Missing Connecticut Baby: Father Of 1-Year-Old Named Suspect In Mother's Death

KEY POINTS

Body of Vanessa Morales' mother, Christine Halloway, was found in her Connecticut home on Dec. 2
Vanessa's father, Jose Morales, was arrested on Dec. 3 for unrelated criminal possession of a pistol
An amber alert was issued for Vanessa shortly after her mother's body was found

The father of a missing 1-year-old in Connecticut was named as a suspect Tuesday in his girlfriend’s murder.

Jose Morales, 43, was named a suspect in the murder of his girlfriend, Christine Halloway, 43, by the Ansonia Police Department in Ansonia, Connecticut. The announcement comes over two weeks after Halloway’s body was found in her Ansonia home.

This was also the last time the couple’s 1-year-old daughter, Vanessa Morales, was reportedly seen.

Police found Halloway’s body on Dec. 2 after receiving calls from relatives asking authorities to visit the family for a welfare check. Relatives became concerned over the family’s safety after failing to contact either Morales or Halloway for several days. Investigators arrived at the residence around 8 p.m., where they reportedly found evidence outside the house that prompted a forced entry into the house and found a body but no sign of Vanessa.

The body was later confirmed to be Halloway, who was reportedly killed from blunt force trauma. An amber alert was issued shortly after for Vanessa.

Police’s attention quickly shifted to Morales, who was arrested on Dec. 3 on related weapon charges in New Haven, Connecticut. Ansonia police said the couple had been in a long-term relationship, though didn’t provide any details as to how Morales may have been connected. Police also declined to answer questions on pending charges but did say it was “building a case” against Morales.

“Finding Vanessa and bringing her home safely is our main priority,” Ansonia police said in a press release. “We are not looking to arrest or start criminal proceedings against whoever has Vanessa; we just want her returned to her family. It is imperative that we find Vanessa, a one-year old child who is wholly dependent on others for her care and well-being and we know locating Vanessa would bring a sense of relief to her family.”

Morales is facing unrelated charges for criminal possession of a pistol and is being held on $250,000 bail.