
Anyone with information on Vanessa Morales’ whereabouts should call Ansonia police at 203 735 1885.
ANSONIA — Police are still searching for a 1‑year-old girl whose mother was found dead in their home Monday.
“Our main focus at the moment is finding Vanessa Morales and making sure she is safe,” Ansonia Police Chief Andrew Cota said during a 4 p.m. press conference at Ansonia City Hall.
The FBI, state police, and Derby police are assisting.
The name of Vanessa’s mother has not been released, nor has the manner of her death. An autopsy has been scheduled.
A suspect has not been identified in the woman’s death, and police did not theorize on the child’s whereabouts.
Vanessa and her mother lived in a single-family house at 6 ½ Myrtle Ave., police said.
Police said they believe the woman’s killing was isolated, in that the public at large is not thought to be in danger.
According to Lt. Patrick Lynch, the public information officer for the department, police received a call at about 1 p.m. Monday for a “welfare check” on the woman because she had not showed up for work, nor had called in sick.
An officer went to the house, attempted to make contact, but received no answer at the door, Lynch said.
Ansonia police received a second request to check on the woman at about 7:30 p.m. Monday.
Police looked around and decided to force entry into the house. That’s when they found the woman’s body was found inside.
Lynch said police received information that Vanessa, the toddler, lived at the residence, but she was not there.
The house was then secured as a crime scene and a state police major crime squad was called in, which is routine.
Ansonia detectives interviewed Vanessa’s father, who has been cooperating with the investigation, along with family members from the father’s and mother’s said, Lynch said.
Police have not identified a suspect in the homicide.
The FBI’s role is to assist in locating the missing child, Lynch said.
“Our main priority at this time is to locate Vanessa Morales and bring her home safely,” Lynch said.
Police asked that people continue to circulate a photo of the child, and that anyone with information call police at 203 – 735-1885.
Police do not have information regarding the clothes she was last seen wearing. Police believe she was last seen by a relative Friday evening.
The father did not live in the house, police said.
Lynch said Ansonia, Derby and state police have been checking various locations looking for the child, based on information they have been receiving.
An Amber Alert has not been issued, though a Silver Alert was issued. Lynch said Ansonia police will likely issue an Amber Alert once they’ve exhausted current investigative leads.