Smith is aware, with regard to continuing efforts by law enforcement in locating Vanessa Morales.
“As anonymous tips, tips though the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children are being conveyed to various agencies, extensive efforts are being taken by local law enforcement to run those leads down and they are to this point, of course, all negative,” the prosecutor said.
Stein said he would continue to pass any new evidence along to Jose Morales’ lawyer and that the two would discuss the case before a conference with the judge.
“The state is prepared when the defense is prepared to start to talk about how we are going to dispose of these cases, whether through some type of plea discussions or scheduling a trial on these matters,” he said.
“That’s a fair assessment of where we are,” Smith told the judge, noting that he would discuss the case with his client in the meantime.
The judge then continued the case to Aug. 25. Friday’s hearing was conducted remotely, and so will Jose Morales’ next appearance.
Stein said several members of Holloway’s family were viewing Friday’s proceeding, and that he would report to the judge if any of them had a conflict with the next court date.
Morales has been charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence in connection with Holloway’s death. He has pleaded not guilty to both offenses.
He also faces two unrelated felony charges of criminal possession of a firearm, to which he has also pleaded not guilty.
Morales was identified early on as a suspect in Holloway’s death, which was determined to be from blunt-force trauma.
During an interview with investigators, Morales claimed he was in the Myrtle Avenue home when he saw men running toward the front door, police said. Morales said he was on PCP and was punched in the face and knocked out as he tried to call 911, police said.
While Holloway’s body was found in her Ansonia residence more than a year ago, the couple’s young child, Vanessa Morales, has never been found. Morales has not been charged with the child’s disappearance. His arrest affidavit indicates Morales told police he had nothing to do with Holloway’s death or his daughter’s disappearance.
Police in Ansonia say they believe the child will be found and continue to search for her, chasing down leads as far away as
California.
In January, police released an age-enhanced photo of the girl, who was 15 months old at the time she vanished. A $10,000 reward remains from the FBI to anyone who can lead investigators to Vanessa or who turns her over to police.
Ansonia Police Lt. Patrick Lynch said Friday that cops are still working the case.
“We get tips on a fairly regular basis,” Lynch said. “We still encourage anyone to call us with information. Hopefully one of them will be the one that leads us to where she is.”
The Ansonia police investigation into this case began Dec. 2, 2019 when the conducted a welfare check after Holloway didn’t show up for work. Officers went to Holloway’s Myrtle Avenue home and knocked on the door but left when there was no answer, police said.
Seven hours later, officers went back to the house and forced their way inside, finding Holloway’s body. Her daughter was not in the home.
Law enforcement officers used witness statements, surveillance camera footage, cellphone data and DNA evidence to charge Morales with murder, according to court documents.
Neighbors placed Morales at Holloway’s home, police said. Surveillance footage supported another neighbor’s claim that Morales left the house about 30 minutes before officers first showed up to check on Holloway, the arrest affidavit said.
The day before police responded to Holloway’s home, Morales’ car was seen on surveillance footage near a clothing donation bin in Derby, according to police. Workers sorting the bin in Hamden found several bloodstained items, including a children’s book, a puzzle and a man’s shirt. All the items tested positive for Holloway’s DNA, the affidavit said.
“As anonymous tips, tips though the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children are being conveyed to various agencies, extensive efforts are being taken by local law enforcement to run those leads down and they are to this point, of course, all negative.”
Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Howard Stein