Left: age-progression photo of Vanessa Morales. Right: photo of Vanessa right befiore she disappeared.
For five years, police have been searching for a little girl whose mother was found dead in their Ansonia home and authorities said they still don’t know what happened to Vanessa Morales, who was just a baby when she disappeared.
On Dec. 2, 2019, officers went to the Myrtle Avenue home of 43-year-old Christine Holloway around 1 p.m. that Monday to check on her when she didn’t show up for work or call out sick and there was no answer, according to police.
Officers returned to the home around 7:30 p.m. that night after a family member called police and said they had not heard from her.
After forcing their way inside, police found Holloway’s body. Officials said she had been beaten to death.
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There was no sign of her 14-month-old daughter.
Police initially issued a Silver Alert because they didn’t have a description of a vehicle, the person Vanessa might be with or a potential destination. Days later, they issued an Amber Alert.
Vanessa’s father, Jose Morales, was charged with murder in connection with Holloway’s death and tampering with physical evidence.
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He has pleaded not guilty. Online court records say his trial is scheduled to start on Dec. 9, but Morales' attorney said the trial will not start on that. It will be a court hearing.
And the search goes on for Vanessa.
“The disappearance is still an active investigation, unfortunately after 5 years we are in the same place we were when the investigation began. We do not know what happened to Vanessa, but continue to ask the public for assistance in this investigation, looking for any information that will lead to determining what happened to Vanessa,” Ansonia police posted on social media on Monday.
They have released photos of Vanessa from when she disappeared and an age progressed photo as well.
Anyone who has information is asked to call the police department at 203-735-1885 or leave anonymous tips at Tip411 online here.
