Body of missing baby found in Connecticut river

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. -- Police say the body of a 7-month-old boy missing since his father jumped into the Connecticut River with him two days ago has been found.

CBS Hartford, Connecticut affiliate WFSB-TV says Aaden Moreno's body was recovered from the water after being spotted near a swing bridge in East Haddam shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday. He'd been missing since Sunday.

Police say his father, 22-year-old Tony Moreno, jumped from the Arrigoni Bridge between Middletown and Portland. Dive teams and helicopters had been searching for him.

Firefighters pulled Tony Moreno from the river. He was hospitalized in serious condition.

Police say charges are expected.

Police initially believed Moreno may have taken the child, but later said they thought the child went into the water.

Middletown police spokesman Lt. Heather Desmond says the department's thoughts "are with Aaden and his family at this time of sorrow."

Police arrived at the bridge around 11:45 p.m. Sunday after receiving a 911 call, WFSB reports. One of the responding officers said he saw 22-year-old Tony Moreno jump.

The search wasn't easy for authorities.

"What you see on the surface, as far as a current, may not be what's going on underneath. The current below the water could be a lot stronger than what's on the surface," Middletown Fire Chief Robert Kronenberger told the station. "So, there comes a point where if it's not safe for the diver, we'll pull any diver because we never want to become part of the problem."

Last month, 19-year-old Adrianne Oyola, applied for a restraining order because she feared for the safety of her and her son's life, WFSB says. Detailing what she said were Moreno's past abuse and anger issues, Oyola wrote "I am afraid he is going to do something to my son. He is angry and probably isn't thinking straight."

In the application, Oyola also said "I fear for my child's safety, he could hurt my child,"

She said Moreno would push, poke, shove and threaten her. Also, around that time, she said, Moreno took baby Aaden without her knowledge.

In the application, Oyola said, "He (Moreno) has told me he could make my son disappear any time of the day. He told me how he could make me disappear."

Ultimately, the restraining order was denied just days before the tragedy.

Judge Barry Pinkus denied the application. WFSB obtained a transcript of the hearing, in which Pinkus told the court, "I'm just not convinced that there's a continuous threat of present physical pain or physical injury. I'm not going to grant the restraining order."

The ruling confused domestic violence advocates.

"We know what risk factors exist for fatal family violence and some of those risk factors were in fact enumerated by the victim," said Liza Andrews, of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence. "I can't speak to exactly why this order was denied. Judges have decisions to make and each case is different."

In addition to the river search, investigators searched Tony Moreno's home..

Meanwhile, family and friends said they're reeling from the news.

"[We're feeling] total despair," said Tom Marino, Aaden's great uncle. "It's sad to lose Tony, but it's even sadder to lose the baby that way."