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Venessa Morales, who is the subject of an Amber Alert issued by Connecticut State Police on Wednesday, Dec. 4, was reported missing on Tuesday, Dec. 3, after her mother was found dead in her home due to blunt force trauma.
Morales was initially listed as an "endangered missing child," then both a Silver and Amber Alert were issued for her.
The 1-year-old is described by police in Ansonia, Connecticut as 2-foot-2, weighing approximately 17 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
Investigators have spoken with Morales' father and other family members, none of whom knows of her whereabouts, Ansonia Police Lt. Patrick Lynch stated.
Nearby police departments in Derby, Hamden and other municipalities are assisting in the search for the 1-year-old, which also includes state and federal law enforcement agencies.
Police said that they first responded to a Myrtle Street home at approximately 1 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2, for a welfare check after Morales' mother failed to show up for work and didn't call in sick. An officer responded to the house but didn't make contact with anyone.
A second welfare check was conducted later in the day at approximately 7:30 p.m., and officers then forced their way inside when there was no response again. At that point, they found the body of the mother, whose name has not been released.
Morales was not in the home when police arrived to investigate, and they have been unable to locate her. Her mother's death is being investigated as a domestic homicide.
Police have not identified a suspect, but are reportedly following multiple leads.
“It’s extremely important based on the conditions that if anyone is outside that we get them inside but it’s more important in this case because we don’t know where she is at all,” investigators said in a statement. “We don’t know if she’s outside or inside, if she’s safe with someone. We just want to locate her and make sure that she’s safe and we can get her back home to family.”
Anyone with information regarding the missing child has been asked to contact police investigators in Ansonia by calling (203) 735-1885 or the FBI at 1-800-225-5324.
A prayer vigil for Morales and her mother has been scheduled for 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Veterans Park in Ansonia.
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